4 Stars | Lost in a Good Book

Freaky Friday (#1) by Mary Rogers

29 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Junior Fiction Tags: four stars, junior fiction, mary rogers, movie

Published: 1988
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 154
Format: Book
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Annabel thinks her mom has the best life. If she were a grown-up, she could do whatever she wanted Then one morning she wakes up to find she’s turned into her mother . . . and she soon discovers it’s not as easy as it looks

This is a great book that covers the wonderful scenario of a child wishing they were a grown up for a day and some how thinking it was going to be fantastic. I rather enjoy these kinds of stories, not entirely sure why but there is the fact we get to read about a 10 year old or a 13 year old or whatever being in an adult body but still having the intellect and thought process of someone younger. Hilarity ensues.

Freaky Friday doesn’t use a child, Annabelle is 15, but she is someone’s child which is the better focus of the story. Her behaviour is that of a self-centred teenager sometimes and she is portrayed well in that respect. Personally, I don’t think the same story would not have worked if she was any younger or older. Being 15 she is old enough and yet not old enough at the same time which only adds to Rogers’ storytelling.

I used to read this so much when I was a kid, I never found myself wanting to switch places with my mother but I enjoyed the mystery surrounding it and what it was that caused the switch. We do not get to see the switched Annabelle’s side of this story through her mother’s eyes, we just see the results at the end and hear the odd mention as the day progresses.

Adult Annabelle has to deal with the maid, keeping control over the family problems and the issue of missing children. Rogers is very good in writing through the voice of Annabelle as she tries to behave like her mother. You can see she is trying to be responsible while still reverting to age appropriate reactions and slip ups.

Not analysing the short story too much but there is a lot of trust involved here, who knows what Annabelle could have messed up or done, not to mention no one really thought just how weird it could get if your daughter become you and having to deal with all the possibilities your husband might pose. That takes away from the innocence a bit I guess, it wasn’t meant to be a long switch that was the result of something unchangeable.

What I did like about this book as opposed to others in this story is that it was not just a child wanting to be a grown up version of themselves, it was Annabelle envying her mother’s life. I think that’s what gives it that little bit extra, it wasn’t about the child so much as it was about the child and the mother, they are connected. Annabel isn’t being selfish she is being jealous. There are no extreme morals thrown in our faces by Rogers but you do get a sense by the end that every one has had it tough and you can’t just wish things to be better and you should be happy with who you are.

I will also add that personally, if I had to choose a movie adaptation, I would got with the 1976 Jodie Forster and Barbara Harris version. Disney, for some unknown reason, has adapted Freaky Friday three times over the years, the first screenplay being written by the author, which could explain why it was a better story. But then as we must modernise and make it more relatable to the kiddies a 1995 version was made that wasn’t completely bad, but by 2003 when Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan took a crack, I must say that is where they completely ruined the story for me and I had to go read the book again just to try and forget what they’d done. Though because this was one of my most read books as a child I must always let it win over any movie version.

What I did learn however is that 1. This is the first in a series which I never knew about, and 2. Apparently in 1882 a similar story was written involving a father and son. I think seeing a father and son switch places would be extremely interesting, but coming from the 1880s that has to make it even greater. I found it on The Project Gutenberg site and as soon as I finish I will regale you in its wondrous tale (fingers crossed it is as wondrous as I hope it to be).

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

25 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Birthdays, General, Junior Fiction Tags: birthday, fantasy, four stars, junior fiction, kate dicamillo

Happy Birthday Kate DiCamillo! I discovered Kate DiCamillo a couple of years ago and I have fallen in love with her work and with her words. A couple of DiCamillo’s books have been made into films, the first being Because of Winn-Dixie, the other The Tale of Desperaux; great books, but both of which I offer the ‘Better Than the Movie‘ guy.

Now, I have gushed in the past about DiCamillo’s skills as a writer, I think so much of what she has written has been so eloquently described, beautiful in description, and heart warming in terms of story. One of my first blog posts was a review of her gorgeous story The Tale of Desperaux, which also made it into my Top Five of 2012. DiCamillo once said “I decided a long time ago that I didn’t have to be talented. I just had to be persistent.” I would disagree with her and say that she has got a talent, and for someone that has the ability to write such beauty with such simplistic tools and environments, she manages to make even the smallest aspects of life magical and terribly profound; you only have to read Despereaux or Edward Tulane to see that. Today, in honour of her birthday, I am posting the review of another of her works that I thought was very touching: The Magician’s Elephant.

