top ten – Alison Edwards

Ten for Tuesday (well, Wednesday) – Books I share with my son

Posted on October 8, 2014October 8, 2014 by alisonedwards4

I usually do a Ten for Tuesday – ten things I want to talk about. Since I was busy reading, I’ve put it off until Wednesday. So… ten books I share with my son.
My son is ten and a reader. He loves series, especially ones with some adventure. Since I read a lot of YA Lit and he’s getting more mature in his reading choices, we’ve both read and discussed these ten books:

1. The Percy Jackson series. Ah… Mr. Jackson. He will appear again later in this list. This is the first series that the son and I really both read and enjoyed. He has been a huge fan of this series for years, which is nice, considering his age. I enjoyed it because I like mythology – he enjoyed it because he likes adventure. This series was the first one to show me what it was like, having a reader for a child.

2. Charlotte’s Web was a book he was assigned in school. When I saw it I did a little exclamation of joy – as a child it was one of my favourites. My mom, learning my son was studying it, also did an exclamation of joy. We talked to him about our memories of the book and about what we enjoyed when reading it. We discussed favourite characters and quotes, remembering how sometimes you can be a good writer and sometimes you’re a good friend. After all of this build up, he read it and disliked it. Well, he didn’t like it. It didn’t grab him like it had obviously grabbed us. This opened up a discussion for us all about why people like different books and what about them makes us like them. So, not a shared memory of literary appreciation, but a sharing of thoughts and concepts. Great discussion starter.

3. The son has loved the Wimpy Kid series since he was in kindergarten. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I had recommended it to him, not because of my enjoyment of it but because of the format – part graphic novel, part novel. Plus it was age appropriate humour. I have to admit, I didn’t read one of them (although I did see the movies) until last year when I read one about them being snowbound. I could see where he found the humour and the connections with the characters. He couldn’t wait for me to finish and wanted to know what I thought – I think he liked being the expert!

4. This summer we took a longer road trip and I encouraged the son to load several books on his Kobo. After seeing a promo for The Giver as a movie, he decided that would be one of them. I talked with him about dystopia and how it works in a novel and how it has become quite popular. And then, going across the province, he read it. It was interesting, getting his reactions – I had taught this book to a class not much older then him, and getting his thoughts vs my memory of their reactions was interesting. We discussed how it’s a series (and how I’ve only read one of the follow up books) and why people either read or discard series when they’ve read the first book. He has had no inclination to read the follow up novels (much like myself) but did really enjoy the movie and how it presented this story.

5. The Kane Chronicles were a series he moved to after he finished the Percy Jackson series. I had started to read them but stopped – it didn’t draw me in as much. However, seeing his enthusiasm brought me back to them and into that world. We have found ourselves discussing the differences between characters in this series and Percy Jackson and we’ve each read the novellas that cross over the two. I think there are characters he likes more in this one but he likes the Percy Jackson series as a whole more. I have to agree with him.

6. The Maze Runner is a new addition to this list for us. I have to admit, I didn’t enjoy the world created in this book. However, he was intrigued by the movie trailers and when given the opportunity to go with his grandfather, went to see it. We’ve discussed his impressions of the movie and the story it presented and now he’d like to read it. It’s the first book I think he’s chosen to read knowing that I have a dislike for it and it will be interesting to see what he thinks. Also, if you ever wonder if movies get kids to read, he’s proof they do!

7. Speaking of which…. The Hunger Games. After discussing dystopia with him, we watched The Hunger Games movie. A number of his friends are reading it and he decided that he would also give it a try. It’s funny – this book is almost the opposite of The Maze Runner. He ended up giving up on The Hunger Games, much like I wanted to do with The Maze Runner. We talked about when it’s ok to give up on a book and why people do that. I will be interested to see what he thinks of Maze Runner, since we know he doesn’t totally love darker dystopian novels.

8. Divergent was another rainy day summer movie for us as we looked as dystopia. Yet, it’s on this list as an example of a movie that ended up doing the opposite of the norm. He does not want to read it. However, like so many experiences like this, it got us talking about books into movies and what we like about those versions and what makes us drawn to watch and/or read what we watch and/or read.

