Bibliophile's Corner

The Apprentice's Masterpiece:
A Story of Medieval Spain
by Melanie Little

Amazon Description:
Fifteenth-century Spain is a richly multicultural society in which Jews, Muslims, and Christians coexist. But under the zealous Christian Queen Isabella, the country abruptly becomes one of the most murderously intolerant places on Earth.

It is in this atmosphere that the Benvenistes, a family of scribes, attempt to eke out a living. The family has a secret - they are conversos: Jews who converted to Christianity. Now, with neighbors and friends turned into spies, fear hangs in the air.

One day a young man is delivered to their door. His name is Amir, and he wears the robe and red patch of a Muslim. Fifteen-year-old Ramon Benveniste broods over Amir's easy acceptance into the family.

Startling and dramatic events overtake the household, and the family is torn apart. One boy becomes enslaved; the other takes up service for the Inquisitors. Finally, their paths cross in a stunningly haunting scene.

My Thoughts:
After extensive research, Ms. Little created a beautifully-written novel in verse set amidst one of the most turbulent times in world history. It is upon the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition that her story is set with its colorful and memorable characters. It is a poetic and poignant novel that will long linger in your mind. I would highly recommend The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain to readers who enjoy historical fiction, poetry, or who are advocates for tolerance.

To learn more about the award-winning author, Melanie Little,
click here: http://annickpress.com/author/Melanie_Little

Bibliophile's Corner

The Lightning Dreamer
by Margarita Engle

Amazon Description:
"I find it so easy to forget / that I'm just a girl who is expected / to live / without thoughts." Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula.

In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute.

My Thoughts:
Margarita Engle educates the reader not only on the life of famed poet, Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, she also enlightens the reader to the travesty of slavery in Cuba during the nineteenth century. This well-written novel in verse is packed with poignant and passionate prose - another great example of the talent of Margarita Engle. I would highly recommend The Lightning Dreamer to female readers from the ages of ten and up, and to anyone who enjoys history or poetry.

To learn more about Margarita Engle, click here: http://margaritaengle.com/

Bibliophile's Corner

Like Pickle Juice On A Cookie
by Julie Sternberg

Amazon Description:

I had a very bad August.

A very bad August.

As bad as pickle juice on a cookie.

As bad as a spider web on your leg.

As bad as the black parts of a banana.
I hope your August was better.

I really do.

When Eleanor's beloved babysitter, Bibi, has to move away to take care of her ailing father, Eleanor must try to bear the summer without Bibi and prepare for the upcoming school year. Her new, less-than-perfect babysitter just isn't up to snuff, and she doesn't take care of things like Bibi used to.  But as the school year looms, it's time for new beginnings. Eleanor soon realizes that she will always have Bibi, no matter how far away she is.

My Thoughts:
This delightful novel in verse is a wonderful story about change. The reader is invited into the whimsical world of Eleanor in a tale that was written in first person - that made this beautiful story magical for me. Although this book was written for the middle grade reader, I found the prose to be so charming that I'm sure I'll read it again. I would definitely recommend Like Pickle Juice On A Cookie to readers from the ages of eight to eighty!

To learn more about the author - Julie Sternberg - click here: http://juliesternberg.com/

Bibliophile's Corner

Stop Pretending
what happened when my big sister went crazy
by Sonya Sones

Flap Copy Description:
One night her sister goes crazy
One night her world falls  apart
It really happens just like that, in the blink of an eye. An older sister has a mental breakdown and has to be hospitalized. A younger sister is left behind to cope with a family torn apart by grief, and friends who turn their backs on her. But worst of all is the loss of her sister, her confidante, her best friend.

My Thoughts:
This novel in verse is a poignant and painful true story of the author's experience when her big sister does in fact experience a mental breakdown. The difficult passages to read are countered with the author's own transformation, as she slowly regains her own balance in life after the family is turned upside down by the unfortunate disease of Manic Depression. The raw and honest truth of this story is sure to help many young people who have a friend or family member dealing with mental illness. I would highly recommend this novel in verse to readers from the ages of twelve and up.

To learn more about the author-poet - Sonya Sones, click here: http://www.sonyasones.com/

Bibliophile's Corner

The Unfinished Angel
by Sharon Creech

Amazon Description:
Peoples are strange!

The things they are doing and saying - sometimes they make no sense. Did their brains fall out of their heads? And why so much saying, so much talking all the time day and night, all those words spilling out of those mouths? Why so much? Why don't they be quiet?

In the ancient stone tower of the Casa Rosa, in a tiny village high in the Swiss Alps, life for one angel has been the same, for as long as she (or he?) can remember. Until Zola arrives, a determined American girl who wears three skirts all at once. For neighbors who have been longtime enemies, children who have been lost, and villagers who have been sleepily living their lives: hold on. Zola and the angel are about to collide. Figs start flying, dogs start arfing, and the whole village begins to wake up. Zola is a girl  with a mission. And our angel has been without one - till  now.

My Thoughts:
This delightful novel in verse was written with a big dose of humor and whimsy; and yet, like all good novels, packed a powerful message as well. The Unfinished Angel includes the beautiful themes of love and peace, and the idea of allowing life to miraculously unfold. I would highly recommend this book to readers from the ages of eight to eighty!

