Toilet: How It Works, David Macaulay

Toilet, How It Works
David Macaulay
ISBN: 9781596437791
'My Readers' beginning chapter nonfiction.
Read January 31, 2014

It's all in the title.  I love Macaulay's older works where he disects buildings or things and uses specific, delightful language to showcase the wonders we have created as a species.  This nonfiction series focuses on more normal everyday things (an earlier book I browsed at a convention was about modern jet planes) that children are often curious or confused about.

For this particular title, we start with the biological reasons for waste (our digestive system) and then skip pretty quickly over to the waste-management end of things, with a bisected tank-and-bowl toilet mechanism, and then on to septic tanks and modern sewer systems, focusing on the waste-treatment end of the process.

A few minor quibbles; with water-conservation becoming so important, it would have been nice to see at least a low-flow toilet as another example, and really progressive to show a waterless toilet system for a real contrast.  In addition, it also would have been nice to see some of the interesting pipes and sewer systems that lead to the processing plant, to show off some beautiful and functional architecture before getting directly to the end-point of the works.

Otherwise, a really nifty short read for kids who are endlessly interested in 'why' and 'how' about our curious world.

Tuesday Storytime: Larger Than Life Men

I love tall tales and stories of people who are larger than life.  This week we're looking at some fantastic men.  Once February is over (I Love My Library Month) we'll come back to this topic with some equally fantastic women.

Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart
Marybeth Lorbeicki, illustrated by Renee Graef
ISBN: 9781585362899
This one was just adorable, and oddly enough, the best out of all the Paul Bunyan books I could find.  You'd think that the major American tall-tale lumberjack would have a whole slew of options for the youngest age-groups to get introduced, but he really doesn't.  I'm glad I found this option before I gave up in disgust.  Lovely bright artwork punctuates a lively story about Paul trying (and failing) to impress an eco-conscious Minnesota gal with his typical feats, before she takes pity on the big-hearted logger and helps him improve himself and his environmental footprint.  The eco message isn't overly subtle, but neither are you bashed over the head with it, and I enjoyed the images of Bunyan trying (and failing) so hard at all the tests he is set.

The Story of Charles Atlas: Strong Man
Meghan McCarthy
ISBN: 9780375929403
This overtly cartoony biography if Charles Atlas is simply nifty.  I love the bug-eyed people, the comic-book-panels, the mix of black-and-white and color images.  The story isn't shabby either - all about the power of self-determination and strength of will as well as of body.  The ending has a few illustrated calisthenics for eager readers to try, and an author's note has two pages of history and social impact caused by Charles, as well as a black and white photograph of Atlas himself, looking buff and happy about it.

My Daddy is a Giant
Carl Norac, illustrated by Ingrid Godon
ISBN: 0618443991
This one brings it back down into the personal realm, with a sweet journey showing a typical daddy from his very small child's perspective.  Exaggerated characteristics are echoed in the pictures, but the dad and child are always front and center, and the dad, no matter how giant, is always friendly and soft-edged.
 

Mystic: The Tenth Apprentice, G. Willow Wilson, David Lopez, Alvaro Lopez, Nathan Fairbairn, Jared K. Fletcher

Mystic: The Tenth Apprentice
Writer, G. Willow Wilson
Penciler, David Lopez
Inker, Alvaro Lopez
Colorist, Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer, Jared K. Fletcher
ISBN: 9780785156086

Graphic Novel, combined Mystic Issues 1-4.

So the backstory here is that a comics group named CrossGen folded a while back, leaving a whole lot of stories unfinished, just hanging out with no chance of resolution (as an avid reader, I totally sympathize - that SUCKS as a reader).  Marvel picked up the CrossGen catalog, but instead of picking up the originals and running with them, it's 'rebooting' each story as a limited-run set of complete stories, to see which of them, if any, are popular or interesting enough to put into commission as full lines.

That said, I never read the originals, but added this particular one based on good reviews in a variety of places.  I'm glad I did, and I'm also glad that it showed up today for a good 'slip back into reading' expreience, because frankly my brains aren't up for anything strenuous these past few days.