9. This brings us to the books that inspired this post, a post that is mainly “it made us talk about things”. Tuesday, ‘The Blood of Olympus’ came out, the last in the Heroes of Olympus series. This book got the son out of bed and on his iPad to download it; he was unimpressed I could get it before him. It has caused excitement in our house as we got ready for it. It opened up discussions of ereaders vs traditional books. And we get to hang out with Percy again. It’s a win win win. I love those.

And again, I have no ten. We have to keep that open and hope we will continue learning and discussing. I look forward to comparing this list to one we will make when he is older. I hope this relationship with reading and discussions thereof continues, past the age when it’s accepted to talk with your parents.

Books, Reviews, top ten

Ten for Tuesday – Favourite Series

Posted on September 30, 2014September 30, 2014 by alisonedwards4

My top ten book series are hard to pick. And ever changing. Currently, this is the list. And, for the purposes of this list, I’ve considered not just series but books written as connections to each other – if a group of books could be read as stand alones but you find out what happens to other characters in books the author wrote, I’m going to count it.

1. It’s funny, I dislike horror books. I recently read ‘Carrie’ by Stephen King and am haunted by the story. However, the ‘Anna Dressed in Blood‘ series by Kendare Blake is one that I really enjoy. It’s just spooky enough but original enough – ghost hunter falls in love with a ghost. Personally I felt a little better with the concept of ghost hunters and loved how this one presented that profession as an accepted fact. Nicely written, great characters and action makes this series one I recommend to kids all the time if they like ghost based supernatural.

2. This is one of those series that has major characters appearing as minor characters in books that follow theirs. I shall call it the ‘And the…‘ series by Stephanie Perkins. Each titular female – Anna, Lola and Isla – has a story of their own. However, we see them and their companions in other books, sometimes in the circle of friends of the main character, sometimes referred to as people from the past. Anna graduated from the school where Isla goes and now works with Lola. They all end up in the same place at the end and we get a bit of resolution to all of the stories at the same time. Each book can stand alone, but together, it’s a beautifully connected story of romance and self discovery. At times, a little overly sweet but nicely done.

3. The Cinder series by Marissa Meyer is a mix of many of my favourite things – a retelling of a popular tale in a fresh new way,

a series where all the title characters have their own story that mixes with that of the others, strong females who kick butt. It starts with a retelling of Cinderella, in a futuristic world. It then moves to Little Red Riding Hood and her version of a big bad wolf and then to Rapunzel. The fourth book comes out next year to complete the Lunar Chronicles and hopefully bring Cinder to the place where she is meant to be. ‘Cinder’ is a book I book talk often and is one that is an option for our grade tens to choose for their book group study.

4. Of course, of course, of course. The Divergent series by Veronica Roth. This series is not the strongest in terms of writing, it is one of the most popular and one that I enjoyed immensely. Sure, the second book is a placeholder to get to the third and sure there were issues in what was presented in terms of their world. But it has stayed with me and continues to bring me enjoyment as I revisit the world of Tris every fall when my grade ten classes study ‘Divergent’.

5. If I mention Divergent, I have to mention The Hunger Games. I teach ‘The Hunger Games’ to my third year class. However, I love all three books. When I first read ‘The Hunger Games’ I didn’t know it was a series – finding out that there were two more books to experience the world of Katniss was a beautiful gift. I do think that Gale is a… well, I don’t like Gale. I do like the ending – it’s not a big ending, not a huge ending but it’s the right ending for Katniss and I like that. I can’t wait to see the third movie!

6. Harry Potter. Harry Potter. Harry Potter. I have written before about how Harry Potter impacted me and my reading – how I came to it late but embraced it wholeheartedly. I think that it’s an excellent example of how one character can be a hero through a series, but each story can have their own hero arc. I love how the relationships develop. I love the memes and graphics that have come from it and the emotions that so much of the world has for these series. My favourite book (besides the last one, out of necessity of story conclusion) is the third book – ironically it’s my least favourite of the movies. I love theories about how one gets into Gryffindor. It’s a wonderful series.

