Review - The Death-Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: January 2010

Pepper Roux, Pepper Roux…what an odd child…

On the day of his birth, Paul Roux’s Aunt Mireille had a dream that he would die on his fourteenth birthday. Coddled and protected as a child, Paul, nicknamed Pepper by classmates, grew up sheltered, knowing more about last rites and funeral masses than fairy tales or sports. When his fourteenth birthday finally arrives and with it the realization that his family is waiting for his death, Pepper decides to go out and meet his fate head on. Instead, Pepper finds himself involved in an odd string of events, each more strange than the last.

After hearing quite a bit about The Death-Defying Pepper Roux I knew I had to read it. The cover lead me to believe that Pepper would possibly go on many adventures, most of them involving a ship. He is after all climbing towards what might be the ship's crow's nest. But as the story progressed, I had to reevaluate, several times, what Pepper’s journey was really about. Plus, I feel that this cover captures the feel of the novel better:

2009 Oxford University Press

It gives more hints about what may or may not happen to Pepper as he makes his way through France

Um, that's right; The Death-Defying Pepper Roux takes place in France, at the early part of the 1900s. There are certain details that place the action in the 1920s or 1930s - for example the fact that Pepper takes a taxi at one point, but I could be completely wrong. I felt that the setting and possible time period really added to the odd nature of Pepper's adventures and even lent them an air of mystery. 

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux is a strange book, but one that makes you think. A recurring line is “People see what they expect or do they see what they choose?” To me this was the central question, because how else would a fourteen year-old be able to fool so many people into believing he was a ship captain, a telegram messenger, or someone's thought to be dead husband?  Also, I think it took some suspension of belief and a "let's just see where this takes us" attitude for me to really enjoy Pepper's story. But in the end, I did like it. Plus, the language is terrific. It may scare off some readers, but if they stick with  it they will find a fun story that asks some interesting questions. 

I feel that The Death-Defying Pepper Roux skewed a bit young, so even though Pepper himself was 14, I would feel comfortable recommending it to intrepid readers as young as 9 or 10. However, older readers could enjoy Pepper's adventures as well, especially if they like quirky stories.

Review - The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World

The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World

Author: Kenn Nesbitt

Illustrator: Ethan Long

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Publication Date: July 1, 2011

Source: Publisher for Review

Have you ever wanted to build evil robots? Or recruit minions? Or take over the world? Then The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World is the book for you! In ten (umm…twelve) easy steps, Kenn Nesbitt will take you through the finer points of preparing to rule the world.

I’m definitely not the target audience for The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World, but I don’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so much over a book. Mr. Nesbitt hits the right mix of irreverent humor and common sense advice for villains and evil overlords (and let’s face it, he’s not teaching readers how to be a good guy).

He covers everything from how to choose a name, the different types of bad guys, the best way to develop a minion army, how to stop time and how to defeat secret agents. The chapter on stopping time, “Stopping Time for Fun and Profit,” was, hands down, my favorite chapter of the book.

Mr. Nesbitt keeps the tone conversational throughout the book, explaining words or phrases when needed.  He never talks down to the reader, but instead invites them to have fun. There’s even space at the end of the book to take notes or write out one’s plans for world domination.

 The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World is perfect for fans of Geronimo Stilton, Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta. If you have aspirations of taking over the world or simply want to know how to build an evil robot army this book is for you.

Review - Who What Wear by Olivia Bennett

Who What Wear (The Allegra Biscotti Collection #2)
Author: Olivia Bennett
Illustrator: Georgia Rucker
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publication Date: June 1, 2011
Source: From Publisher for Review

Emma Rose has a secret; she has a designing alter ego named Allegra Biscotti. Thanks to Paige Young, senior editor at Madison, Emma’s clothes have already been featured in a magazine. Only a few people know that Emma is Allegra; she hasn’t even told her best friend Holly. But, then the unthinkable happens: Allegra is asked to design a Sweet Sixteen dress for Rylan Sinclare, the most fashionable and popular girl at Emma’s school. Plus, she scores an invite to the party and is in the know about all of the details. As Holly gets more suspicious of her behavior, Emma must find a way to design a dress both of her clients will love while staying true to herself.

