Preliminary 100 MG Books List

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Here’s the first draft of the list. Some explanations: I checked everything against my library’s catalog — I figured they’re a good standard (I love my library!) — and if it was shelved in the teen space or they didn’t have it, off the list it went. Also, for series, I put the first book, except for The Dark is Rising and Ramona Quimby, where I put what I thought was the best one, since they don’t necessarily need to be read as a series.

So. Your job: what is on here that doesn’t deserve to be? Is there any glaring holes? Let me know. (Otherwise, I’ll just have to chop the list down willy-nilly. Yes, I just used that in a sentence.)

  1. Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken
  2. How Tia Lola Came to Visit, by Julia Alvarez
  3. The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander
  4. The Underneath, byKathi Appelt
  5. Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babitt
  6. The Search for Delicious, by Natalie Babitt
  7. Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett
  8. The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynn Banks
  9. Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum
  10. The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Holly Black
  11. Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie
  12. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
  13. Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume
  14. The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  15. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
  16. Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko
  17. Ramona Quimby, Age 8, by Beverly Cleary
  18. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary
  19. Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer
  20. Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins
  21. The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper
  22. Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis
  23. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
  24. Matilda, by Roald Dahl
  25. Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
  26. The Tiger Rising, by Kate DiCamillo
  27. The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo
  28. The London Eye Mystery, by Siobhan Dowd
  29. The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
  30. Half Magic, by Edward Eager
  31. Then there were Five, by Elizabeth Enright
  32. The Big Splash, by Jack Ferraiolo
  33. The Great Brain, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  34. Harriet The Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh
  35. The Ranger’s Apprentice, by John Flanagan
  36. The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester
  37. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
  38. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
  39. My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George
  40. Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little, by Peggy Gifford
  41. The Liberation of Gabriel King, by K. L. Going
  42. The Thing about Georgie, by Lisa Graff
  43. The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
  44. Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
  45. The Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale
  46. Rapunzel’s Revenge, by Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale
  47. Penny From Heaven, by Jennifer L. Holm
  48. Journey to the River Sea, by Eva Ibbotson
  49. Toys Go Out, by Emily Jenkins
  50. The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norman Juster
  51. The Ordinary Princess, by M. M. Kaye
  52. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney
  53. The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling
  54. The Book of Story Beginnings, by Kristin Kladstrup
  55. Shipwreck, by Gordon Korman
  56. Schooled, by Gordon Korman
  57. The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg
  58. The View from Saturday, by E.L. Konigsburg
  59. Savvy, by Ingrid Law
  60. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
  61. A Ring of Endless Light, by Madeline L’Engle
  62. Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
  63. The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
  64. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin
  65. Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren
  66. In The Year of The Boar and Jackie Robinson, by Bette Lord
  67. Rules, by Cynthia Lord
  68. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, by Lenore Look
  69. Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
  70. The Giver, by Lois Lowry
  71. Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass
  72. Saffy’s Angel, by Hilary McKay
  73. The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley
  74. Fablehaven, by Brandon Mull
  75. Five Children and It, by E. Nesbit
  76. Rascal, by Sterling North
  77. The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
  78. The Silver Crown, by Robert C. O’Brien
  79. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O’Brien
  80. Greetings from Nowhere, by Barbara O’Conner
  81. Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell
  82. A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
  83. The Bridge to Terebithia, by Katherine Patterson
  84. Hatchet, by Gary Paulson
  85. The Kingdom Keepers, by Ridley Pearson
  86. Clementine, by Sarah Pennypacker
  87. Rickshaw Girl, by Mitali Perkins
  88. Six Innings, by James Preller
  89. Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
  90. The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin
  91. The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
  92. Hurt Go Happy, by Ginny Rorby
  93. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling
  94. Yellow Star, by Jennifer Roy
  95. Becoming Naomi Leon, by Pam Munoz Ryan
  96. Magyk, by Angie Sage
  97. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, by Brandon Sanderson
  98. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznik
  99. Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein
  100. Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo, by Obert Skye
  101. The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket
  102. The Changeling, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  103. The Egypt Game, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  104. The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  105. The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart
  106. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, by Donald J. Sobol
  107. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
  108. When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
  109. Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
  110. Keena Ford and the Second Grade Mix-Up, by Melissa Thompson
  111. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
  112. So B. It, by Sarah Weeks
  113. Stuart Little, by E.B. White
  114. Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
  115. Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
  116. The Worry Web site, by Jacqueline Wilson
  117. Leepike Ridge, by Nathan D. Wilson
  118. Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia Wrede
  119. Dollhouse Murders, by Betty Wren Wright
  120. Millicent Min: Girl Genius, by Lisa Yee
  121. The Devil’s Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen
  122. Passager, by Jane Yolen

Goddess Boot Camp

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by Tera Lynn Childs
ages: 13+
First sentence: “I. Am. A. Goddess.” (I guess that counts.)
Support your local independent bookstore! Buy it there.

