Review of Senrid, by Sherwood Smith

Children's Fiction Review, Fantasy 0

Senrid

by Sherwood Smith

YA Angst (Norilana Books), 2007. 446 pages.

I read this book a few months ago when I was on a Sherwood Smith kick, after rereading the masterpiece Crown Duel, and reading its prequel, A Stranger to Command.

Senrid, the title character of this book, is the boy-king of Marloven Hess in the book A Stranger to Command. Senrid takes place when Senrid is king in name only, with the country led by his uncle, acting as regent, so this book fills in more details.

In fact, the book starts in another kingdom altogether, Vasande Leror, with a boy ruler Leander and his step-sister Kitty. He gets a visit from Faline, who comes from a group of girls who have adventures. She warns him of an upcoming attack from Marloven Hess, which they manage to cleverly thwart.

But then a strange boy named Senrid comes to visit, asking lots of questions and knowing quite a bit about magic. Not until he disappears — and kidnaps Faline — do they realize he’s the king of Marloven Hess. Faline’s due to be executed for her part in Marloven Hess’s earlier humiliation, unless someone can save her.

The amazing thing about this book is that Sherwood Smith wrote it when she was fifteen, in 1966. The writing is definitely not as smooth as her later books, and there are an awful lot of characters — mostly children — to keep track of. And the children seem more childish than adults usually write them.

It turns out that from the age of eight, Sherwood Smith was inventing adventures for a group of girls in the magical world of Sartoria-deles. Senrid does have the feel of a book that a kid would like to be able to step into. Faline and her friends were imaginary friends of the author, and that’s why so many make an appearance here.

It also explains the characters’ attitude about children and adults. Leander thinks, “Adults, in his recent experience, rarely told the truth, and were mostly motivated by selfish or incomprehensible desires. He knew he couldn’t judge their trustworthiness by word or expression, but someone his own age he found far easier to trust.”

The more I read Sherwood Smith’s work, the more amazed I am at the elaborate and detailed world she has created, and how it all fits together. It turns out that almost all her books are set in this world, but usually in different countries. So it’s intriguing when the stories slightly touch one another. I can appreciate better now that she’s been working on creating that world for more than forty years.

So I don’t recommend Senrid as an introduction to Sherwood Smith’s work, since she did grow as a writer and her later books are better crafted. However, once you’re thoroughly hooked into her world, you’ll enjoy this chance to find out more about the mysterious boy-king Senrid.

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Review of Candor, by Pam Bachorz

Science Fiction, Starred Review, Suspense, Teen Fiction Review 1

Candor

by Pam Bachorz

Egmont USA, New York, 2009. 249 pages.
Starred Review.

Candor is a town full of perfect teenagers. They do their homework. They study for their SATs. They respect their parents. They don’t lie. They don’t stay out late. They don’t use drugs or alcohol.

Oscar Banks is the model teen for them all, the proof that his father’s Messages work. Except his father doesn’t know that Oscar has learned how to thwart the Messages.

Oscar’s father founded Candor, and desperate parents pay top dollar to live there — where night and day, ever-present speakers play music full of subliminal messages. Telling them how to think and what to do.

The book opens when Oscar meets a new girl, a girl who can still think for herself.

“Not that she’ll make it past two weeks. Nobody does.

“Not unless I get them out. That’s my business. I get new kids out of Candor before they’ve changed. Back to the real world. It’s not cheap, but it’s the best deal of their lives.”

The girl, Nia, is an artist. Oscar knows that will change if he doesn’t save her from Candor. Somehow, he finds himself not wanting that to happen. But does he want her to leave Candor? And if not, couldn’t he use some of his own messages to catch her interest? But then he can’t really tell her about them, can he?

Candor is an excellent first novel, full of tension and thought-provoking ideas. I didn’t quite believe that people would go crazy if suddenly deprived of the Messages, but the basic scenario is pretty easy to imagine happening, given the right technology. And if it did, there would be sure to be some teens who would find a way to rebel.

This is a fun and engaging story, though like most dystopian novels, a bit depressing in the end. It will get you thinking about Art and Individuality and what is important about you as a person.

This review is based on an Advance Readers’ Copy I received at the Kidlitosphere conference.

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Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Teens/candor.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Review of The Trance of Scarcity, by Victoria Castle

Nonfiction Review, Personal Growth, Stand-outs, Starred Review 0

The Trance of Scarcity

Stop Holding Your Breath and Start Living Your Life

by Victoria Castle

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, 2007. 205 pages.
Starred Review
Sonderbooks Stand-out 2010: #1 Other Nonfiction

I think that I ordered this book from isabellacatalog.com. And found it so wonderful, I kept quoting it on my Sonderquotes blog. This is a book about living life to the fullest.