Who What Wear was just as fun to read as The Allegra Biscotti Collection. I liked that the author upped the stakes for Emma, so that this sequel didn’t follow the same exact plot arc as the first book. Emma thought there was pressure before, but now not only does she have to deal with school and designing (she’s going to be one of ten designers showcased in a Madison sponsored pop-up shop), but she’s been commissioned to design a dress for Rylan. To keep her identity secret, Emma poses as her own intern! With regards to Allegra, Emma and Charlie (her only friend that knows the Emma is really Allegra) became more of a team as they each work on different aspects of the her image and brand. Their personalities complemented each other and their interactions were always fun to read.

Even though, Who What Wear is a sequel, it can be read as a stand alone because information about specific plot points from the first book is sprinkled through out the story. In fact, as someone who read The Allegra Biscotti Collection right before reading Who What Wear, I was grateful that there wasn't a recap at the beginning. Instead the opening scene sets the stage for the rest of the book, by introducing new characters and reminding the reader about Holly and Emma's friendship. Speaking Holly and Emma, their friendship, and its ups and downs, felt very realistic. Ms. Bennett did a great job of portraying middle school politics and balancing it with the other side of Emma's life.

Tweens and teens who love fashion and dream about being a famous designer will enjoy reading Who What Wear just as much as The Allegra Biscotti Collection. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary novels with just a dash of dare to dream big ambition.

Review - The Allegra Biscotti Collection by Olivia Bennett

The Allegra Biscotti Collection 
Author: Olivia Bennett
Illustrator: Georgia Rucker
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Source: Publisher for review

A great read for the tween (and older) crowd, The Allegra Biscotti Collection finds the perfect balance of believable contemporary fiction with a dash of what if.

Eighth grader, Emma Rose loves fashion and creating amazing outfits. She even has her own “studio” tucked away in a corner of her father’s wholesale lace business. That studio is where an influential fashionista finds some of Emma’s designs. A few photos and a blog post later and Emma has the opportunity of a lifetime; a feature in her favorite fashion magazine. Instead of owning up to the designs, thinking that no one would believe they were created by a fourteen year old, Emma creates Allegra Biscotti - her secret designing identity.

Emma Rose is one of those characters you want to root for. As I was reading, I wanted good things to happen for her. Emma is passionate about fashion and designing, but she’s also a typical eighth grader worried about friends, a secret crush and getting all of her homework done. All of that makes her very relatable. Plus she sounds like a teen; the snappy, smart dialogue is very believable.

The secondary characters shine as well. Emma’s friend Charlie, the only one who knows the truth about her secret identity, is the perfect sidekick. He’s supportive, comes up with crazy ideas, and is willing to help in any way possible. The Ivana-bees - we can all remember girls like these at our own middle or high schools - rather than make them all clones, Ms Bennett has given each of them their own distinct personalities and how they play off each other and Emma adds another layer to the story. And as an adult reader, I love that Emma’s parents were very present in her life.

I want to mention the format of the book as well. The illustrations that appear on almost every page are spot on. They look exactly like they are straight from Emma’s sketch books.

Overall, The Allegra Biscotti Collection was a fun book that will be a hit with tween readers.

Review - The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin

The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Publication Date: May 10, 2011
Source: S&S Galley Grab

The Summer Before Boys is a coming of age story set against the backdrop of the war in Iraq. Julia's mom has been in Iraq for the past nine and a half months. Because of this and her father's job, Julia is spending the summer with her sister, brother-in-law, and niece, Eliza. Julia and Eliza are the same age and best friends - inseparable. They spend most of their time at the resort where Eliza's father works wandering the hiking trails, trying to sneak into tea, playing Lester and Lynette, and getting ice cream at the gift shop. At least they do until Julia starts to notice Michael. What happens to a friendship when one person is ready to grow up, but the other isn't?