So, when we last left Phoebe, she had just found out that she was descended from the goddess Nike; in fact, Nike is her great-grandmother. Which means, not only is Phoebe endowed with great power, since she came into it late, it’s a bit (!) out of control.

Since Phoebe seems to be unable to get her act, well powers, together, her step-father, Damian, has enrolled her in Goddess Boot Camp. With a bunch of 10 year olds. Not exactly the most ideal way to spend the summer (no, she’d rather be running or snogging her boyfriend, Griffin).

While I enjoyed this book on a fluffy, summery level , it seemed that there was even less of a plot here than in Oh.My.Gods.. That, and the dialogue — especially between Phoebe and Griffin, started to annoy me. I thought that there were many instances when Child actually used dialogue to get us through a scene when it could have been more effectively summarized in a sentence or two. In addition, the whole sub-plot with Phoebe being unable to trust Griffin to be faithful was a bit much for me. That said, the overall idea of trust and being sure of oneself is a good thing. And M really liked it.

And, as I said before: it’s a fun beach read.

Library Loot #28

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I felt guilty after reading Mother Reader’s post about best YA books by/about women of color. So, I decided to check some of the books out. Granted, I probably won’t get to them for a while, but that’s ok.

For A/K:
Maxwell’s Magic Mix-Up, by Linda Ashman/Illus. by Regan Dunnick
Saint Francis and the Wolf, by Richard Egielski**
Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name, by Tedd Arnold**
Moonbear’s Shadow, by Frank Asch
I Love Guinea-pigs, by Dick King-Smith/Illus. by Anita Jeram
Jake the Ballet Dog, by Karen LeFrank/Illus. By Marcin Baranski

For M:
Sandry’s Book (Circle of Magic, Book 1) (No. 2), by Tamora Pierce*
Tris’s Book (Circle Of Magic), by Tamora Pierce*
Daja’s Book (Circle Of Magic), by Tamora Pierce*
Briar’s Book (Circle of Magic #4), by Tamora Pierce*
Paper Towns, by John Green*
The Chronicles of Faerie: The Light-Bearer’s Daughter, by O. R. Melling

For me:
Secret Keeper, Mitali Perkins
Shug, Jenny Han
One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II, Lita Judge

The roundup is either at Reading Adventures or A Striped Armchair.

*Ones that M eventually read.
**Picture books we really liked.

Gimme Your Favorites

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I’ve been asked to put together a list of 100 Best Middle Grade books (that’s ages 8-13). I’m not going to get all scientific, like Betsy did, but I really NEED your help. Give me your top five (or ten or twenty) books that YOU think should be on the list. And PLEASE spread the word. The more input I get on this, the better! I’ll do a follow up post, when I get close to 100.

THANKS; you guys are awesome.

The Sisters Grimm: The Everafter War

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by Michael Buckley
ages: 9+
First sentence: “Sabrina Grimm’s life was a collection of odd events.”

It’s been a year since I’ve visited Ferryport Landing and the Grimms, and if I were brutally honest (which — shock — I can be sometimes), I would have to say that I didn’t really think about the series. It didn’t really matter to me that the next one was coming out, and I didn’t rush to the library to get the next copy for my girls.

Yet, a copy came our way, both M and C devoured it, and I found myself wondering: what happens next? What’s the next twist and turn that Buckley can throw at us? So, I caved and read it (if only so I could get the book back to our friends who lent it to us).

And… it’s much of the same as the other ones. Fun — I like Buckley’s interpretations of the fairy tales — with multiple twists and turns, and… well, vaguely annoying. I spent less time with the book this time around because I read it to myself rather than reading it out loud, and so I wasn’t as annoyed. Still, I think Buckley’s dialogue is awkward, and he spends too much time spinning his wheels instead of moving forward with the plot. That, and the whole “to be continued” still grates on me.