We start in a classic Dickensian fashion, with two orphan girls in indentured servitude to the headmistress of the orphanage where they were left as children.  They have to pay her back for the cost of their raising, you see.  (Which is an excellent nasty plot hook, to be totally honest.)   One is dreamy and starry-eyed, full of faith and hope in the goodness of Fate and her certitude that life will get better.   The other is a hard-nosed cynic, smart-mouthed and suspicious.  Life is made bearable by their regular sneaking visits to the lady's library, until they are found out and escape into the streets.  By a set of circumstances best characterized as giddy handwaving, one ends up in the lap of luxury, learning to become an elite mage, while the other one joins the violent French Revolution-inspired street mobs as a powerful figurehead.  The kicker is that the dreamer ends up as the cynical revolutionary  while the cynic has to have faith in her new aristocratic companions.

Is it earth-shattering plotting?  Nope, but it's awfully fun anyway.  The story is really a veneer over the revolution, with beheadings and dramatic posing on top of barrel-constructed barricades.  In places I really felt like the characters were about to break into a Les Mis musical number.

Are the characters awesome? Eh, they're archtypes.  But I still liked reading about them.  The only real downside I have with the characters is that during the ending (which requires group action) a character participates, or at the very least, refrains from sabotage, which doesn't match the character at all.

Well, the art is glorious, right?  I liked it, but it isn't Sandman or Sin City or Girl Genius.  Still, it's easy to tell who is who, the characters are distinctive and interesting (I appreciated the mix of skin-tones) and the colors and design layout play very nicely with the progression and dynamics of the story, while the lettering is well-placed to not distract from the art, but still is readable and flows logically (which feat is apparently harder than it seems, given the many times I've been confused by what order text blocks are supposed to be following).

So, I like it.  It isn't a great artistic masterpiece, but it's funny, obviously references the classics, it's readable, easy on the eyes, and doesn't have anything objectionable sexually or violently (beheadings are threatened but averted).

About my speed tonight.

PS - (spoiler warning) Many of the reviews made me worry that the story would have more of a tragic culmination than it did.  It obviously doesn't finish everything off neatly -it was intended to kickstart a series after all - but neither does it leave the reader in the lurch or with a tragic death to digest.  (end spoiler)

Still sick, still busy. No reading for me

Between working on grants, costume construction, a new fandom project, and still having a sinus infection, I've not read any actual books in almost a week now.  I really need to start feeling better soon - I'm getting jittery.  

Tuesday Storytime: We're Beary Beary Sick.

I've had my annual sinus infection for the last two weeks, and I was actually going for a general "sniffles" theme.  I was amazed that there are three good story-time appropriate books featuring sick bears.  I suppose I shouldn't have been, and I couldn't resist the wordplay.

Sneeze, Big Bear, Sneeze!
Maureen Wright, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
ISBN: 9780761459590
Bear is wandering the fall woods, and the personified Wind is messing with his mind by blowing things away every time he sneezes.  Poor bear insists that it's his sneezes, and tries to fix the damage (tacking leaves back on trees with hammer and nails, stacking fallen apples on branches) while the Wind grows more and more upset with him, finally chasing him back to his cozy den.

Bear Feels Sick
Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
ISBN: 9780689859854
I love all of these books,  Chapman's illustrations and Wilson's rhymes just fit so perfectly together into a happy warm fuzzy place where nothing bad ever happens.  In this one, Bear is, obviously, sick, and his friends pull together to help him feel better.  In the end, Bear is better, but the friends have all caught the bug, and now need care themselves.

The Sniffles for Bear
Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
ISBN: 9780763647568
Poor bear here looks almost rat-like at times, with his dolorous red schnozz and his weakly curled hands as fate and illness are bemoaned and overacted.  I'm just tickled by the pictures.  This Bear is DRAMATICALLY SICK.  Perhaps DYING.  Unfortunately, mouse is not suitably impressed by this terrible news, and insists on mundane comforting advice and companionship.  What's a drama-bear to do?  Perhaps DIE... or maybe just a nap.  The ending here, like Bear Feels Sick, makes a point that the caretakers usually end up sick themselves, just when the sick-ee is feeling better.

Beginnings: Worlds of Honor #6, David Weber et al

Beginnings: Worlds of Honor #6
David Weber, Charles E. Gannon, Joelle Presby, Timothy Zahn
ISBN: 9781451639032
Read January 18, 2014

SciFi: Space Opera "Honorverse" short stories.

Charles E. Gannon: By the Book
From the perspective of the Honorverse, this is ancient history, set in Earth's own solar system.  Lieutenant Lee Strong is a Dirtsider, born and bred on Earth under the watchful (and increasingly stringent) control of the Greens and the Neo Luddites.  He's in command of a ship up here, but his crew (and the population)?  All Upsider, born on Luna, Mars, on a space station, an asteroid habitat, or even further afield.  Lee is loyal and honest.  He knows that the government has some problems, but he is sure that he can continue to serve Earth's interests out here in space.  Lee is so very wrong.

