Day 30 - Weirdest Book You Loved

Ellen Raskin's The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) is one of the weirdest books I've ever encountered.  It involves a woman who wears the same outfit for years and years and years so on the off-chance that the man she once "loved" comes back, he'll recognize her.  That sounds chick lit-y.  It's not.  See, the woman was also an heiress to some soup business and was married at age 5 in order to keep it in the family.  The last message she has from her husband was heard whilst he was drowning, so it's obscured by "glubs" and blubs."  She spends the majority of her lifetime trying to solve the puzzle of this message to find his whereabouts and get on with their lives together, with the help of her friend and twins she adopts.  So there's soup, glubs, blubs, word puzzles, changed identities, and just a whole mess of weird randomness.  It's lovely. 

Raskin also wrote The Westing Game which, in the words of my fellow Children's Literature and Media classmates, is "THE BEST BOOK EVER," so I never doubted that this book would be just as great. 

Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked

People didn't necessarily hate this book, but they complained a lot about it.  The word on the street is that The Higher Power of Lucky only won the Newbery Award because it went for the shock value and used the word "scrotum" on the first page.  I personally don't think it's a big deal and the ALA, and many others agree.  Discussion of a dog's anatomy shouldn't take away from the rest of the book, which is really great.  Really, what's not to love about a 10 year old who eavesdrops on her town's AA meetings?

Day 28 – Favorite title

There are so many amazing titles out there.  It makes me sad that "One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater" was never made into a book or this would have been the easiest decision ever. 

But I'm going with Al Capone Does My Shirts as my favorite title.  1) It's silly and draws readers in; 2) By the end of the book you'll be wondering...is it true? 

Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending

I've mentioned this book before in discussing how this was a perfect example of the inventiveness that is often found in young adult literature.  It also has the best cliffhanger.  This is quite possibly because I was unaware that this was part of a series while I was reading it...despite how it says BOOK ONE right on the cover.  Unfortunately, the book's follow-up, The Ask and the Answer, wasn't fulfilling.  But the first installment's ending is jawdropping for sure.

Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something

Kind of a copout because I have already semi-mentioned it in this countdown, but after reading Twilight with its sparkly, sissy, poorly defined vampire characters (don't worry, the non-vampire characters are also poorly defined) completely cured my vampire phobia.  That was the only thing it was good for.  Well, that and a good laugh.

Day 25 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read / No. 729: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Now that this book has been made into a Martin Scorsese film ("Hugo"), I may get my wish.  If the movie flops, however, it might be difficult to convince people to read this AMAZING book because people's minds tend to be made up by box office success. Plus it's being released in 3D, and I think we're all sick of 3D by now, so it could be a disaster.  Sigh.

 

 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick is one part historical fiction, one part adventure, one part mystery, and three parts awesome sauce, all shaken together and served with incredibly detailed and expressive pencil drawings and a side of prose. As it's a little over 500 pages long, it can look pretty intimidating to a young child reader (and an adult reader, let's be honest), but the majority of the book is made up of full page illustrations.  I didn't know it was part graphic novel prior to reading, which caused me to almost burst into tears at the library when I saw it on the shelf waiting for me the day before I needed to have it read for a class.  Good times.

Selznick tells the story of George Melies, pioneer filmmaker, through a young boy's (Hugo) discovery of an automaton that draws images from Melies' old films.  The text and illustrations are interdependent, meaning you need to spend as much time looking at and dissecting the images as you do reading the text in order to comprehend the full story.  And really, the images are so beautiful it's hard to look away. 

This novel makes wonderful pleasure reading material, but with the plethora of historical movie references, it's easy to pair this novel with history, film and even art lessons.  With the unique format, it's also easy to sneak in a lesson on narrative techniques and symbolism which is my favorite thing about this book aside from the, and I can't stress this enough, wondrous illustrations (it won the Caldecott for a reason).  I once wrote an essay on how shoes frame the novel as a symbol for both moving forward.  I got an A.  Go me.  I'd explain more, but to do so would result in severe spoilers, so just go read the book.  Or see the movie and then read the book.  Either way, reading the book is a must, especially if you love films, graphic novels, magic tricks, and fun. 

 

 

Also, go here for the cutest review of a book I've ever encountered.

Day 24 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t

Because I'm obsessed with the origins of hit Broadway musicals. 

Day 23 – First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child

It's definitely not the first one I read, but the first one that comes to mind is Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Babe Ruth Baseball.  For those of you unfamiliar with the amazingness that is the Cam Jansen series, Cam is a lovely girl with a photographic memory.  She is literally a human camera.  She looks at something, says "click," and her mind takes pictures of what's going on around her. Then she goes through these mental images to solve awesome crimes.  Yes, I used to walk around and try to do this.  I failed. 