Published: September 8th 2009
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 201
Format: Book
Genre: Junior Fiction/Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

What if? Why not? Could it be?

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true.

This is the story of Peter Augustus Duchene, a ten year old who went to a fortune teller and made magic happen. Peter’s story is as an orphan in the care of a soldier, looking for answers and wishing for miracles. When miracles begin to happen it is the start of something extraordinary.

The magician’s elephant is unintentional and yet her arrival is one of great joy for Peter, if only he knew what to do about it. The magician himself is an interesting character in the story, he plays such a large role yet he is limited as well. So much of his story is unknown, yet what we see of him is his remorse and his confusion about his actions. I think that for him we do not need a glamorous and detailed back story, for me I think watching him reflect and deal with the aftermath of his magic gave a beautiful insight into who he was as a person.

Behind Peter’s storyline of looking for answers and discovering truths is the strange relationship between the magician and Madam LaVaughn, as well as many others in the city. All the characters in this story have their own sense of magic about them that make the so likeable, even those who do not possibly deserve it at first glance. DiCamillo manages to give them histories and depth in so few words, it really is amazing. There are connections between these characters and you feel connected to each no matter how fleeting they appear.

There are some great quotes in this book, some are very beautiful and touching, but there are funny ones as well, one favourite was “Is the child having some hat related fit?” Little things like that make characters come alive and add that little something extra to a story. It isn’t probably needed, but that what makes them so great.

I thought this book was not as emotionally profound as her previous books like Despereaux or Edward Tulane but it still managed to be heartfelt and beautiful nonetheless. DiCamillo’s books always show that she is such an eloquent write. So many of her books are filled with such simple scenes and characters, yet they are somehow also filled with such depth and beauty. It is superb.

The ending is magical and we are given answers to the questions in the same way we are not given answers. This is ideal because we can take what we can from it ourselves. There is a lot in this book about humanity and how we see the world, but also about kindness to one another. There is also a lot of emotion displayed on the surface of this story that makes it wonderful, it does not always need to go any deeper than that. A very special story that reveals humanity at its best and with its failings I think. Such a small snippet of human life, such a seemingly innocent action, told like it had the importance and magic of the world. After all, the magician “had intended lilies; yes, perhaps. But he had also wanted to perform true magic. He had succeeded.”

As I leave you with these thoughts on this fine Monday morning, I offer you something else. I discovered last night, as I snooped around the interweb until all hours of the morning, that Reading Rockets has posted snippets of an interview with DiCamillo that is really interesting to watch; she talks about becoming a writer, her novels, and she offers advice to new writers. It is always interesting to listen to authors in interviews; some offer the same advice, some recall their hardships into publishing, but somehow, no matter how many versions of ‘to write you must read’ you hear, it is always comforting to get that little bit extra motivation to follow in the footsteps of those writers you adore.

The link to this interview is below, watch it, enjoy it, then ignore the socially imposed unhappiness of Mondays and read something spectacular.

Reading Rockets interview with Kate Dicamillo.

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs

06 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Classic, General, Junior Fiction Tags: australia, classic, four stars, junior fiction, may gibbs

Published: June 18th 1985
Publisher: Blue Gum Publishers
Pages: 224
Format: Book
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

The story follows brothers Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, and their adventures in the Australian bush. As well as many friends, along the way they encounter the wicked Banksia Men.

I am certainly glad I fulfil the 7+ category this book seems to have been given. Personally I think when it comes to books like Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Peter Pan, Blinky Bill, any of these classic children’s literature there should be no age. Everyone must enjoy them as soon as they are able. There is nothing in this book a six year old wouldn’t understand, they’d love it.

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie is practically an Australian institution. I do not know how legitimate these claims are but I think it is a fair call. The edition I own is a very old second hand book from 1984 which incidentally fell apart as I was reading. But before it became two separate sections of stained pages clinging for life with its thin cover the only protection and support, it was the collected works.

What I never realised what how the story of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie came about, yes they were brothers but apparently not exactly. Blown in by the wind Cuddlepie is adopted by Snugglepot’s parents as a baby, and thus the duo was created. Isn’t that sweet? Though I do wonder about poor Mrs Cuddlepie who had her baby blown away by the wind hours after it was born, and never see or hear from it again. That’s gotta be tough.

When the pair grow older they wish to have adventures, stories of the humans pass through the bush and Snugglepot is intrigued and curious of them. Tagging along is Cuddlepie and soon the start of their many adventures begin. In the first book there is an anti human feel about it, understandable of course, but it was interesting the fact that the original story was written in 1918 and the same issues about trapping and arson are relevant. There is a constant threat of death and many characters appear dead until they recover, but Gibbs isn’t shy of making you think they’re dead from whatever horrid thing they’ve experienced. It is what it is, and that’s what makes it great.