Timothy Zahn: A Call to Arms
We've moved forward in time and space to Manticore, under King Edward, at the beginnings of his attempt to revitalize the RMN.  Our hero this time around is Lieutenant Travis Long, and he starts out beautifully by attempting to "counsel" a legacy nobleman on doing his job properly.  Not being noble or politically connected himself, Travis is therefore thrown under the proverbial bus.  Or is he?  An enemy is sneaking up on Manticore and Travis' new posting puts him in an excellent position to learn more about tactics, grace under pressure, and the vital importance of a long shot.

David Weber: Beauty and the Beast
Favorite story of the lot.  We've jumped forward in time again, and Honor's parents (Alfred Harrington and Allison Chou) meet at the medical university on Beowulf, chaos ensues (courtesy of Manpower), and the attentive reader learns a whole lot about Honor's genetic makeup and develops a metric shit ton of respect for both parents, as well as for shadowy Uncle Jacques.

David Weber: Best Laid Plans
Honor is a preteen on Spinx now, and off in the bush to get a secret present for her mother's birthday.  In the neighborhood, Laughs Brightly and his little brother Sharp Nose are scouting the area in preparation for winter.  This story suffers from a bit too much narrative similarity with A Beautiful Friendship, which is a shame.  Honor and Stephanie are very similar, but Nimitz and Lionheart are very different, and I would have liked to see more of the story from the 'cat's viewpoints.  That said, any story with treecats gets my vote.

Joelle Presby: Obligated Service
For some reason, I found Presby's prose a bit hard to follow.  The shifts in time and space were sudden and unexpected, and there were frequent moments where I wasn't entirely sure what the protagonist was getting at.  However, once I settled in, I enjoyed this story of one of the first Grayson women to graduate from Saganami Island and return home to their patriarchal military.  Claire was a perfect mix of defeated, stubborn, and paranoid, and I rooted for her the whole time.

Overall, not the best collection of Honorverse shorts, but I liked that this group had a theme, and a long narrative flow through the ages to the present state of the written universe.  I don't know if it would be too cutesy to have more themed stories, but if done well, I for one would like to see them.

Here's also where I link out to let readers know that Weber et al are growing the Honorverse into different media, in the ultimate interest of developing Honor movie(s).  So if you know any mobile-gamers or graphic novel readers, make sure they know something awesome's coming their way.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=113575

http://www.evergreenfilms.com/worlds/tales-of-honor

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters (graphic novel), Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters (graphic novel)
Neil Gaiman, illustrated by P. Craig Russell, colors by Lovern Kindzierski
Based on the illustrated novella by Neil Gaiman and Yoshitaka Amano
ISBN: 9781401224240
Read January 15, 2014

Snap judgement: it was nifty, but I still like the original better.

That said, there were a few individual places where I thought the story benefitted from the style of comic panels, or from specific artistic choices.

Firstly, the fox actually has green eyes!  I wouldn't trade Amano's stylized faces for the world, but it was nice to see expressions and actual eyeballs on the monk and fox.

I loved the use of the red and white robe for the fox's human form.  There were a few panels in particular that were just nicely done; when she jumps over the fire and changes, when she is teasing the onmyoji, and when the dreamland pair shifts from man and fox to a couple.

I loved that the use of Dream's white-on-black text made the Fox King's identity more obvious.

I liked that the onmyoji was fat and somewhat attractive, and the sequence showing his fears was very well done.

I LOVED the trio of weavers.  Super-nasty and disturbing.

The sequence where the monk walked into Dreaming was very powerful in this version, because more of the landscape and events were pictured.  The destruction of the geta, and the interactions with Cain and Abel in particular were haunting.

I also am glad that I read the original first, because I could see in my mind the text behind many of the image sequences (like the fox eating the frog), but it did make me aware of at least one minor alteration; the grandfather originally choked on a mochi and here that phrase was altered to an 'unripe peach.'  Made me wonder why alter that, and not just change it to "rice cake" and for that matter, why that, and leave onmyoji or oni or tengu as they are?

As an aside, I find myself uncomfortably aware of my prudish American upbringing, where reading text about 'private' body parts is a-ok, but actually seeing them is somehow worse.  I'm trying to get past that myself, but if a child wanted to read this story, I have to admit I'd rather they read the illustrated novella than looked at the graphic novel.  Graphic indeed, I suppose.