In her introduction, Victoria Castle says,
“In working with thousands of people, I have repeatedly encountered the tragic theme of I am not enough — not good enough, smart enough, rich enough, young enough, old enough, worthy enough. Almost as prevalent is the theme of There is not enough — not enough time, money, opportunity, love, cooperation, power, you name it. This prevailing premise of not-enough-ness successfully cripples the lives of people who would otherwise be buoyant and passionate. Since its subjects are so readily yet unwittingly loyal to it, I came to call this blight the Trance of Scarcity.”

In this book, the author presents joyous ways of escaping the trance of scarcity. I found many of her ideas resonated with things I’d been reading in other places.

One such idea is that our experience of life depends on the story we tell ourselves about it. I liked this paragraph:

“Regarding our Stories, the question is never “Is it true?” because it can’t be true; it’s just a Story. The question also isn’t “Is it the right Story?” because that implies there’s only one correct choice. The most helpful question is “Is this Story useful?” Given what I care about, what I want to contribute, and what matters to me, is the story I’m telling myself a useful one? Most of us constantly replay hundreds of inherited default Stories that trample our life energy and steal our peace of mind.”

If you tell yourself a story of abundance instead of a story of scarcity, you will enjoy life more. And the author has ideas for helping you make the change.

Another beautiful concept is how learning to receive with gratitude leads to generosity and giving, which leads to more receiving with gratitude. This book is full of the idea of living life lavishly and overflowing with joy to others. Here’s another passage I liked:

“If we are not practiced in saying yes to life, then we can forget about bliss — we just want relief! Relief from our hectic lives, from our negative self-talk, from our perpetual fatigue. I used to think that I just had the thermostat set too low, at Relief, and that with a little more practice, I would easily move on up to Bliss. Instead, it turns out that the road to bliss and the road to relief head in completely different directions.

“Relief isn’t much; it’s only an interruption of discomfort. It leads to a nice rest stop with a turnaround that plops you right back on the same road. Bliss, however, is the superhighway to the juiciness of life. As my musician friends Bev Daugherty and Garnett Hundley sing, “Live flat out, eat it all up with a spoon!” Having a high bliss tolerance means you’re willing to be pleased by life. And the better it gets, the more you can stand. In this scenario, you anticipate benevolence and are expanded by your experience. When you are consistently grateful, it’s impossible to feel like a victim; you know that no matter how well it may be disguised, you can find the blessing in whatever’s going on.”

I didn’t review this book right after I finished reading it, because it was not a library book that needed to be checked back in, but my own copy. Doing this review has reminded me how inspiring it was. I think it’s time to slowly reread it, to remind me that my impending probable job loss by no means needs to be a tragedy, but can be an exciting opportunity. It’s all in the story I tell myself, right?

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Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Nonfiction/trance_of_scarcity.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Review of 14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy

Children's Nonfiction Review, History, Stand-outs, Starred Review, True Stories 0

14 Cows for America

by Carmen Agra Deedy
in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah
illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

Peachtree, Atlanta, 2009. 40 pages.
Starred Review
Sonderbooks Stand-out 2010: #3 Children’s Nonfiction

14 Cows for America is a gorgeous nonfiction picture book, telling a touching and beautiful story. I’ve read many books about September 11, but this one is completely different from any other.

The book takes us to a remote village of the Maasai in Kenya. One of their own, Kimeli (the collaborator on this book), has come home from his doctoral studies in America. The people ask him if he has any stories to tell, and he tells the story of the Twin Towers falling.

After telling the story, “Kimeli waits. He knows his people. They are fierce when provoked, but easily moved to kindness when they hear of suffering or injustice.”

To the Maasai, the cow is life. So Kimeli offers the people of America his only cow. Others in the tribe respond the same way. A diplomat from the United States Embassy in Nairobi comes for a day of sacred ceremony, as the Maasai give 14 cows to the people of America.

“Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.”

The story is told beautifully, with simple language. My summary doesn’t convey the charm and grandeur of the book, with its gorgeous paintings. This story can be read to very young children, but also enjoyed by adults. A double-page spread at the back has Kimeli Naiyomah explaining the background of this true story in more detail. I especially like his final paragraph:

“These sacred, healing cows can never be slaughtered. They remain in our care in Kenya under the guidance of the revered elder Mzee Ole-Yiampoi. The original fourteen have calved and the herd now numbers over thirty-five. They continue to be a symbol of hope from the Maasai to their brothers and sisters in America. The Maasai wish is that every time Americans hear this simple story of fourteen cows, they will find a measure of comfort and peace.”