As a pair they tend to wander off a lot, often right in the middle of something they had been doing. This I think accounts for the majority of trouble and kidnapping situations they get themselves into. Each of the three main stories are very fast paced and filled with mini adventures that connect together, and there are a lot of new friends and characters to meet. Some of which are reoccurring through all three books, some are only seen once. One of the things that did annoy me was that in one of the most Australian books we’ve got, Koalas keep being called bears. No Gibbs, no! They are not bears! Surely you knew this in 1918, if not by 1918 then by 1934 you had figured it out for your final story? Yes? Apparently no.

So aside from the fact we keep hearing about the “bears” this was a rather quaint and charming little set of books. What interested me was how the Banksia story came about. Everyone knows about the Banksia men, everyone knows they are the enemies of the gumnuts but I was rather surprised to find out why. I am not going to tell you because that ruins them magic, and there is a lot of little magic moments in these stories. They are very blunt and jumpy and seem to just go from one thing to the next like a distracted toddler but they also manage to connect in some strange bizarre kind of way.

Gibbs talks to her readers like she is reading the story to them, in that sense it would work very well to read to your child, again the under sevens. Why over seven? Anyway the animals in this book are for the most part very sweet, and in the beginning I was suspicious of every animal that came along pretty much because lizards don’t generally do nice things for birds and I was confused. But this is a sweet, innocent and joyful story so everyone is nice, and all the bad characters are easily identified to avoid confusion once you realise how Gibbs writes. She also uses a lot of strange phrases which I cannot tell is supposed to be old Aussie rhyming slang or something, or just bush talk that all these creatures use, because it is strange.

The second and third stories follow these same patterns, mini adventures after another, sequels to the previous stories. Other characters get some more history as the stories continue and the continuing adventures of the duo and their friends manages to fill in all the missing information that remained from the previous book. It is rather a good system. You find out more about new places and people, an entire town goes to the dentist, Winky still will not wake, and despite being brothers Snugglepot and Cuddlepie spend a lot of time apart and move in with people very quickly.

There are some grubby bits about death and injury but there are no elaborate details, and Gibbs doesn’t exactly cover death in a deep, serious way. Sure the Banksia men want to drown the gumnuts, sure people get choked a lot, there is also a brilliant conversation that simply goes ‘Why did I get blown up?” to which the reply is ‘It was an accident…they will happen.’ And that they do Ms Gibb, that they do.

The Last Little Blue Envelope (#2) by Maureen Johnson

04 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Little Blue Envelope, Young Adult Tags: four stars, little blue envelope, maureen johnson, young adult

Published: April 26th 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 282
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny’s backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he’s found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions.

This is the great little sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes and I have to say it is another good read. The book picks up where the previous one left off, Ginny having returned home from her quest and trying to resume normal life. This however is not going to be able to happen anytime soon when the surprise reappearance of the 13th envelope starts causing trouble.

With another swift round of talking Ginny is back on her way to England to complete the mystery tour that she began. I suppose this is a lot different than before, a more direct purpose, and having met people in England previously she is not being sent into the unknown. That makes a lot more sense if we try and include Ginny’s parents in this, absent through both novels they seem to be.

It is less mystic than before, but in a good way, but it also adds a different kind of mystery, stranger than before rather than merely puzzling. What can be expected really when you are following the letters of an aunt who talks in cryptic codes and riddles?

This time around there was more of a focus on the relationship aspect than the sites and the countries Ginny visits. Partly and most probably because there was only one letter to follow, and partly because it was more personal for a reason; not just for Ginny and Peg’s relationship, but for Ginny herself, and working through her own life and what she has been through.

We are only given Ginny’s perspective throughout this book. If she does not witness something or feel something we are not given the information. This works in the context of the story as Ginny’s mixed feelings and confusion add to the narrative. It also makes it all about Ginny, and we see everything through her eyes in a more emotional sense rather than just following her around.

There are new and familiar faces in this new adventure, something that is nice but also distracting. Unlike on her last trip where making friends seemed to be Ginny’s forte, she spends a lot of time analysing her travel companions, and you often get the feeling she focuses too much on them as people than she did before. Of course when you read it you understand why, however it becomes a weird understandable, yet still distracting, aspect of the story.