Final verdict: if you are somehow prevented from owning both versions, then the original is still the best choice.  I just can't express how perfect the artistic partnership is between those two masters of their media.

However, in the real world, where people have bookshelves full of The Sandman, this is a beautiful and haunting addition in it's own right, and does a lovely job of adapting the original to another medium without feeling like a copy, but without losing the soul of the story.

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters, Neil Gaiman & Yoshitaka Amano

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters
Neil Gaiman, illustrated (lavishly) by Yoshitaka Amano
October 1999, Vertigo/DC
ISBN: 1563895730 (hardcover)
Re-read January 14, 2014

I devoured this when it first came out, the lush story, the breathtaking art, the unearthly beauty of the Dream King, the faux-historical background, the joy of having a familiar character inhabiting another world that I was passionate about.

Since then, I've browsed through it many times, sighing over the artistry, reading bits and snippets, but rarely the whole thing.  Until today, when I finally got my hands on P. Craig Russell's graphic adaptation, and just had to compare the two.  I've just finished the original again, and it's still breathtaking.

I wish I had better wordcraft to explain how the haunting fall and wash of the paintings makes my chest ache with that tug that is part awe in the face of beauty, and part sadness that life must move on and won't allow you to stay entranced forever.   I wish I could craft a silver and jet net of words to provide a setting of suitable filigree to set this faceted, jeweled, exotic gothic fable into, but I can't.

Just read it, and look at it, and know that craftsmen do exist, and the craft is glorious and good.

Tuesday Storytime: Funny Friends

Nothing's better than a good friend; someone with whom you can share your hopes and fears (and sometimes your living spaces).  Here's a trio of stories showcasing various excellent friendships.

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy
David Soman and Jacky Davis, illustrated by David Soman
ISBN:  9780803733398
Ladybug Girl is ready for adventure at her favorite playground, but once there, she runs into a spot of difficulty when her friend Sam doesn't want to play her way (and she's not that interested in playing the things he likes either).  What's a superhero to do?  If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!  I love the Ladybug Girl books because the 'problems' she faces are so simple and human, and she goes through a realistic process of frustration, mistakes, and finally solving the problem on her own.  Really positive messages, but the stories manage to not be too preachy or moralistic along the way.

Good Luck Bear
Greg Foley
ISBN: 9780670062584
I haven't seen the earlier books in this set (Thank You Bear and Don't Worry Bear) but I'll have to look them up, because this one is cute as the dickens.  My storytime kids are tiny, with equally small attention spans, so I try to have at least one "quick" book in each storytime, to let them feel successful at paying attention to a whole entire book.  This is a perfect fit, thematically, story-wise, pictures, and length.  I love it.  Bear is looking for a lucky 4-leaf clover, and a whole parade of "friends" amble by offering criticism, cut-downs, or interference, until Mouse shows what true friendship means.

One Cool Friend
Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small
(Caldecott Honor book)
ISBN: 9780803734135
Elliot is delighted when his father takes him to the Natural Museum, and even more-so when dad says that Elliot can have a penguin!  The set-up is cute and at least on the first read-through, even a shock for adults, but re-reads will show slightly out-of-frame hints and sneaky double-meaning comments throughout.  Really love that it's a father and son, and that the household is obviously quite devoted to scientific pursuits.  The cameo of the library lady (who was helpful and accepting) is a nice bonus.

Star Wars: Kenobi, John Jackson Miller

Star Wars: Kenobi
John Jackson Miller
ISBN: 9780345546838
Read January 13, 2014

This one has been on my "to read" pile since November, and I'm finally whittling that particular month's pile down.  It's funny that I just read Verily, A New Hope before reading this one, because it made a few asides and comments by the characters much more pointed than they would otherwise have been.  In particular, a story about an actor who was aged by exposure to the harsh desert winds and suns so that in half a year, he looked to have aged twenty years! was vastly amusing.

Miller admits in the acknowledgements that he originally planned this story as a graphic novel, in a western milieu - and it shows.  That's not a bad thing, actually.  His scenes are gritty and sand-filled, the western analogues of cowboy and Indian transfer nicely into moisture farmers and Tusken Raiders, and his descriptive passages have a visual flow and movement to them that is quite agreeable.