That said, M and C still really like this series, and the big reveal of the identity of the Master is, well, shocking. And yeah, I’ll probably read the next one when it comes out, even as I ask myself: when will this series end?

Fiction

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by Ara 13
ages: adult
First sentence: “While in the cavalier guardianship of the forest of Marlay, I first saw the lowland tapir.”
Review copy sent to me by a publicist.

I’ll be honest: I married a guy who thinks a lot. In fact, his whole PhD and first five years of teaching was mostly teaching about thinking. And philosophizing. And thinking about philosophizing. Me, on the other hand: I’m a tactile person. I think, sure (even critically sometimes), and I like discussing ideas as much as the next person (well, maybe not every next person). But, honestly, when I’m reading, I like to lose myself in the work, to enjoy the ride, to escape.

Which means: I. Didn’t. Get. This. Book. Metafiction, which I am told this book is an example of, eludes me.

I did get bits and snatches of the plot — and while there was a plot that I was getting bits and snatches of, I enjoyed it — which basically went like this: Daniel is a priest, who decides to go into the jungle to convert the “savages” to the Gospel. However, when he gets there, he discovers that the “savages” are actually very sophisticated, and already have a religion. One that’s based on a picture book — Alice in Wonderland, of all books — that has been handed down for generations. This sends Daniel into a tailspin of doubt, especially when a couple of the natives take his example and decide to become missionaries himself.

The problem with the story is not the plot, it’s the narrative. It was odd. Very odd. (And not funny odd.) Sometimes it was funny. But mostly, it was rambling, shifting, and very confusing (at least to me). The narrative voice would shift from one person to the next, and the narrative would simply stop and switch to one of a number of sub-plots, which were confusing and led nowhere.

That said, I think the end is the key:

I’ve decided to set aside my fear of sounding trite and to leave you with a kernel of wisdom, one simple verb: Read… And look beyond the culturally ascribed worth of the artifact. Often, the value may be a lesson contrary to what is apparent or universally believed…. Scoff not at fictions merely on account of their fabrications. Nonfiction too is manufactured, therefore subject to the same human imperfections upon production, relieving no reader of the onus of deciding that which is sound judgment. So, digest not only fact; read fiction. Certainly there is much to gain from the made-up as well as the real. The lessons learned and the consequential defenses taken to avoid life’s miseries do not diminish in value because of their source.

There you have it. Metafiction. I just wish it made more sense.

Geeky Book To Movies

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This week’s geek is all about movies:

So what are some of your favorite movie adaptations of books? Include trailers or scenes from Youtube if you’d like.

Also along with that question, or instead of that question, what book or series would you like to see be made into a movie or movies? Tell us why you think it or they would work as a movie. If the book already has a book trailer, include that, to help make your point.

I decided, on the spur of the moment, to get my family’s opinions on this. This is what they came up with.

Best movie adaptation:
Hubby: The Right Stuff

Fellowship of the Ring (not the whole trilogy; he really didn’t like the other two that much)

Ciderhouse Rules

M: The Princess Bride

C: Matilda

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (debate: which version is better?)

Me: Little Women (I happen to like the Susan Sarandon version, and I know that in many circles, this is heresy)

Room with a View
(I couldn’t find a trailer, so here’s a scene)

Sense and Sensibility

What should be made into a movie:
Hubby: Wrinkle in Time, the Prydian books (the Disney movie of The Black Cauldron doesn’t count), Phantom Tollbooth, Prayer for Owen Meany — some of his favorite books, they’re interesting stories, and if well-done, they’d be great movies.

Me: Graceling — because the heroine is fantastic, and I’d love to see a visual representation of the world

Austenland — because I think it’d be a fun romantic comedy.

M: Blue Sword (actually, any Robin McKinley book… alas, they will never be made) — because it’s really a fabulous book

C: the Sisters Grimm books — because she LOVES the books. While I was reading them outloud, she’d spend hours casting them

There you have it: my family’s opinions on the best movie adaptations. What are yours?

Making Up for Missing Out Last Year

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Stolen shamelessly from Fizzy Thoughts (thanks, softdrink!)