It may be because of this that the ending unfortunately was a little bit of a letdown. Not so much as it failed, I rather liked where it ended up I thought Johnson had made the right choice there, however there were a few parts that felt unfinished about Ginny’s relationships. I have to say though as strange as these relationships were, Johnson does not fail her readers regarding the final letter. It is heart warming, heartbreaking, beautiful, magical, loving and so much more, all from a few simple words and thoughts. I said before Johnson manages to convey duel voices in these books well and she does it again.

If you read the first one of course you have to read the concluding sequel, and if you haven’t read either you must begin because it is such a great little series that manage to make you travel the world without moving, think about life as you never have, and realise there is so much more happening than your isolated corner of the world. Though Johnson did highlight how fairly easy it is to find out information about someone and maybe even steal an identity if you felt like it. That was a rather interesting discovery. Aside from that you get another side of Europe and the United Kingdom, another set of interesting, unique, mysterious and troublesome people, and a new Ginny that continues to grow. A very good read indeed.

13 Little Blue Envelopes (#1) by Maureen Johnson

01 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Little Blue Envelope, Young Adult Tags: four stars, little blue envelope, maureen johnson, young adult

Published: December 21st 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 322
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.
In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.
The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.
Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again?
Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

This book is very much an American in Europe. I suppose you could describe this book as a travel/coming of age story, but not really. It is definitely a travel story, and a rather well done one; but it feels like a coming of age story but it doesn’t at the same time. It’s a complex emotion. Reading this book does give you a deep urge to go to all of these places Ginny explores, Johnson has captured the ‘lost in a big city’ atmosphere very well. She also manages to replicate the teenage point of view and voice in the writing.

13 Little Blue Envelopes is a story about seventeen year old Ginny who is sent 13 letters from her aunt, these then send her on a quest at her aunt’s will. The idea behind this story was really good, it was different and mysterious. You certainly want to try and figure out why these letters have been sent, and where it could all possibly lead for most of the book.
Upon opening her first letter Ginny is off overseas with a set of rules and instructions, and begins an enlightening yet bizarre adventure. I can’t say a lot of young women her age would be allowed to go off on a bizarre unexplained trip alone to Europe with no contact or plan on what to do, but if we ignore that fact, the rest of the story worked reasonably well. It was definitely addictive.

Despite travelling through the UK and Europe, Ginny is not doing the tourist visit. The destinations her aunt wants her to see or experience are partly sites, but for a lot of it it is personal or meaningful places she wants to share with Ginny. The good news is though while Ginny isn’t intentionally seeking out these famous sites she manages to hear a lot about them and see a few as well. In that sense you do get to hear about the great sites of London and Edinburgh and Amsterdam.

This story is certainly engaging and mysterious because while you are given the facts, and you are sure you know the facts, the events are still confusing. In this I think Johnson instantly gets you in because you know the impossible and because of this you must see how it ends.

From very early on it made me extremely envious of people in Europe and the UK that they can just duck to Scotland and be home in London a few hours later with no issue. Johnson captures the experience well through Ginny’s perspective, but it wasn’t even how it was being told, just that it was being described to us makes it desirable. Oh sometimes Australia I disapprove of your sea girted land.

It was interesting to try and understand Ginny, she seemed smart, though naive to a point. She did not know what a fox was, which I thought was odd for an American, and she seemed to experience all the clichés of the world, and pointed these out as she went. Aside from the great descriptions of the places, Ginny herself sometimes failed to engage with me, especially when she was more focused on the letters and trying to figure out what she was doing, it seems unreal, but also understandable. Another complex emotion.

There are a lot of descriptions, and everything is described: people, places, clothes, emotions. And all well suited for Ginny’s age. What I noticed as I read was how skilled Johnson is at depicting voices. When we read the letters the tone of voice is very different and it is clearly a different person. The contrast and absolute separation of the two makes you forget this is still just one Maureen Johnson writing for both sides.

There was a line in there that made me think of Mulan, there was also this line: “It was hard to figure out how a pineapple could end up in a situation like that”, and once more we need to point out that there was a re-ignition of my envious and glarey eyed hatred at Europeans for the ability to catch a train through a dozen different countries. I mean I love Australia and all but…trains, across Europe! Just like that!

When I finished this book I instantly went looking for the sequel because the ending leaves you wanting more. You don’t necessarily need more because it concludes rather ok and in a surprising fashion, but with a sequel available it definitely means you must continue. Apparently Maureen Johnson wrote the sequel from fan demand so that’s a good indication of its popularity. Whether we will get what we want is another story altogether.