With a story like this, the journey really is the point, because anyone reading already knows how it turns out.  How we get there is the only real interest value, and I enjoyed the ride for the most part.  Downsides do exist: the opening acts were a bit slow to get rolling, I thought that "Ben's" narrative voice in the meditation sections was off, and the unraveling of the antagonist's plans, mind, and life happened a bit too quickly; but these are piddly details.  Overall, it was a fun ride in a familiar landscape, with a whole cast of new and interesting characters and one very familiar person trying to find a new niche in life.

Is it the next Thrawn Trilogy?  Hell no.  Is it comparable to Shadows of the Empire (the novel, not that impenetrable multimedia octopus, thank you very much) or I, Jedi?  Yeah, for me it was, although the gritty tone and small-town Tattooine setting much more closely matches the tight focus and small stakes of the short stories in Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina or Tales from Jabba's Palace anthologies.  Overall, a solid addition to the EU, and one that I hope makes it into the soon-to-be-established canon. 

Final thought: Sand People are seriously hard-core.

Sorrow's Knot, Erin Bow

Sorrow's Knot
Erin Bow
ISBN: 9780545166669
Read January 12, 2014

YA/Fantasy, indigenous cultures in a world of dead shadows and the power to 'bind' with knots or words.

I can't really improve on the jacket copy without spoiling the story, and I find myself strangely averse to spoilers for any part of this story.  All I feel I can safely say is that Otter, Kestrel, and Cricket are caring friends, that family relationships can be both loving and twisted, and that this beautiful and unsettling story made me cry.

I find myself this next morning wanting to hug my mother and my grandmother.

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope
Ian Doescher
ISBN: 9781594746376
Read January 7, 2014

Parody/Homage: Star Wars, as written by the Master Wordsmith himself.  My only quibble is that the story uses the 'official' reworked version with the Jabba appearance.

I grinned a lot when reading this, especially the many soliloquies that reveal future events or hint at characters and relationships.  I particularly enjoyed Obi-Wan's speech as he steeled himself to death to inspire Luke, and Luke's 'once more into the breach' before the final battle, which both improves on and laughs at his original naive, bragging 'womp rat' line.

There were admittedly places where the wording was more cutesy or corny than creative, but the vast majority were delightful, most hitting that sweet spot where I could see the characters speaking the lines, but could also see clearly where they were taken from the Bard as well as from the screenplay.

I even liked the Chorus, and I usually hate the Chorus!  I was left with an overwhelming urge to try and actually stage this.  I have a feeling that it would be either hysterical or laughable, but to the author's credit, I really want to try.

"Act 4, Scene 2:
Han, in the detention block control room, to the comlink

O, be not anxious, comrades, fear ye not!
The situation here hath been controll'd.
All merry 'tis in the detention block!

Officer 1 (through comlink) But what hath happen'd?

Han ----- 'Tis no matter, Sir-
A slight malfunction of the weapons here.
But all is well, and we are well, and all
Within are well.  The pris'ners, too, are well,
'Tis well, 'tis well.  And thou?  Art also well?

Officer 1 (through comlink) We shall dispatch a squad to verify.

Han - Nay, there's a leak in the reactor here.
Pray give us time to mend the matter well.
The leak is large and dangerous, but fear
Thou not, for all - I tell thee true - is well!

Officer 1 (through comlink) But who art thou, and what's thy number code?

/ Han Solo blasts comlink /

Han - That conversation did my spirits bore!
Now Luke, prepare thyself for company!"

(This post created on an ipad, apologies for textual/formatting errors.  I will correct and update as soon as I'm back to a 'real' computer.)

Graphic Novel: Dresden Files, Ghoul Goblin, Jim Butcher

The Dresden Files Ghoul Goblin

Jim Butcher and Mark Powers, illustrated by Joseph Cooper and Mohan 

ISBN: 9781606904381

Hardcover Graphic Novel, 160 p.
Read January 9, 2014

I've missed Harry.  The last novel I read was Ghost Story, and I'm holding off on the more recent ones because they've gotten a bit too dark and heavy-hitting for me, at least for the winter months.  (I did get to read Molly's story Bombshells in the Dangerous Women anthology (GRR Martin, ISBN: 9780765332066) this past weekend (January 5th, 2014), and I can say it's a measure of how much I miss the Dresdenverse that I chose to read that instead of Sanderson's Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, which I STILL have not gotten to read.)  So it was an unreserved pleasure to backtrack to Harry's early days, when his weight class is measured against everyday ghouls and goblins and sea monsters.

