Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume (Yearling Books/Random House, 2006)

I rarely re-read books but this book definitely warrants reading again and again. The book of which I speak is Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters. Cornelia is a girl who lives in Greenwich Village in New York City. Her mother is a famous concert pianist, who is always out of the country for concert. So Cornelia is always left with the French housekeeper, who frankly drives young Cornelia insane. Cornelia is a girl who values her privacy, which she likes to fill with reading. In order to deter the bothersome housekeeper from interrupting her, she uses large words that intimidate the housekeeper.

Cornelia has a hard time trusting adults because in most cases they are usually using her to get close to her famous mother. Well one day that all changes. The famous writer Virginia Somerset moves  into the apartment beside Cornelia, with her companion Patel and her little French bulldog named Mr. Kinyata. Cornelia and Virginia befriend each other and Cornelia is delighted to discover that Virginia is only interested in Cornelia because of her own extraordinary nature and not her mother’s.

Virginia is filled with many stories of her and her three sister’s adventurous world travels. The icing on the cake is that Virginia has decorated every room in her house to honor one of the countries she has lived in with her sisters. There is the Moroccan room, the French drawing room, and the best of all, her Indian bedroom, to name a few. Cornelia is so thrilled at having her own friend that she keeps her relationship with Virginia a secret from her mother and the housekeeper.

Well I don’t want to give away to much because I want people to read this book. It is a young adult book but that just does not matter; This is a book for people of all ages to enjoy. I don’t mean to cheese out on you, but this book makes you laugh and cry. Both times I have finished this book I closed the book with a smile on my face. I hope other people love this book as much as my friend and I did. -Ellen

One of the first young adult books I read after becoming manager of Oz was Fallen by Lauren Kate. It was one of Sarah’s (my Random House rep) favorite books, so I just dove right in and devoured it. Fallen had everything I was looking for: romance, mystery, intrigue  and good characters. The main characters Luce and Daniel have been eternally cursed. Daniel is a fallen angel who was thrown out of heaven when he fell in love with the mortal Luce. As punishment, Luce and Daniel must live forever. Luce, because she is human, dies and come back with the same body and no recollection of her past lives. Daniel, however, remembers it all, knowing that each of Luce’s lives is ended by his kiss. Kate creates a believable world with her own take on angels and their fall.

So when Torment came out, I set aside a chilly night or two to read it.  Torment picks up just days after the events in Fallen. The first novel is set at a private school in Georgia, but at the beginning of Torment the reader learns that Luce has moved to a Nephilim school in California called Shoreline for her own protection. Evil forces are trying to kill Luce for good in hopes of turning Daniel, and neither Luce nor Daniel want to lose each other. I loved that in this installment, Luce develops into a strong character as she becomes an independent person without Daniel to lean on. With interesting new characters from the Shoreline school and more flashbacks to Luce’s past lives, this novel is definitely as good as the first, if not better.

And to top it all off, Lauren Kate will be stopping by here on Thursday, December 30th at 5:00 to sign her new book! Ahh! I cannot wait! So bring your Christmas money and gift cards and come meet Lauren Kate.

Here is a good read from Tony Diterlizzi who wrote The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Holly Black), The Spider and the Fly (a picture book, Caldecott Honor winner) and the wonderful and delightful middle reader, Kenny and the Dragon. His illustrations are always awesome and The Search for Wondla is no exception. Once again he has come through with and exciting story about Eva Nine, a girl who had never been above ground until the age of 12 when a wicked huntsman destroys her underground home. With the aid of Diterlizzi’s illustrations, you can let your own imagination soar. Enjoy! (ages 10 and up)

In the young adult book world, M. T. Anderson is a jack of all trades. He has written everything from his National Book Award winner The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing set in 18th century Boston during the Revolutionary War to the dystopian novel Feed about a world where electronic communication as melded with the human mind.