To learn more about the author, Sharon Creech - click here: http://sharoncreech.com/

Bibliophile's Corner

Out of the Dust
by Karen Hesse

Back Flap Description:
"Dust piles up like snow across the prairie..."

A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better - playing the piano - is impossible with her wounded hands.

To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma - and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.

My Thoughts:
Although Out of the Dust was written over fifteen years ago, this poignant novel in verse is just as powerful today as it was in 1998 when it won the Newbery Medal Award. Ms. Hesse's eloquent, poetic style coupled with her amazing and accurate descriptions of the Great Depression of the 1930's, make this novel a true work of art. The author presents a protagonist who must deal with more than her share of life's harshest miseries; the beauty of this story is that the reader ultimately sees the young heroine transcend her pain with strength, dignity, and courage. I would highly recommend Out of the Dust to readers from the ages of eight to eighty.

To learn more about the author, Karen Hesse, click here: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/karen-hesse

Bibliophile's Corner

May B.
by Caroline Starr Rose

Flap Copy Description:
I watch the wagon
until I see nothing on the open plain.
For the first time ever,
I am alone.

May is helping out on a neighbor's homestead - just until Christmas, her pa promises. But when a terrible turn of events leaves her all alone, she must try to find food and fuel - and courage - to make it through the approaching winter.

My Thoughts:
This novel in verse by Caroline Starr Rose has a number of elements to admire: character development, setting descriptions, and a lovely rhythm to the writing. While I have not always been a huge fan of stories set on the prairie, this little book is well worth the read. The author was wise to write it in verse: that's what made it a winner for me. I would highly recommend May B. to female readers from the ages of eight to twelve.

To learn more about the author, Caroline Starr Rose, click here: http://www.carolinestarrrose.com/Caroline_Starr_Rose/Bio.html

Bibliophile's Corner

The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate

Flap Copy Description:
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home - and his own art - through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it's up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

My Thoughts:
The One and Only Ivan is this year's Newbery Medal Award Winner! To say that Katherine Applegate's middle grade novel is unique and wonderful, would be a gross understatement. The talented Ms. Applegate is a master storyteller, writing with a poetic and lyrical style. The author bravely tells her tale (inspired by true events) in the first person through the eyes of Ivan - a silverback gorilla. Issues of love, hope, and friendship more than outshine the darker issues of loss, loneliness, and animal neglect that make this remarkable novel a must read. I would highly recommend The One and Only Ivan to readers from the ages of eight to eighty!

To learn more about the author, Katherine Applegate, click here: http://theoneandonlyivan.com/author/

Bibliophile's Corner

The Firefly Letters
by Margarita Engle

Flap Copy Description:
When Fredrika Bremer asked the Swedish Consulate to find her a quiet home in the Cuban countryside she expected a rustic thatched hut, not this luxurious mansion in Matanzas, where Elena, the daughter of the house, can barely step foot outside.

The freedom to roam is something that women and girls in Cuba do not have. Yet when Fredrika sets off to learn about the people of this magical island, she is accompanied by Cecelia, a young slave who longs for her lost home in Africa. Soon Elena sneaks out of the house to join them. As the three women explore the lush countryside, they form a bond that breaks the barriers of language and culture.

My Thoughts:
This novel in verse, by Cuban-American poet, Margarita Engle, is a Pura Belpre' Honor book. Ms. Engle's exquisite writing style is the perfect vehicle for her lovely story. This beautiful novel is not only written in heartfelt, poignant prose, but was inspired by the author, Fredrika Bremer's life. Ms. Bremer was Sweden's first female novelist, and was one of the earliest advocates for women's rights in the world. I would highly recommend The Firefly Letters to all females from the ages of eight to eighty.

To visit the website of the award-winning author, Margarita Engle, click here: http://margaritaengle.com/

To learn more about the life of Sweden's Fredrika Bremer, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredrika_Bremer

Storyteller's Journey

Novels in Verse
2013 Reading Challenge

Every so often in life two things come together in a wonderful way. You know what I mean: like coffee and biscotti, or skiing and powdered snow, or maybe even a writer and an agent! Well, although the latter has not yet happened for me, something else has...

My journey as a writer began many years ago writing poems. Having had a few poems published (none recently) I have always really thought of myself as a poet. The more recent leg of my writing journey has caused me to feel like a poet striving to be a novelist. Earlier this week I visited the blog of a good online friend, Ruth Schiffmann. She had posted about the Novels in Verse 2013 Reading Challenge. Prose, Poetry, Verse in a Novel! The perfect partnership! I was so excited I signed up within minutes. How I had previously missed this opportunity, I do not know!

I am making a list of titles to zero in on for the challenge, so you can be sure that many of my book reviews will be novels in verse this year!

Here is my favorite novel written in verse that I read last year - it's also a Newbery Honor book!

To view the book review I posted for Thanhha Lai's, Inside Out & Back Again - click here.

If you are interested in learning more about the Novels in Verse 2013 Reading Challenge, click Amanda's blog - Born Bookish.

Do you enjoy reading a novel in verse? If so, what is your favorite?