7. Percy Jackson is a series that I enjoy, but that my son enjoys as well. It’s great being able to talk about series with my son. He plans to be Percy for hallowe’en and we’re having a fun time finding a costume for him. We both love that there’s spin off series (Heroes of Olympus! Last book out on the 7th of October!) and that there are characters who mess up, try hard and eventually find their way home. I like the portrayal of all types of learners and the validation that we all act, think and learn differently. As a kid I loved studying Greek Mythology – it’s so fun reading a series that incorporates it so well in to the story.

yappiestgiveaway1 — Chocolate illegal? Ack!

8. The Birthright series – All these things I’ve done and Because it is my blood. Different view of society, different view on “the family” – a mafia style family with a teenage girl at the helm, running the illegal chocolate business that belongs to her family. It’s an interesting view of a world – imagine caffeine was illegal – and how there are always people able to fill a need. But what of the needs of those people? This series examines those concepts and more and presents one of the more interesting female protagonists I’ve read in a while.

9. The Kenneally Books. Not a series name. Not even a series – a set of novels that could each stand alone but weave together to form a community. I read two without realizing the connections, then when searching for other books by that
author, read more and realized how they all hung together. Characters appear in one or the other and then might disappear. A wedding attended by a character in one might be the conclusion to a relationship in another. A standout athlete might appear as a coach to a later generation of the towns athletes. While the

books themselves were not the best literature out there, the way that they were intertwined and woven together spoke to me and I sought out all of them. My favourite was ‘breathe annie, breathe’, but they all presented a nice story. A lovely set of characters in a quaint town, learning and connecting with each other. It was nice to see some characters grow up – almost two generations of students, and reminded me of my life and seeing kids grow into adults in the span of a few years.

10. And finally, perhaps my favourite series. I hunt killers. Nature vs nurture, good vs evil, learning from your father and trying to learning how to not be your father. Suspense, thrills, relationships, cliffhangers (grrrr!), great supporting characters and a vibrant town. I really love this series and if you’re at all into thrillers or psychological studies, this series is for you. Read and enjoy them all – and try not to get a little scared!

Books, top ten, Uncategorized

Ten for Tuesday

Posted on September 23, 2014September 23, 2014 by alisonedwards4

There is a meme going around Facebook – 10 books that stayed with you. It’s funny – I read a lot but books that have stayed with me… harder to list. Here goes:

1. ‘Anne of Green Gables’ (and series). Childhood in a series. I remember being quite young and reading my moms copies of the first three green gables books. This lead to the discovery that it was a series of eight – and that L.M. Montgomery published other series such as ‘Emily of New Moon’ and ‘The Story Girl’. This book opened up so much for me, reading wise, that I have to list it as one of my ten – even if it’s not my favorite of the series. Whenever I get a dress and the sleeves are puffy, I think of Anne!

2. ‘Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone’ (and series). I was a late comer to Harry Potter. I think there were four books out when I originally read the first one. This was good in some ways – I didn’t have the same wait in the beginning that most readers had. However, once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read and reread all the books as they came out. I would read the books from start to finish of the series every time a book or movie was released. I left my house the day the last one came out and did not go back until I had it finished. This book reminded me of the joys of childhood reading and the value of friendship – two lessons that no one should be without.

3. ‘Holocaust’. I reread this one every year it seems. I do a lot with Holocaust studies and this particular book has stayed with me to the point I continued to revisit and even book talk it quite often. The story of a Jewish family, told by a surviving member and the story of Nazi officer as told through his journals, it brings both sides of the story to the page. It was made into a miniseries in the 70s. I’ll be honest – I don’t know if the book was based on the miniseries or the miniseries based on the book but I don’t care. Wonderfully told story – stories – and one that has stuck with me. And the IMDB Trivia for the miniseries is fantastic.