The story starts shortly after the events of Fool Moon, with Dresden still reeling over the first real casualties he's been responsible for, and Murph giving him the cold shoulder.  When a small-town deputy from Missouri shows up with a tale of a family of orphaned siblings dying in unusual circumstances, Harry is all too willing to leave Chicago's bad memories behind for a while, and do his part to help another set of orphans.  Unfortunately, the kids are the remnants of a family cursed due to an ancestor's stupidity (elaborated in the prologue, with a Lawrence of Arabia cameo in Egypt), and now the kids, the last of the family line, are literal pawns in a supernatural turf battle.  Just identifying the nonhuman players is taking all of Harry's strength and wits, and it doesn't help that there is a reactionary Sheriff itching to arrest him for being a con artist, and a shady lady Mayor with a mysterious connection of her own to Egypt.

Obviously Harry can't die (yet), but the body count does get pretty rough before the end.  

The storyline is tight, and what's really interesting is comparing the graphic novelization with the original text summary included at the end of the book.  While characters and events mostly line up, the entire ending is drastically different, and in my opinion, much stronger, in the graphic novel than in the summary.  Makes me wonder who was responsible for the changes, and how that process developed through the creation of the original 6-part series.  

The art - oh lord, the art is beautiful.  I think I mentioned in my review of Fool Moon Part 2 that I was not entirely thrilled with how Chase Conley was interpreting the characters there.  Well, we've switched back up, and I'm LOVING Joseph Cooper's work.  It's simply beautiful.  The characters are expressive in face and body without looking like caricatures.  Even the really tough work like making the goblin subtly off-kilter without looking overly inhuman were just delightfully done.  I especially liked the lantern-jaw on the ghoul, and how Cooper used body posture and viewing angle to really show up that grotesque deformation.  In addition, Harry doesn't look emaciated or nuts, and the female characters have mouths and eyes that fit their faces.  A special bonus for me was the set of covers by Ardian Syaf, who started this whole shindig up in style, and who I've sorely missed.  I was a little nonplussed by his choice of Harry in his pentacle and orange prison jumpsuit, which isn't at all the way it goes down in the story, but I can't deny that it's an impressive and intriguing image to catch someone's eye.

Here's hoping that Butcher sees fit to give us more of these original story graphic novels, or perhaps some graphic treatments of some existing short stories.  I would love to see Harry and Bigfoot in graphic format, not to mention a certain werewolf wedding.       

Tuesday Storytime: Baby it's COLD Outside!!

I'm starting this year with listing the titles of picture books that I use for Storytime each Tuesday.
For the record, I do a "Family-Style Storytime" aimed at babies-in-arms to age 4, and usually have between 10 and 20 attendees (including parents/guardians).

Oh! by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Greenwillow, 1999
ISBN: 9780688170530
Various animals and children exclaim in delight at a fresh snowfall, cavort all morning and afternoon, and then head back home at night to rest for the next day of fun.  Sweet pastel short page-vignettes for each different animal all smush together at the end in a satisfying manner.

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
HMH for Young Readers, 1995
ISBN: 9780152000745
Bright "found object" collages combine to create layered snow-creatures, from family members to cats and dogs.  High interest-value for identifying the snow-creature components (acorns, carrots, buttons...).  The endpapers feature actual snowmen created by the Ehlert family.

Utterly Otterly Night, by Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt
Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2011
ISBN: 9781416975625
Little otter is growing up fast (from his first appearance in Utterly Otterly Day) and during a winter night frolic, he proves his maturity by taunting and evading a pack of wolves while his family slips into their den to safety.  Snappy non-consecutive rhymes and onomatopoeic words make this a good one to practice a few times before reading to the kids.

House of Shadows, Rachel Neumeier

House of Shadows
Rachel Neumeier
ISBN: 9780316072779
Re-Read January 6, 2014

Fantasy: Magecraft, bardic magic, geisha, mysterious cats, portentous curses, Princes, Kings, and dragons.

Karah is the beautiful sister, and Nemienne the one who doesn't quite fit in, and that's good, because after the death of their father, both sisters will move out into the larger world to support their remaining five sisters.

Nemienne, with her smoky, shadowed eyes, ends up apprenticed to the master Mage Akennes, while Karah finds her beauty a perfect fit for the cultured world of the Keiso, the geisha-like women of leisure who aim to become wealthy kept women of the nobility.  Despite the divergence of their paths, these two sisters keep spiraling in towards each other, and they are key to unraveling a mystery, and perhaps preventing a murder.

