Reading Rumpus: September 2009

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough - book review

I seem to be reading nothing but supernatural stories lately. First I read, Evermore. Then, Hush Hush. And now, I’ve just finished Once a Witch. Evermore is the story of a teen girl and a cute immortal. Hush Hush is the story of a teen girl and a cute archangel. Once a Witch is the story of a teen witch….. and a cute warlock. It seems the prescription of late is girl + supernatural boy = better girl. I know Twilight is popular, but c’mon!

But today I’m writing about Once a Witch, not beating a dead Twilight horse, and Once a Witch is a respectable young adult read, probably my favorite of the three. So, a fair shake is in order.

Tasmin is a seventeen-year-old girl born into a long line of witches. Unfortunately, Tasmin has managed to be the only one without a Talent. To escape family pressure, Tasmin’s managed to send herself off to a nice, normal boarding school in New York. Lots of teen angst ensues until the bad guy is injected into the story. Then, readers are in for a suspense-styled ride filled with nice bits of romance, humor and peril.

Once a Witch is a coming-of-age tale with a juxtaposed misfit protagonist. Tasmin is a strong voiced and likeable girl, surrounded by supporting characters that could have easily stolen the show. But though I loved the extended hodge-podge of witches, this is where my criticisms begin.

I’m going to say something in a positive review that I never thought I’d say: too much editing! Once a Witch's plotting is mostly solid, but the characters are filled with unexamined potential. This is nowhere truer than in the case of Tasmin’s love interest: Gabriel. The couple’s back-story is a well of unfulfilled dramatic possibility. Perhaps the sequel will offer the richness I so desperately sought.

Characterization lust aside, there is an enjoyable story in the pages of Once a Witch. While reading, I was strongly reminded of one of my favorite stories: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I offer that comparison as the finest of praise.

Recommended for teen realistic-styled fantasy readers, those of the Twilight mindset, older Harry Potter graduates and for high school library purchase.

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Genre: Fantsy. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 304.

Themes: Unique You, Coming of Age, Romance, Suspense

Thank You to The Picnic Basket for my advanced copy.
Advisory: There are some unessential sex, drinking and smoking references sprinkled throughout. Some folks will take offense, some will want to discuss it with their teens and others will simply chalk it up to modern exposures.
Publisher: Clarion Books. Date: September 2009.
ISBN-13: 978-0547223995
Buy Once a Witch Here

Here's the book's website with an excerpt, quizzes and discussion guide.

Book Trailer:

Author Carolyn MacCullough's life changed completely after she sold her first book. It was then that, "my life just turned into a magical fairytale complete with unbelievable wealth, fame, endless cotton candy, and my own personal unicorn," she says. It seems like she's a tongue-in-cheek sort of gal. You can read more about her on her website.
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Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - book review

Part mystery thriller, part romance, part paranormal-fantasy, Hush, Hush, from debut author Becca Fitzpatrick, is going to be snatched up by the Twilight-styled girls of middle and high school and might well fall into the hands of more than a few adult fans of the genre also.

I am not one of those readers. However, I was surprisingly drawn to Hush, Hush.

Synopsis: When high school student Nora Grey gets a new lab partner, it seems she’ll be doing all the work. A newcomer to the school, Patch seems more intent on playing pool than completing assignments. Yet, Nora finds herself attracted to the bad boy and begins noticing him wherever she goes. It doesn’t help that Nora’s recent feelings that someone is watching her have culminated in a supernatural-styled encounter or that Patch seems to know everything about her. Is Patch the bad guy he seems? Is he causing the strange occurrences in Nora’s life? Soon, Nora will learn that she’s caught in the middle of clash as old as the dawn of time.

Writing: Hush, Hush is tightly written, with a good mixture of action sequencing and character development. Protagonist Nora is living in a setting where readers know something bad is looming: absent parents, distracted best friend. Additionally, she's part mystery detective, trying to figure out the good guys from the bad ones along with the reader. Bad boy Patch is Heathcliff reborn as an immortal. He’s not nice and can even be downright wicked. Against the brilliance of Patch, Nora seems a bit flat, but since this is the first in a series, Ms. Fitzpatrick has time to polish Nora.

Thoughts: While Hush, Hush follows the standard boy meets girl, forced teen angst and falling for bad boy themes, it also holds readers rapt. There’s always a concern that poor female decisions at the hands of a cute boy stories will venture into the subjugation realm, but it doesn’t eliminate the fact that many, many teen girls love this sort of thing. Call it hormones or the first bloom of love, assign it any name you’d like, teen readers of the Twilight vein will enjoy this one.

