My Name is Mina by David Almond

My Name is Mina by David Almond

Rating: G, 5 stars

Summary: Mina doesn't have any friends. For most children, this would be a terrible loss. But Mina has an incredible imagination, and she uses this to fill the pages of her journal, giving the reader a glimpse into the world as only a child can see it. Mina's journal recounts her journey to find a good education, after leaving the public school, her trip into an old mine shaft, and so much more. All of these are told deftly in Mina's unique voice.

Opinions: I didn't know this books was a prequel to Skellig until after I had finished it. And I'm ok with that. This book is lyrical, so transformative, that I didn't feel I was missing a single thing while reading it, except for maybe 100 additional pages of Almond's poetic prose. Seriously, I need to read Skellig now to figure out whether or not all of his books are this poetic.

I picked up this book because I was fascinated with the cover. I couldn't tell if the title was simply My Name is Mina, or if it was My Name is Mina and I love the Night, or what. That alone intrigued me. And then I opened the book. The opening passage was beautiful. I started this book half an hour before I had class, and I regretted it. If I'd had the time, I would have read all of it in one sitting. As it was, this was a book that snuck out during dinner, at breaks in class, right before bed, etc.

What makes this book succeed so much is the voice. The actual plot and the character would be good, but nothing spectacular, without Mina's voice. The way she sees the world is imperative to how well the book reads. My Name is Mina is filled with unique formatting and different font sizes that truly communicate Mina's voice. Almond created a narrator who simultaneously thinks like a child and speaks with a profoundness that many adults lack. The stereotype that “children's” is synonymous with simple is absolutely shattered in this book, and shattered only in the best way possible.

Basically, I loved this book. There were times that the sheer beauty of the prose nearly had me in tears. I think this is the type of book that anyone can and will enjoy. I think children will be drawn in by the surface simplicity, while adults will fall in love with prose and the beautiful undercurrents. This is a book that everyone should read.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

by Catherynne M. Valente

Rating: PG; 5 stars

Summary: One ordinary in day Omaha, Nebraska, twelve-year-old September is whisked from her house and into Fairyland by the Green Wind. Once there, she finds that fairies are not as they seem in stories. She also learns about the cruel Marquess who has recently taken the throne in Fairyland. As she journeys through Fairyland, she makes many friends and learns a great deal, both about herself and about the inhabitants of Fairyland itself.

Opinions: The minute I started this book I was enjoying it. I probably actually fell in love with it the minute I read the title. It is a wonderful title, isn't it? This book reminded me of a combination of The Tale of Despereaux and Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland. The narrator occasionally breaks the fourth wall, as in Depereaux, but the book has that same sense of magic and wonder that Alice has.

There is such a sense of wonder to this book. There is this tone to the story that everything is new, even to the narrator. This wonder really brings the reader in and makes you want to keep going. I loved the fact that traditional fairy lore was used but was totally reinvented. There's a trend nowadays for fairy books to be very edgy and contemporary, and there's nothing wrong with that at all (I'm a huge fan of several of those books), but sometimes it's nice to come back home to a cozier story.

Not that this story was all rainbows and kittens. There were some downright scary parts to it, and I'm in college; I don't (or at least, I shouldn't) scare the same way the intended audience (ages 10-14) does. The Marquess is quite the frightening lady, though. There's also a scene, involving Autumn, that was rather terrifying.

The story is rather episodic, hence my summary is so short. And everything is really intertwined, so by the time I explain one thing, I'd have to explain another, and soon the whole book is given away. I rather like that about it, though. It means that you can read it in small chunks and still be satisfied, but the bigger picture is definitely what makes the whole thing worthwhile.

I rated this book PG because of the scary parts, and also there's some violence. Not very graphic violence, but there are quite a few mentions of blood. I gave this book 5 stars because I absolutely loved it. I loved the storyline, the characters, the world, and definitely the writing style. I really think the writing is what sold me. This is a book meant for younger audiences, in relation to the YA books I usually read, but because of the way it was written, I didn't feel for a moment like I was too old for the book. Nor do I think that it is inappropriately written for its audience. This is one of those books that I can imagine parents reading to young children (and enjoying as much as the kids do) and older children reading it themselves. In any case, I gave this book 5 stars because of how much I enjoyed it. It was a wonderful book, and I am definitely going to be buying it as a gift for someone in the near future.

This book was sent to me by the publisher.

The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech

The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech

Rating: G; 4 stars

Summary: The Castle Corona is a lively tale about a royal family (king, queen, princess, and two princes) and two orphan peasants. The king loves sleeping and hates his itchy robes. The queen hates always being less than the king. One prince is a poet, the other, a warrior. The princess is spoiled and rude, but doesn't seem to enjoy being this way. The two orphan siblings work hard for a mean master, just as many fairytale characters do. The book starts out with the peace in the kingdom being disturbed by a thief, the first in its history. As the book goes on, certain circumstances bring the royal family and the two orphans together. They all grow to love each other and...well that would be giving away the ending.

Opinions: This book wasn't at all what I expected. It was shelved in my library with teen books, when it probably really belonged with independent reader books, such as The Tale of Despereaux (more on that comparison will follow). However, despite it being a children's book, it was an excellent read. It reminded me a lot of Despereaux, which I absolutely devoured when it was released, and still find occasion to read at least once a year. It seems to me that they have the same target audience in mind: same genre, vocabulary level, themes and morals, etc. They were both printed not only with reading in mind, but also with sharing: each chapter of Corona is headed by a full-color illustration. And though the illustrations didn't appeal to me as much as Despereaux's (after all, who can resist a cute and cuddly mouse?), the fact that they were there was a delight. The book may have been told simply, but I feel that it is an excellent book for all ages nonetheless. It is a perfect "bedtime story" type of book: read a chapter or two a night, perhaps even alternate the parent and the child reading.

Now as for the 4-star rating, there was nothing in particular I didn't like about it, there just wasn't that "wow" that expect from a 5-star book. It is an excellent book, and I think readers of all ages and types will enjoy it to some degree.