4. Ah… ‘Flowers in the Attic’ by V.C. Andrews. Actually by V.C. Andrews and not the ghostwriter employed after her death. This book was a grudging gift to me by my parents – they were thrilled I was reading but felt it wasn’t good literature. And it’s not. Not really. It’s modern gothic horror at its finest – girl meets boy, girl loves boy, girl and boy run away and get married because they’re uncle and niece, boy dies leaving girls with four kids, girl moves home and locks kids in the attic, never to be seen again. This is their story. It’s been made into a movie and a tv movie and has been rereleased for a modern audience. This was a book that was raw and inappropriate in many ways but for teen age me, was one of my few ways to read young adult literature when I was actually a young adult.

5. ‘Diary of a Young Girl’ was a book I bought after reading an excerpt in my English textbook. I think it was after grade seven I found it. I did not have a clue what it was really about (the Holocaust wasn’t really taught, at least in my small town school) and didn’t realize what a big deal it was. I just remember being so touched by the small part of it published in my textbook that I had to seek it out in my small town bookstore and read it. I still have that copy, a book I won’t get rid of even though it’s falling apart. It was learning others thought like I did and relating to this young girl who thought like I did… it was everything at that point in time. Realizing my historical ignorance, especially as I teach Holocaust novels and take kids to DC after intensive Holocaust studies – heck! I’ve done courses from Yad Vashem at this point! – is amazing. This book stuck because it was beautiful and true.

6. Speaking of historical ignorance…. ‘Gone with the Wind’ taught me about the American Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan and much of the basics of American history. I know so much more now, including how much this was one story and a story that was more about the main character than the world around her. But it is a book I read and reread – devoured even. I was taken in by the world created and the time of lords and ladies of the south. Funnily enough, I never saw anything wrong with what Scarlett did – something she realizes in the (fairly horrible) sequel – she did what she needed to do and made her own way. I liked her, even if I thought she was fairly horrible at times. This is a book I have replaced as it fell apart in the last year or so from overuse!

7. ‘The Hunger Games’. Has to be included because it opened up a whole world for me. I was a librarian but I wasn’t reading everything I could – I was not totally aware of what was out there. I saw a write up about this book where Jennifer Weiner, Stephanie Meyer and Stephen King praised and recommended this book. Three totally different authors talking about this book. So I picked it up and was engrossed. I was heartbroken when it ended as I didn’t know it was a series. Finding out a new one was going to come out – a sequel! – well it was a good day. I teach this book now and I know it has faults. But for me it was the first real foray into YA lit, a foray that has become a lifestyle.

8. ‘The Red Tent’ fits into my love of historical novels that retell a story from an alternative viewpoint. It tells the story of Dinah, sister of Joseph, daughter of Jacob. She gets a mention in the bible but only a mention – she’s not the story. But she has a story and this is one version of it. This book tells the story of the women behind the men, the story of how they lived while being brought from place to place. I love alternative tellings of popular stories and this is one of the best ones I’ve read. It even prompted me to pull out my childhood bible and read the story of her family. Yep, she’s there, as a victim. In this book, she’s a hero. Funny the role perspective plays in a story.

9. Speaking of perspective, ‘The Mists of Avalon’ was another story of perspective. The story of Avalon, of King Arthur, of Lords and Ladies, told by Morgan Le Fay. His half sister and mother of his child. Lady of Avalon. Priestess. Welder of power. This is, like the ‘Red Tent’, a story of perspective. The story is familiar but being told from this perspective brings a new view to an old story. For me it awakened ideas of spirituality and beliefs and cemented my views of equality and the need to tell all the stories. I began this book on the plane to China – I was going to a UN conference and NGO forum as the youngest person from my province. I loved China but I couldn’t wait to get back on the plane and finish it.

Book ten. Book ten. I don’t know what to say. ‘The Fault in our Stars’? ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’? ‘The Book Thief’? So many books that mean so much to me. I’m going to leave this particular top ten unfinished. Any of those book – and others – could finish it, but I don’t want to leave any out. To be finished…. later?