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Genre: Fantasy. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 400. Themes: Love, Suspense, Courage.

Thank you to Barnes & Noble for my advanced copy. Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Date: October 2009.
ISBN-13: 978-1416989417
Buy Hush, Hush Here

Click here for a chance to win a poster on the publisher's website. You can also read the prologue and first two chapters!

Book Trailer:

Author discussing Hush, Hush:

Becca Fitzpatrick has a thing for shoe sale racks and TV crime dramas. She had hoped to be a spy, but had to abandon the career due to her inability to lie. Hush, Hush is her first novel. You can read more about the sequel to Hush, Hush on the author's website or her LiveJournal page.
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International Reading Association posts second draft of 2010 Reading Standards

The International Reading Association has posted the second draft of the revised Standards for Reading Professionals. I was lucky enough to graduate from a university with strict adherence to these reading professional standards. In fact, I'm there now working on my PhD!

Developed by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the International Reading Association, the Standards for Reading Professionals "set(s) forth the criteria for developing and evaluating preparation programs for reading professionals. The Standards describe what candidates for the reading profession should know and be able to do in professional settings."

Current reading teachers, students, prospective students and just about anyone with an interest in what reading professionals have to know might spend a few moments perusing the 92 page document. After reading the second draft, there's a survey that will help shape the finalized standards.

Here's the IRA link

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Why the New York Times missed the point

I've written a commentary over on Examiner discussing the dust up over the New York Times article on students self-selecting reading materials.

Basically, I'm worried that in all the tweeting and posting and hip-hooraying over letting students choose their own books, we miss two important points:

1. Most reading educators use a form of self-selection already and without proper training, the Reading Workshop method lacks the sound educational foundation to TEACH someone how to read and write well.

2. The bigger issue is in the prescriptive nature of the current educational climate.

By squabbling over an old-news-method, that almost every teacher I know uses to some effect, we are missing an opportunity to promote the discussion of topics concerning the loss of professionally trained decision-making for our students.

Here are my Examiner.com thoughts for you :-)
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Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

There are three ways of examining Cleopatra's Daughter. One might view the story as an overlooked appendage to the famous story of Marc Antony & Cleopatra. One might also marvel at the novel’s historically significant timeframe. Or finally, one can view Cleopatra's Daughter as an engrossing story of political intrigue and romance. Choose any direction; you will not be disappointed.

Cleopatra's Daughter opens as Octavian of Rome has conquered Egypt. Marc Antony and Cleopatra have committed suicide, leaving three orphaned children. Octavian decides it wise to keep the children alive for future bartering, especially in view of their being the remaining heirs to the throne of Alexander the Great. As the three children set sail for Rome, readers join the perilous journey that will follow the first-person narrator, daughter Selene, to adulthood.

Cleopatra's Daughter is one of those first rate historical fiction novels where the strong setting is merely a footnote to the story of the people. While the reader is busy falling in love with the characters, she forgets all the rich culture and historical fact, only later to contemplate the significance and wonders of an epoch in both Egyptian and Roman history.

Because it is a coming-of-age tale, Cleopatra's Daughter works for both adult and young adult readers. While Cleopatra's Daughter definitely has the chops to hold an adult readers attention, especially those of us who love historical fiction, it is the strong voice of Cleopatra's only daughter, Selene, that makes Cleopatra's Daughter an excellent choice for teens searching for a tale rich in both history and romance. The Latin and Greek wording is kept to a minimum and the author provides support with both an opening cast of characters and a glossary of terms and author’s note at the tale’s end.

Teachers in high school might well recommended this tale to students interested in the historical context of the novel or those seeking more than the supernatural love stories of late.

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Genre: Historical Fiction. Age: Young Adult. Pages 448.

Themes: Coming of Age, Courage, Loss

Thank you Pump Up Your Book Promotion for my advanced copy
Publisher: Crown. Date: September 2009. ISBN:978-0307409126. Buy Cleopatra's Daughter HERE

There are couple really great contests going on over on the author's website. You can enter by simply clicking here.

You can also read an excerpt HERE.

Michelle Moran's love of travel and archeology inspired her to write historical fiction. She lives in California with her husband. You can read more about her on her website.
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September is Library Card Sign-up Month

I've got a new post up as the National Reading Examiner featuring 10 reasons you should get and use a library card. Click over to read it: HERE.
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