However, his most recent venture resembles a scrambling of Nancy Drew stories, Sherlock Holmes tales, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Pretty crazy, right? It would never work, you say? Well, I am here to say that in the Pals in Peril series not only works, but it is also hilariously good. Set in the dangerous land of Delaware, (bet you didn’t know it was so deadly!) Lily, Jasper, and Katie must venture into this perilous land to stop dastardly villains and save the world. This is a great series for those who like Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events or Michael Buckley’s Sister’s Grimm series.

I think that Anderson describes it best himself, so below is a great video of M. T. Anderson on his Pals in Peril series. M. T. Anderson will be here in the bookstore on Monday, October 18th at 5:00. Come on by and talk to him about his books. We have all of them in stock!

MT Anderson Talks

Waggit Forever by Peter Howe

Ages 8-12

Waggit’s home has been Central Park ever since he was abandoned as a puppy. Now several years later the park has become overcrowded with people, food is scarce, and it is difficult to find a safe shelter. Once again Waggit shows us his ability to take charge, assess the situation and lead the pack to a new home.

If you read Waggit’s Tale, and Waggit Again, Waggit Forever will take you back to the park and the adventure of this loyal, courageous and truly remarkable dog, Waggit.

Peter Howe’s character Waggit is based on his own real life dog, Roo, whom he found in Central Park. Visit Peter and the Waggit pack at www.waggitstale.com.

This week, I’ve been reading Jewell Parker Rhodes‘ newest work, Ninth Ward.  What a moving read!  Told from the perspective of 12 year old, New Orleans resident, Lanesha, Rhodes provides a respectful and thoughtful portrayal of this young girl’s experience through Hurricane Katrina.  Rhodes reminds us of youthful times and understandings, full of questioning and curiosity.

We follow Lanesha as she travels through the set of days that have now become legendary.  The same storm that altered so many thousands of lives and routines-and the one that washes away Lanesha’s material home–also ends up being the waves that beat in constant remembrance. Remembrance of the mother she never met but still sees as a ghost, and remembrance of her grandmother and number one caretaker, Mama Ya-Ya.  Mama Ya-Ya teaches her of the love of a family while imparting her own acquired knowledge of symbols and numbers.  “Put 4 and 8 together and it equals 12.  That’s spiritual strength. Real Strength, Lanesha.” Being this age, it’s no wonder why this knowledge becomes an encouragement throughout her journey.

We experience the growth of Lanesha’s understanding of these tragedies with much pre-storm foreshadowing. “I think I’d like traveling by water.  Unlike dirt, water seems alive, moving and shifting, always making lapping sounds against the boat and shore.”   These alive waters that also bring destruction ultimately help define her:  “I’m Lanesha. Born with a caul.  Interpreter of symbols and signs. Future engineer. Shining Love.  I’m Lanesha. I’m Mama Ya-Ya’s girl.”

-Peyton

Holly Black is one of the authors who will be in Jackson on September 16th for the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour. She is well known for her collaboration with Tony Diterlizzi on the Spiderwick Chronicles, as well as her New York Times Bestselling series of Modern Faerie Tales. Her newest book, White Cat, is the start of a new young adult series entitled The Curse Workers.

The book begins with Cassel, the main character, waking up on the edge of the roof of his school dormitory. He was following a white cat he was sure had bitten out his tongue, but it turns out he was sleepwalking almost to his death. He’s had a hard past few years, what with his father’s death, his mom’s arrest after being caught conning a millionaire, and oh yeah, his best friend Lila’s murder – which he is pretty sure he did, although he has no idea why. So he has plenty of reasons to have bad dreams, but try telling that to the principal. On school probation because of liability, Cassel is forced to go back to living with his family, who, unlike himself, are curse workers. A curse worker can affect you just by touching you. Their work is illegal, so most workers end up working for the mob, influencing emotions, luck,dreams, memories, causing physical pain, and even death at the touch of a finger. After moving home, he realizes something is going on that no one will quite explain to him. He hears quiet family meetings downstairs that he is not asked to attend, his brother Barron drops out of law school, and his sister-in-law’s memories have been changed. To get to the bottom of this secret plot, Cassel must con his family into telling the truth.