The Summer Before Boys is a very timely book; a good number of people are dealing with the same anxieties and fears associated with having a family member deployed to Iraq as Julia. She's worried that her mother's deployment will be extended, that something will happen to her or that she'll come back different. To help her deal with this, Julia has collected facts about women in war, which are included through out the book. I found these pieces of information interesting and thought that they added another layer to the story that allowed the reader to get to know Julia.

There is a back and forth, almost like you can see Julia's thought process, type of narration. Julia is telling about the current summer, but then mentions something that happened the year before in school or about the days leading up to her mother leaving. Describing it makes it seem weird, but it really worked in the framework of the story because you get to see the different pieces that lead to the summer and what happens between Julia and Eliza.

Throughout the book, Ms. Baskin does a great job balancing the two major arcs in the story and it's interesting how they come together. The way she handles that awkward age when some kids are ready to grow up and others are happy still living in their own make believe world is what made The Summer Before Boys a great read for me. But then again, I've lived through that time in my own life and can remember it with mostly fond memories. I'm wondering if girls that are the same age as Julia and Eliza will be able to relate to them. I'm hoping they can and if they do, they will be rewarded with a wonderful read.

I can see The Summer Before Boys being a great book for readers who like more quiet or introspective books.

Review - The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: April 1, 2010

Can an origami puppet really tell the future or know if the person you like likes you back? That's exactly what Tommy and the rest of the 6th grade at McQuarrie Middle School are trying to find out. Dwight, the weird guy that every class has, has an Origami Yoda that dispenses advice. But can it really tell the future or know the answers to everyone's questions? Tommy, with the help of his friends Harvey and Kellan, set out to find out.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda was a fun, quick read that let the reader draw its own conclusions about the title character. Um, yes I'm counting the Origami Yoda as a character, he (it?) did give advice to most of the 6th graders who asked. Plus, look at him all Zen like on the cover. Speaking of the cover check out this blog post about all the changes it went through from the initial concept to the final cover.

So, all of the references to Star Wars were a huge plus for me, I can't even count how many times I've seen episodes 4, 5, and 6, but that's not why I liked this book so much. Mr. Angleberger really gets the awkwardness of being in sixth grade and because of this the characters came across as very real. Even though there were a lot of characters, some only appeared for a chapter, they were all very distinct.

I also really liked the structure of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. The case files that Tommy puts together as he investigates Origami Yoda and his advice break the information (and story) into manageable pieces. Plus, the comments and doodles from Harvey and Kellan were often funnier than Tommy's insight.

I would recommend The Strange Case of Origami Yoda to fans of funny stories. Even though it's been marketed as a middle grades book, I can see anyone from second graders to adults really enjoying it. The directions at the back of the book for how to make your own Origami Yoda are a nice addition, making it a great choice for book clubs or even a class read aloud since there is an activity built right in. Don't want to follow written instructions? There's a video too!

Halloween Blog Tour With The Familiars

A witch's house, The Magic Castle and a house on Elm Street...what do all of these have in common?  Find out as Andrew Jacobson, one of the authors of The Familiars takes us on a tour of Los Angeles and Hollywood, CA.



Andrew and Adam are also having a special Familiars-themed Halloween Scavenger Hunt! At each stop along the blog tour, they will be asking a trivia question from The Familiars. After you fill in your answer, the letter that falls in the place of the * can be placed in the corresponding number of the larger puzzle. So for example, since this is question number 8, the letter that lands in the space where the * is can be filled in where the 8 is in the larger puzzle. The larger puzzle will form yet another clue, and anyone who answers it correctly will be entered into a drawing for an autographed book as well as a few other Halloween treats!

Be sure to visit The Familiars blog at thefamiliars.blogspot.com to find links to all other blog stops and find out where to send in your answers! All entries must be entered by November 15.


8. What do the familiars use to lure Agdaleen from her hut?

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _*_ ___ ___ ___


Hint: Chapter Eight, Page 147

11 5 18 8 15 1 9 7 19 14 23 2 25 16 10 12 20

__ __ __ __ __ __ ' __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __


17 3 22 6 21 4 24 13

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

For more information about The Familiars check out:
The official website: http://www.thefamiliars.com/

and Book Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0djEE4OzdQ