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Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Childrens_Nonfiction/14_cows_for_america.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

A Good Library Day

General 1

Today was a day to make me very happy I work in a library. Unfortunately, it also makes me sad that I will probably lose my job in a few months due to budget cuts. But back to the happy stuff!

The day started with a baby program, Mother Goose Time. It went great! Lots of toddlers, and the parents and babies were into it and singing along wonderfully. There’s nothing quite like having those sweet babies smile at you to make your day!

Later in the day, I got quite a few readers’ advisory questions for kids. And the kids and parents seemed to like my suggestions. I really enjoy doing that! And there were more questions than usual.

Then, to top it off, a boy asked me, “Are you the one who gave me The Hunger Games?” Indeed I was. He said that he finished it and liked it a lot, and now he has the sequel, Catching Fire, to read. It’s doubly cool when someone to whom you recommended a book comes back and says they liked it! I feel like I’m beginning to be known with some of our customers as a source of book recommendations, and that feels great! But I admit I like it best when it is kids who are asking.

I have done my Comment Challenge today, too. I am up to 15 Comments left after 3 days of doing it. Yay! And my 30 minutes of writing on my book. Then, however, I again spent lots of time looking at job websites. I did find a local company that maybe maybe would hire me based on my Master’s in Math. It would be fun to do some real math-related work. Now I need to get my resume written….

Bloggiesta Finish

General 1

I don’t feel like I did much with Bloggiesta, but I only found out about it last night. And I already had a busy weekend planned. Tonight, silly me, got sidetracked looking at job posting sites. This would be more productive if I was actually ready to apply, which I probably should do, but am procrastinating just a little longer at this point. It’s amazing how long you can spend messing around on those sites.

My job is almost certain to be cut if budget cuts go through that the County Executive has asked for. I have both a Master’s in Math and a Master’s in Library Science, so I’m looking at jobs in both categories, browsing around, figuring out what’s out there.

Anyway, my grand total of time spent on Bloggiesta was 3 hours. I did Mother Reader’s Mini-Challenge and posted comments on 10 blogs new to me, which was a whole lot of fun.

I got my comments to work better and got 2 comments already! Yay!

I wrote 2 reviews. I think I have 30 to go to finish the books I read in 2009. I may have to decide to just skip some of them…!

Now, one fun thing I’m doing since NaNoWriMo is tracking my writing progress in a big spreadsheet. I haven’t been counting comment words, but maybe I should. Last year, my goal was to write 15 minutes per day, on my books, and I only missed about 10 days. This year, I’ve increased the goal to 30 minutes per day, and have hit the first 10 days! My spreadsheet says that in January, for books and blogging, I’ve written 7,035 words. I’ve done 15 blog posts, including 11 reviews. Now I’ve got a column for Comments, too.

Like I said, I started this spreadsheet after NaNoWriMo, because it was fun keeping track of words written. It feels good to keep track of what I’ve accomplished, and what can I say? I like numbers!

Review of The Second Journey, by Joan Anderson

Biography, Musings, Nonfiction Review, Personal Growth, True Stories 0

The Second Journey

The Road Back to Yourself

by Joan Anderson

Voice (Hyperion), New York, 2008. 205 pages.

Here’s a book written by a woman in midlife, musing about the paths we take. As a 45-year-old woman going through divorce, with a looming job loss due to budget cuts, I was very ready to listen to what she had to say, to share her journey.

I especially liked the last section, where she spends some time on Iona, an island off the coast of Scotland. I especially enjoyed it simply because I have been to Iona, only for a few hours, but it’s easy to remember the spiritual magic of the place, and easy to take vicarious pleasure in her journeys there.

In the prologue, Joan Anderson says,

“The call to a second journey usually commences when unexpected change is thrust upon you, causing a crisis of feelings so great that you are stopped in your tracks. Personal events, such as a betrayal, a diagnosis of serious illness, the death of a loved one, loss of self-esteem, a fall from power are only a few of the catalysts. A woman caught thusly has no choice but to pause, isolate, even relocate until she can reevaluate the direction in which she should head. Should she stay the course or choose another path?