Holly Black has crafted an intriguing story that had me guessing until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next book in the Curse Workers series or to meet her in person! This novel is great for boys and girls age 13 and up, so come on by and check it out!

In The Queen’s Daughter our story begins with Princess Joan, age seven. Joan’s mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and her father is Henry II, the King of England. Queen Eleanor is beautiful and has a sharp tongue which she often uses on the King and any one who gets too close. King Henry II is a military man with three handsome sons and an often forgotten daughter—perhaps because she is so like her mother. Any time the parents get together, serious arguments erupt. The arguments are often due to political ambitions. Joan loves both of her parents, but how will she choose between them?

As often is the case with royalty, Joan is married off to a man who is older and a man that she does not love. However, she never forgets her childhood crush on Lord Raymond who came to her rescue when she was but a very young girl.

In much of the story, one feels that Joan is much older that she really is until a birthday is mentioned and you realize that she is very much a young girl. It must have been very difficult to grow up in a family where the mother was often banished to some far away castle. In spite of the many military crusades and campaigns this was an interesting story. A map is included to help visualize the great distance involved in the plot. (Teen, ages 14 and up)

Deborah Wiles and her books have been a store favorite for quite some time with her beautiful books Love, Ruby Lavender, Each Little Bird That Sings, and Aurora County All-Stars. But with her new book Countdown, Wiles takes a different approach to literature. Set in the early ’60s, this book is filled with pictures, quotes, and song lyrics from the time period that give you a feel of what would have been important to our characters. Just look at that beautiful cover! The whole presentation of the book is fantastic and the book itself is physically heavier than normal because of the quality of the paper and pictures. So on to the story, which is just as beautiful as the physical book. Franny Chapman is eleven in 1962. She practices hiding under her desk for bomb drills, writes a  imaginary letter to Nikita Khrushchev,  First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and really just wants peace for everyone. She worries constantly about her family: her big sister Jo Ellen who just started college and now gets secretive letters and never comes home, her dad who is in the Air Force and could have to go fight any moment, her Uncle Otts who lives with them and has begun to have flashbacks of his stint in war, her younger brother who has trouble dealing with the changing and dangerous world that seems to be closing in on them, and her mom and how she is handling all of this. As you can see, Franny has a lot on her plate. So when her best friend stops being her best friend and she realizes she has a crush on her neighbor, things get really complicated for our softspoken protagonist. When the Russian begin to assemble nuclear missiles in Cuba in what is now known as the Cuban missile crisis, Franny can hardly keep it together for her family. With courage she doesn’t even know she has, Franny not only pulls through, but pulls her family through as well.

If you can’t already tell, I love this book. The presentation, the story, the whole package feels like an instant classic. It is a great book to introduce kids to history or historical fiction. A kid could read this alone and get a wealth of information, but I think the best way to read this book would be in conjunction with adult discussion. Wiles lays everything out for the audience, but even I have learned more recently by talking to people who lived through the 1960s.

I am really looking forward to talking to Deborah about her book on Wednesday, the 25th at 5:00 when she comes to sign. Come hear the discussion and join in the fun!

I am so excited about this. Truly, if you come in here and talk to me about this, you may never get to leave again because I will talk your ear off! The Smart Chicks Kick It Tour is stopping here!!! Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Alyson Noel, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Jessica Verday will all be stopping here on September 16th!!! Because of the size of this event, we will actually be hosting this event in Gluckstadt at Plantation Commons. We also have some rules to go along with the event. Both the directions and the rules can be found linked below.

Now, on to the fun part. Each of these amazing women writers has a new book out this summer and they are touring the United States and Canada. Below are all the covers of the new books and by clicking on them, you can get to know the authors and their series. The doors will open at 5:00 p.m. for book sales and at 6:00 p.m. the authors arrive for discussion and Q&A. I cannot wait to meet all of these great writers and I hope to see you there!

Are you coming? Comment and let us know!

Want more info? Here’s a great article on the whole tour!

Rules for the Lemuria’s Smart Chicks Stop

Directions To Jackson Smart Chicks Location, Plantation Commons