Day 22 – Favorite book from your childhood

The Ultimate Visual Dictionary.  An instant classic.

You must be thinking, no, no, surely a Nancy Drew or Baby-Sitters Club book was your favorite, Nicole.  To that, I would scoff. *Scoffs*

I loved this book.  It was my favorite picture book.  I would open up to a random page and just stare.  Once I learned how to read, I would read the corresponding text and learn about starfish, engines, magma, etc.  It.was.the.coolest.

I'm pretty sure I cited this bad boy in every research project I had throughout elementary school.  You can't go wrong with the UVD, and for that, I thank it. 

Day 21 - Book that disappointed you

Mary Shelley's, Frankenstein.  I'm not even a horror fan, but wow, talk about a letdown.  This may or may not be a result of Young Frankenstein being one of my top comedies.  I watched Everybody Loves Raymond because a part of me hoped Peter Boyle would go into a few bars of "Puttin' on the Ritz" every now and then. 

But back to the book. I think once I realized that my whole life up until high school freshmen English was a lie because I thought Frankenstein was the monster or creation or whatever you want to call it, I lost all faith in the "Gothic horror."  I do, however, feel that pretentious pride now whenever I hear someone else refer to the creation as Frankenstein as opposed to Frankenstein's creation. 

Wuss.

There wasn't enough action for me.  Sure the monster killed a bunch of people, but man when he told his side of the story...he's such a wuss!  A man made man killing wuss who just wants to be loved.  Yeah, I get that that humanizes him and we're supposed to be all "aww the poor monster," but geez!  I thought this book was supposed to be scary.  Michelle Bachman's beliefs are scarier than this book.  You know what else annoyed me? Everyone would always talk about how this book was so vital because it utilized varying perspectives.  And sure, the monster does tell his side of the story, but there are quotation marks around the entire thing because he's just talking to Frankenstein.  So technically it's the same point of view...it's just a onesided convo.  In class discussions, when my classmates would talk about the point of view shift, I would passively seethe with anger in my seat without saying anything because class participation was/is not my strong suit. 

The only other part of this book I remember was the word "ignominious."  We had to create a long, 50 word contextual clue vocabulary list while reading this book and that was one I picked.  I later used it in my opening statement when I defended the monster for his wimpy killings in the class debate.  We (rightfully) lost, but I got a sticker on my assignment anyway for good vocab use.  I miss the stickers.  There's a lack of stickers in the adult world.  And that's a disappointment too.

Day 20 – Book that you can quote/recite

Every time I feel sick, wake up and just want (or need) to go back to sleep, or pretty much have to do something I don't want to do, I start saying to myself: 

"'I cannot go to school today'/Said little Peggy Ann McKay"

"Sick," from Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends is my favorite poem of all time.  Because I constantly quote it is one reason, the others are because it rhymes (poems should rhyme, it's a fact), it's funny and it's relatable for kids AND adults.  I also hate most poetry (not all!) which really helps to narrow it down.  

So even though it's just the one poem that stands out for me, though I do enjoy the others, Where the Sidewalk Ends, is one of my favorite quotable books and most certainly my favorite quotable poetry collection. 

Fun facts: Did you know that Shel used to write and draw cartoons for Playboy?  He also had zero intention of ever writing for kids.  Johnny Cash's song "A Boy Named Sue"?  Shel wrote that.  The more you know.

And semi-related:

Day 19 - Favorite book turned into movie

It seems like a copout because I used this book for the favorite quote entry, but The Princess Bride is my favorite book and movie, so that's that.  The title just sucks.  During my BC orientation when my group was doing the whole awkward let's pretend to get to know each other by asking about all of your favorite forms of entertainment (this was before we all had Facebook profiles to stalk so we actually had to ask), a girl thought I was talking about The Princess Diaries.  I love Anne Hathaway as much as the next person, but no.  No, no, no, no, no. 

Day 18 - A book from a series that disappointed you

It's a little painful to admit, but the Hunger Games conclusion, Mockingjay, was less than satisfactory for me.  I was excited to read it because 1) it was the conclusion so I was expecting some of the awesome action that makes up the first two books; and 2) I would always sing the title to myself to the tune of Carly Simon's Mockingbird (Mock-yeah, ing-yeah, jay-yeah, yeah, yeah, Mockingjay...)