Thanks to the magnificent Amy, the 2nd annual Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW) will be taking place in September. What is BBAW, you ask? Well, read on for all the details…

WHO Anyone who blogs about books is invited to participate. In fact, we want everyone who blogs about books and reading to be a part of this week!
WHAT A week where we come together, celebrate the contribution and hard work of book bloggers in promoting a culture of literacy, connecting readers to books and authors, and recognizing the best among us with the Second Annual BBAW Awards. There will be special guest posts, daily blogging themes, and giveaways.
WHEN September 14-18, 2009
WHERE Over at the new Book Blogger Appreciation Week Blog! (Please note that this year there are three separate blogs and feeds—one for the main event, one for giveaways, and one for awards.)
WHY Because books matter. In a world full of options, the people talking about books pour hard work, time, energy, and money into creating a community around the written word. Amy, the founder of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, loves this community of bloggers and wants to shower appreciation on you!

WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
Please help us spread the word about Book Blogger Appreciation Week by posting about it on your blog, twittering about it, and telling everyone you know that it’s time to have a party and celebrate book bloggers! Please register by filling out the registration form! Registering ensures your inclusion in the BBAW 09 Database of Book Bloggers and enters you into the drawing for the BBAW 09 Grand Prize! Come back often as there will be many updates! And follow us on Twitter!

AWARDS
BBAW Award Nominations are now open on the BBAW Awards Blog.

Many, many, many thanks to Amy for all of her hard work and continuing this awesome tradition!!

Fragile Eternity

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by Melissa Marr
ages: 14+
First sentence: “Seth knew the moment Aislinn slipped into the house; the slight rise in temperature would’ve told him even if he hadn’t seen the glimmer of sunlight in the middle of the night.”

I don’t know if it’s me, or the book, or my waning interest in the world, but I just couldn’t get into the story.

I tried; I gave it 150 pages, but everything was so angst-y, and off-kilter and… well, let’s just say that every single character, even Seth and Aislinn, was driving me bonkers.

So, I skipped forward, read the last four chapters to see how it ended, and then bailed. (Hey, at least I know how it ends…)

For more legitimate reviews, check out Becky’s or Softdrink’s or Amy’s.

Previously Engaged

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by Elodia Strain
ages: adults, but if there’s interest, 14+
First sentence: “Apparently, weddings are breeding grounds for disaster.”
Review copy sent to me by the publisher.

First, some history: I did as little as possible to make my wedding my “special” day. It didn’t help that I was getting married in a state halfway across the county from where I lived at the time (relatives.), but really, I’m just not a frou-frou-y person. My mom made my dress, a friend did my flowers (on the wrist, not a bouquet), I didn’t have maids of honor, I didn’t have a line, or even a “proper” reception (opting for some more casual get togethers in three different states). Really, the only thing that mattered (you can see it coming!): the cake.

Sometimes I say that if I could go back and do it again, I’d do a period costume piece (either Renaissance or Regency — again, no surprises there), but really, the whole idea of a Bride Wars-inspired wedding hoopla turns me off (and for sweet revenge — or blessed irony — watch each of my four girls need something HUGE when/if they get married).

So, to be honest, I’m not the target audience for this book.

Annabelle Pleasanton is a Monterey-based writer who’s been dating her boyfriend, Isaac, for nine months, and she knows (in some visceral womanly way) that he’s going to propose to her. Except, things keep getting in the way. It doesn’t help that Annabelle’s old flame, Alex, shows back up in her life, throwing gifts and memories at her. It also doesn’t help that Isaac’s personal agent is a former model and flame from High School. Nor does it help that Isaac wants to move down to L.A., taking Annabelle away from her job — at which she’s applying for a promotion, her family, and her beloved Monterey. In addition, Annabelle has just won a $50,000 Dream Wedding — high couture, stunning settings, the best food — and it seems that even though it’s absolutely perfect, things keep falling apart at the seams.

It seemed to me that Strain was going for a Shannon Hale-esque cutesy chick-lit humor. But, while that generally doesn’t bother me, in this case it didn’t work. Not by a mile. The humor was grating (but then — as I’ve mentioned before — humor is such a fickle thing), as were all the “dear reader” asides. The dialogue was flat, and the vague Mormon-ness (it was published by a small LDS publisher) was awkward (either go all out, or don’t go there at all). But, what really bothered me was that Annabelle was shallow. Okay, so she attempted to redeem herself by being interested in philanthropic endeavours (like the company that recycles wedding flowers by giving them to women’s shelters), but really: shallow, one-dimensional, predictable, and (worst of all!) wedding-happy.

Yes, I did finish the book, and yes, there will be some people — read: wedding-happy women — who will really like this book. I am just not one of them.