I originally read this sometime in summer 2012, and I enjoyed it immensely.  I loved the political twists, the cultural details, the details of the various types of magic (especially the bardic work) and the quirks and details of the individual characters.  The "bardic sorcery" was so interesting and well-described that I'm pretty sure I emailed Patrick Rothfuss with a semi-coherent yet enthusiastic recommendation immediately afterwards.

Unreservedly recommended, and just as good on a second read-through.

One teeny-tiny niggle: some of the names are unfortunately close: Nemienne is the sister, Narienneh is the matriarch of the Keiso (geisha) house.  Lily is a nasty deisa (geisha-trainee) and Leilis is a sort of chatelaine of the establishment.  A little frustrating.  On the other hand, if you must name your male character Tod, I have no objections to spelling it Taudde in order to make it more alien, and therefore palatable.  I still reserve the right to roll my eyes just a smidge.

Picture Book: Grumpy Goat, Brett Helquist

Grumpy Goat
Brett Helquist
ISBN: 9780061139536
Read: January 6, 2014

Picture Book: Grumpy Goat is not just anti-social, he's actively nasty to the other animals.  Then one day he spots something beautiful, something that reminds him of light and life and happiness.  His newfound sweet nature draws in the other wary animals, who then prove to be true friends when Goat's transient object of adoration is lost to him.  A shining example of seeing beauty in the smallest thing, of standing by friends when they are feeling sad, and a tribute to dandelions everywhere.

The Limit, Kristen Landon

The Limit
Kristen Landon
ISBN: 9781442402713
Read January 3, 2014

Middle-grade dystopia: 13-year old Matt is the scapegoat for his family's lack of money savvy - he's off to the workhouse to earn enough money to get them back under the federally-mandated family debt limit. Fortunately, Matt is a genius, and assigned to work in the Top Level, a world short school days, even shorter work days, indoor pools, gyms, and unlimited spending accounts.  Unfortunately for Matt, something extra despicable seems to be happening in his workhouse, and his family's money woes are suddenly the least of his problems, while his cushy life up Top may be adding to them.

Not an amazing read, but not shabby either.  It suffered a bit from the juvenile/middle-grade/YA trap that makes adults into imbeciles in order to ease plotting concerns, but not overly so (and to be honest, I know lots of people who are either in denial or incapable regarding their finances).  

The kids in focus are super-genius, but they still act like kids - goofing off, playing around, working out boundaries between teasing and bullying, but all of that stays in the background in service of straightforward furthering of the plot.  That's somewhat to the detriment of the story, actually, especially in the neglect of the female characters, and of the villainess and her motivations and background.

Matt's motivations seem organic and realistic, as do his rebellions.  I'm only left wondering why on earth the villainess didn't seem to have had any experience with any other hormonal and rebellious teens before this, as she seemed totally unable to comprehend the concept of continuing defiance.

The book sorts itself out quickly, the denouement skips effortlessly over some really interesting questions (why and how did a workhouse concept actually come to pass) and moves blithely onward to a slightly-less-dystopic endpoint.  The whole plotline really felt like a stripped-down and much less world-built version of Ready Player One.

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannet

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon (50th anniversary hardcover edition)
Ruth Stiles Gannet, illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannet
ISBN: 0679887116
Re-Read: December 30, 2013 - January 3, 2014.

Juv: illustrated trio of stories about Elmer Elevator and his adventures with Boris the blue-and-yellow striped baby dragon.  The first was written and illustrated as a family project, and published in 1948 to instant acclaim.

I remember these so fondly from childhood.  The tangerines, the sticks of chewing gum, the very carefully crafted lists of everything from knapsack provisions to hidden treasure contents.  And of course the elderly stray cat, the baby dragon, and Elmer himself, totally willing to rise to any occasion as long as he's had a bit of time to think through a plan.

The first story is the classic, the one most people will remember, where Elmer ventures to Wild Island and braves everything from boars to rhinos to crocodiles with wit, chewing gum, toothpaste, and lollipops, on his mission to rescue a mistreated baby dragon who is chained to a river crossing.

The second story chronicles Elmer and the Baby Dragon's journey to bring Elmer back home in time for his father's birthday, with their stopover at the Island of Escaped Canaries, where King Can the XI, and all the other canaries,  are dying (albeit very slowly) of curiousity because the King won't tell his deep family secret about a long-hidden treasure.