I don't even remember what happened really.  It just felt completely nonexistent in comparison to the remainder of the series.  It reduced Katniss to such a weak, stereotypically girly role.  While reading it, all I could think was that Collins was probably pressured to finish this super fast to capitalize on the series' popularity.  It also felt like she wrote the plot in such a way that Team Peeta and Team Gale shirts could be sold as movie merchandise.  I loved the marketing of Harry Potter: a book pretty much every other year and complete faith that the fanbase would not only stay loyal, but would grow.  I wish they had more faith in the readers to do this with the emerging series of today.  Oh well.

Day 17 – Favorite quote from a book

"There have been five great kisses since 1642 B.C., when Saul and Delilah Korn's inadvertent discovery swept across Western Civilization.  (Before then couples hooked thumbs.)"   -The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

Out of all the books that are great for boys, this one is the best with the worst title.  As Fred Savage says in the movie (one of the few film adaptations of books that actually work), "Is this a kissing book?" 

Day 16 - Favorite female character

Duh Bella Swan, because I love characters who have names that are questions. Isabella Swan? No. No, it is not.

Kidding, clearly.  I'm just procrastinating before I have to declare either Hermione Granger or Luna Lovegood as my favorite.  I don't think it can be done.  So I'm going to completely copout and say "Hermuna" is my favorite.  I don't know about "Hermuna" being the right name choice.  "Grangegood."  "Lunione."  Heh "Lover" might be the best combo for their last names, but that's just silly...

Grangegood

Sooooo Lover is my personal favorite female character.  She's super smart, believes in zany things that may or may not be true, gets her friends out of trouble even when unconscious, doesn't care what people think of her, has wonderfully frizzy hair, loves her friends unconditionally, punches Malfoy, and gives the best broadcast of a Quidditch game, or any game, ever.  I love Lover.  

But if I have to pick (and I technically don't have to because it's my blog and I can do what I want), I would pick Hermione.  <3

Also, a Google image search for Hermione and Luna leads to slash fanfiction.  Duly noted.

Day 15 – Favorite male character

Edward Cullen.  Hahahaha yeah right. 

My favorite male character is a sissy though, just a less sparkly sissy.  Major Major Major Major from Joseph Heller's Catch-22.  Major is his rank and all of his names, he bears a striking resemblance to Henry Fonda, avoids doing work by signing every document he receives as either Washington Irving or Irving Washington, and keeps from talking to people by jumping out of his window whenever they approach.  Hilarity.

Day 14 – Favorite book you read in school

I wholeheartedly declare that 5th grade was the best in-school reading I've ever encountered.  If I wasn't introduced to Harry Potter by my 6th grade teacher, I would declare Mr. Brewster the best book selecter ever.  My favorite book I read in this class was The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin.  

This book is wisely on "The List" because it is agreeably the best mystery out there for children.  This is scientific fact because it was unanimously agreed upon in my Children's Literature and Media class.  I won't talk about the details too much because I'll rave about it some day in the future, but I will share how I had daily panic attacks in the 5th grade over this book.

We had to form small groups in class and keep clue journals in order to figure out "whodunnit."  We were told that we weren't allowed to read ahead, so naturally after completing the first reading assignment, I read the entire book over the weekend.  The following Monday, we were told that we would get pop quizzes from time to time that would include questions we shouldn't know the answers to in order to make sure we kept to the reading schedule.  I would  frantically scan the room during these quizzes to make sure that no one was struggling on the questions I was answering.  Such a bad student I am.  I was also paired with the girl I hated the most in the class who only gave me more reason to hate her because she called me stupid when I was in fact suggesting the correct answer during one of our clue journal sessions.  Ugh.

Day 13 – Your favorite writer

If anyone thought otherwise, they must be crazy.

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore

I loved this book.  I don't know why.  Well I know why, I was am obsessed with Full House.  Stephanie has to help out Uncle Jesse and cook dinner, realizes she's an amazing cook, and decides to open her own catering business.  Yeah, she's 13 or something, and people totally hire teenage caterers all the time.  It all ends up falling apart because again, she's like an infant (although I bet the Olsen twins could have done it).  

I reread this book all the time as a child, but the lack of it in my life now has not hindered me in any way shape or form...that I know of.  I do want to read Jodie Sweetin's memoir about being a meth addict though. 

Day 11 – A book you hated

I don't think I even need to write words to explain.  Twilight is unfortunately on "The List" and I'm planning on ranting about the entire series when it comes down to that entry.  But I will say this about New Moon, the biggest offender of the bunch: If he wants to be a shiny vampire in another country? Dealbreaker.  It is never okay to attempt to or pretend to kill yourself because someone dumps you, with the assumption that he'll see how much you love him and will take you back.  Never okay. NEVER.  DO NOT DO THIS.