“But alas, many of us inhibit our capacity for growth because the culture encourages us to live lives of uniformity. We stall, deny, ignore the ensuing crisis because of confusion, malaise, and yes, even propriety. Yet more and more, I come in contact with women, particularly in midlife — that uneasy and ill-defined period — who do not want merely to be stagnant but rather desire to be generative. Today’s woman has the urge to go against the prevailing currents, step out of line, and break with a polite society that has her following the unwritten rules of relationship, accepting the abuses of power in the workplace, and blithely living with myriad shoulds when she has her own burgeoning desires.

“This book will help you navigate through change — from being merely awakened to being determined, impassioned pilgrim on her own individual path. This does not mean giving up family and friends; it simply means integrating the web of family and other relationships into your world so that they are a part of your life but not your entire life.”

Here are some good thoughts for your own second journey.

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Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Nonfiction/second_journey.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Bloggiesta Progress

General 3

Today’s the last day of Bloggiesta, and I haven’t done much. I put in 1.5 hours yesterday, and I wrote a review and did Mother Reader’s Comment Challenge. I commented on 5 kidlit blogs new to me. Quite fun!

One thing I found about doing the comments: It’s a PERFECT way to get my mind off divorce negotiations with my husband. He’s been e-mailing a lot this week, and I should probably say no more. I think with any future e-mails, I will make a rule to post 5 kidlit blog comments before I even think about trying to answer him! That should calm me down. I think it’s also good to be thinking about what I love to do.

Today I had church and the inevitable Sunday afternoon nap. Then my internet didn’t work, so I did my weekly ironing. Then, hooray, turning the router on and off brought it back, so now I can spend the evening blogging.

I have already attempted to make it easier to comment. I changed the settings so you don’t have to be registered. I hope that helps! I had trouble commenting on blogs that required a Google ID, but finally remembered what password I had used. So I understood when my friend said she’d tried to comment, but hadn’t been able to. I hope I fixed it!

Now I need to get busy and write some more reviews. I believe I have 32 more to go before I finish the books I read in 2009. I should just give up and not review them, but I want to catch up. My plan is to crank out the reviews and not post them to the main site until I have finished. I will then announce my Stand-outs for the year. Or, actually, I plan to announce my Stand-outs next weekend before the Newbery winners are announced. I don’t want my choices to be influenced!

Review of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary D. Schmidt

Historical, Stand-outs, Starred Review, Teen Fiction Review 0

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

by Gary D. Schmidt

Clarion Books, New York, 2004. 219 pages.
2005 Newbery Honor Book.
2005 Printz Honor Book.
Starred Review
Sonderbooks Stand-out 2010: #4 Other Teen Fiction

I read this book as one of my assignments for the class I took on the Newbery Medal. I’m afraid I would have liked it better if I hadn’t just read Kira-Kira, the Newbery Medal winner for 2005. I was ready for something cheerier. An awful lot of people die in this book! So it, too, is better if you want a book that makes you cry.

However, this is a truly wonderful book. Well-crafted, with characters that come alive and plenty of humor mixed through the tragedy. There’s some injustice that doesn’t get righted, but many eyes are opened, and the story is satisfying and uplifting.

“Turner Buckminster had lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for fifteen minutes shy of six hours. He had dipped his hand in its waves and licked the salt from his fingers. He had smelled the sharp resin of the pines. He had heard the low rhythm of the bells oon the buoys that balanced on the ridges of the sea. He had seen the fine clapboard parsonage behind the church where he was to live, and the small house set a ways beyond it that puzzled him some.

“Turner Buckminster had lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for almost six whole hours.

“He didn’t know how much longer he could stand it.”

Turner is the new minister’s son. There’s a lot of pressure on the minister’s son in Phippsburg, Maine, in the early 1900s. Turner would like to light out to the Territories, to somehow escape. He doesn’t play baseball like they do. He can’t jump off the cliff like they do. He gets picked on by the other kids. He gets criticized by the older people. It seems he can’t win, can’t fit in, can’t find a friend.

And then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin.

Lizzie is the Preacher’s granddaughter from the community of colored people who live on Malaga Island. Turner meets her down by the shore when he was trying to be alone, practicing hitting a baseball.

Lizzie teaches him how to hit the ball every time. They dig clams together. They become friends. Lizzie even takes him out to Malaga Island.

But people in his father’s congregation don’t approve. They want to develop tourism in Phippsburg and feel the community on the island is an eyesore and needs to go.

The plot is much more intricate than this summary suggests. Turner makes an interesting friend out of an old lady who disapproved of him at the beginning, and she meets Lizzie, too. Meanwhile, he’s trying to gain his father’s approval, yet he can’t seem to stay away from Lizzie Bright.

This book will stick with you long after you finish it.

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Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Teens/lizzie_bright.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.