Third story has Boris (the baby dragon now has a name) returning home to the Blueland Mountains after schlepping Elmer back home.  Unfortunately, Boris arrives just in time to see his whole family (all 15 of them: 6 sisters, 7 brothers, and parents) besieged inside their cave home, trapped by a group of explorers determined to capture them and sell them off to zoos.  Back to Elmer for assistance, and the two children sneakily and cleverly defeat the bad guys, leaving no one the wiser.

Delightful memories, delightful stories, and the illustrations are just quirky and sweet enough to fit perfectly.    

Sally Slick & The Steel Syndicate, Carrie Harris

Sally Slick & the Steel Syndicate: A Tale of the Young Centurions
Carrie Harris
ISBN: 9781613170632
Read January 2, 2014

YA: FATE role-playing system tie-in novel, first of a planned series (sequel: Sally Slick and the Miniature Menace).

Sally is the only girl in a family of 7 boys, and she's an inventor to boot.  She's proud of her inventions, especially her racing tractor.  She's less proud that the town bully and his gang continue to beat up her best (only) friend Jet while she stays out of their way.  When her eldest brother returns from Chicago and tries to secretly bury a broken mechanical man in the family graveyard, Sally gets mixed up in more danger and excitement than she'd ever imagined.  The mechanical man is the focus of a turf-war between Chicago gangsters.  The Steel Don and a strange inventor, her brother's employer Doktor Proktor, both want the power this invention will grant them.  As Sally tries to keep her family, especially her brother James, safe, she realizes that her own skills are in demand as well, and that her opponents will stop at nothing to secure her talent. 

This was created as a "stretch goal" for a Kickstarter campaign for the FATE system, and it shows a little.  The book is softbound, with those glare-white pages and really narrow margins that scream "self-published" but the content is thankfully not subject to the usual low self-publishing standards.  I didn't notice any typographical or grammar mistakes, no great jumps in narrative, or strange railroading or mystical decisionmaking.  The plot was funny and quick, the characters quirky and individualized (except for the 7 brothers, of whom I know of the sick baby, the twins (one of whom is a prankster, and the other a tactical genius) and the eldest brother.  4 out of 7 isn't bad, right? 

The only real complaint I have with this one is that more times than not, the dialogue is stilted and somewhat off.  People don't really talk to each other the way that the author has them do here, and it's a little bit of a detriment to the story, especially when the characters themselves are pretty nifty, and well-drawn.

Cute, fun, clean, and in the same excellent early-century inventor breed as Tom Swift, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and The Rocketeer, but specifically geared towards younger readers.  Not quite Jules Verne, but amusing and inventive.  I only hope that Calamity the tractor will play a slightly larger role in the next book.

Miss Manners Minds Your Business, Judith Martin & Nicholas Ivor Martin

First book of the New Year belongs to Miss Manners!

Miss Manners Minds Your Business
Judith Martin & Nicholas Ivor Martin
ISBN: 9780393081367
Read January 2, 2014

I've long thought that Miss Manners is getting more pert and saucy as she goes along, and this book was a major confirmation of my theory.  Here, she deals with the trials and tribulations of the modern workforce, with cubicles, outdated sexist/classist "old boys" codes, and social networking snafus with wit and no small attitude of "Really?  You brought this on yourself, you know, Gentle Reader.  It's your own damn fault, but I'll do my best to help you out.  Just this once."

She pulls no punches in skewering the nasty sides of work (really not a fan of office parties and Secret Santas) and of highlighting misplaced social attitudes (gossip circles and personal TMI revelations are both sternly rebuked) of the workers.  She affirms the rights of workers to abstain from office friendships (which she considers an oxymoron) and to defend themselves from harmful or co-dependent requests from supervisors or coworkers that would have any therapist shaking their heads if originating from a loved one.

Most of all, this pointed and perfect advice is given in her trademarked (at least I hope it is) witty repartee and true knack for a devastating, yet totally innocent comment.

To avoid spoiling any of her excellent advice regarding workplaces, I'll excerpt a smidge from her introduction to the frailties of workplace friendships:

"Not all friends are friends.  Unless the boyfriend and the girlfriend provide more than friendliness, they are known as "just friends" or even "former friends."  But particular friends and special friends may have to be seated separately at dinner if they are to be able to follow the thread of the conversation without being distracted by what is going on under the table.  This is not true of anyone characterized as "an elderly friend," a phrase sometimes used as code to mean that he lost the thread of the conversation long ago.  And if you ever find yourself addressed as "my young friend," run for cover." 

A perfect way to start off the New Year.