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This blog has been silent for a long time, while I was preoccupied with Bea's arrival & then being the London CKG Judge for 2017 & 2018. Instead of starting it back up again though, my mate Matt asked me if I'd come on board with TeenLibrarian.co.uk &, of course, I agreed! I've contributed the occasional article to the Teen Librarian Monthly newsletter but from now on I'm going to attempt to be a more regular blogger over there, so please do follow me over...

Carnegie Longlist - final update!

At last, I've finished!  See this post for my previous update.

The official shortlist is announced on Tuesday so I shall be sharing my personal shortlist at some point this weekend...but here are my feelings about the Carnegie books I've read since the end of January.  This year there hasn't been a single story that didn't have something going for it, although I think I might have been less critical this year than last year!  orange means it was alright, red means I love it:

Soldier Dog by Sam Angus - a great tale, I really felt for Stanley, but it reminded me too much of War Horse

The Traitors by Tom Becker - a rough diamond of an idea but not very well polished...
The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne - cute but irritating - if he'd just held on sometimes instead of relying on people grabbing him then it would make his life much easier!
Scramasax by Kevin Crossley-Holland - I really struggle to enjoy his stories, even though some very excitng things happen his style dulls it down for me.

Call Down Thunder by Daniel Finn - brilliant scene setting, I can see it as a film, but didn't grab me as much as Two Good Thieves
To Be A Cat by Matt Haig - a lovely Dahl-esque tale, with evil characters getting comeuppance, best friends and comedy moments!
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman - well written fantasy, great idea but mostly predictable
The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen - exciting story but too contrived, the plot relied a lot on coincidence or luck.
Skulduggery Pleasant: Death Bringer by Derek Landy - I love the Skulduggery books, the humour is perfect, but I don't think it could end up on the short list.
At Yellow Lake by Jane McLoughlin - the three voices worked well but occasionally I forgot who was 'speaking' as they weren't quite different enough.
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy - exciting adventure but a little too far fetched in places
The Treasure House by Linda Newbery - I couldn't believe the premise of the disappeared Mum (the resolution was very unsatisfying) but it was nicely told.
Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver - I thought this was great, I was worried that it would just be Wolf Brother but with a dolphin but the story was engaging and there were some moments of real suspense.
Burn Mark by Laura Powell - great idea but nothing unexpected happened and the resolution came too easily
The Flask by Nicky Singer - didn't think I'd enjoy it at all but I was actually gripped by the story, really well told!A Waste of Good Paper by Sean Taylor - pretty good but I was disappointed by the 'happy ending' because up to a point it was a quite realistic story.  Life isn't like that!

This is likely to replace something I'd thought of for my shortlist:

After by Morris Gleitzman

So beautifully written. I thought it might be less emotional than Once and Then (I didn't really like Now much), because it was about fighting back in the Resistance, but it was heart wrenching.

 

 

Keep your eyes peeled for my shortlist.  What's on your's?

Carnegie Longlist Update

Just a brief note to update you on my progress on the CKG Carnegie longlist for 2013.  Since my last post I have read another bunch of generally good but not amazing books:

The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean by David Almond - a review I read reckoned this is 'David Almond's first book for adults', although it is published on a children's list in order to be eligible for Carnegie.  It is an odd book, clever story but the style (as if it is written by someone illiterate) was too offputting for me

Naked by Kevin Brooks - didn't think it was for children at all - was an adult reminiscing about teen angst rather than a teenager going through it.

Sektion 20 by Paul Dowswell - a bit too matter of fact - I sometimes felt that the historical accuracy, although very interesting, rather overshadowed the story.

Buzzing! by Anneliese Emmans Dean - a collection of nice poems about insects but not special enough for Carnegie
Trouble in Toadpool by Anne Fine - just too ridiculous overall, although some parts were quite funny.
The Seeing by Diana Hendry - unsettling short story, perhaps a little too short though, I think she could have extended the suspense more.

The Abominables by Eva Ibbotson - could have been written in the 1940s, the sexist attitudes certainly belong there, but a nice 'innocent' tale that is about as ridiculous as Trouble in Toadpool!

Black Arts: The Books of Pandemonium by Andrew Prentice and Jonathan Weil - quite exciting with some good plotting and suspense-building, but overly long.

Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid - some aspects were really well written but it was wholly predictable and tied up too neatly and happily at the end (sorry for the spoiler, but there is a happy ending!)
Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts - a bit of prior knowledge of the tales of Arthur really enhances this book, a good old fashioned adventure fantasy!

A Skull in Shadows Lane by Robert Swindells - another one that could have been written in the 1940s. I couldn't get over the name 'Jinty' and found it really dull.

These three could well have been in my initial shortlist if I'd read them earlier...

Spy For The Queen of Scots by Theresa Breslin - pretty exciting historical novel with fact and fiction well interwoven
The Broken Road by B.R. Collins - found it difficult to get into but the story and style was so honest and brutal in places, a very good book!
Unrest by Michelle Harrison - a clever story with an excellent twist, but not perfect - I thought some bits could have been bulked out while others could have been trimmed down.

but this one will actually kick something else off my personal shortlist...

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

took me a few pages to get into it but when I did, blimey, it is an amazing book!  Brilliant histiry, clever storytelling, totally believable characters and events.

Less than 2 months to go until the shortlist is announced and I have 17 left to read, I've been taking far too long to get through them, it is going to be a tight thing!

Carnegie Longlist, one month in.

The long list was announced on the 5th November, see my post for the whole list as well as which I had already read.  As I did last year, I'd like to read all of them before the shortlist is announced, so here's an update on my progress...I've not only been reading Carnegie books but I only mention those listed here (check my mini-reviews on Twitter or find me on Goodreads to see what else I've read).  They've all been good but not amazing:

The No.1 Car Spotter and the Firebird by Atinuke - really nice but not enough for Carnegie

Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari - found the story dull but enjoyed the descriptions of India

Dead Time by Anne Cassidy - pretty good but tried to fit too much in

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle - lovely tale but not quite Carnegie worthy

The Things We Did For Love by Natasha Farrant - very moving story of life in occupied France, again just not quite literary enough
Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes - can see this being made into a film, a really good book that could well end up on the official short list...it just won't be on mine!
Hitler's Angel by William Osborne - too predictable but with some excellent moments
Goblins by Philip Reeve - very funny
The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon - didn't grip me but isn't terrible

Except for one that that is so brilliant that it has to replace one of my initial personal shortlist:

VIII by H.M. Castor

I'm not sure it is a winner though, and I won't tell you which it replaced - you'll have to wait until March for my final list!

 

Is it just the ones I happen to have picked up so far, or are there are heck of a lot of war books on the list?  I really need to read something to cheer me up but have nothing with a happy blurb on my TBR pile!

The Official CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards shortlists!

The wait is over and today we know what the judges have chosen as their shortlists from the 100-odd books nominated across the two awards.  Remember, the only nomination criteria were that it had to be written for children or teenagers and have been published in the UK between 1^st September 2010 (seems a long time ago!) and 31^st August 2011 (without having been published more than 3months earlier in another country).

The titles they chose for Carnegie, meaning they think they are “outstanding literature for children and young people” are:

The Midnight Zoo by Sonia Hartnett

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Septys

Small Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans

Everybody Jam by Ali Lewis

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

My Name is Mina by David Almond

Trash by Andy Mulligan

Eight titles this year so I could have chosen two more for my short list!  As you will remember from my previous posts relating to the Carnegie, I loved four of these, with two making it onto my short list.  I posted in November, February and earlier this month.  I didn’t like the other four, though I can understand why people did, but I am surprised that the judges thought they were better than any of the other titles on the list!

A nice variety, they’re all very readable and not too worthy or difficult for your average school child to read, probably the most accessible short list there has been for a long while and I think less for your average School Librarian to criticize.  There are always complaints about the Carnegie short list being full of books that are too difficult but all of these titles are age appropriate for KS3 reading groups.

My prediction for the final winner:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

I read a proof copy before it was published and at the next YLG London meeting said there’s no point reading any more books because this is the next Carnegie winner!  It is such a beautiful, sad story.  Second choice would be The Midnight Zoo.

The short list for the Greenaway Award for outstanding illustration is:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay

Wolf Won’t Bite by Emily Gravett

Puffin Peter by Petr Horacek

Slog’s Dad by David Almond, illustrated by David McKean

Solomon Crocodile by Catherine Rayner

The Gift by Carol Anne Duffy, illustrated by Rob Ryan

There are no Cats in this Book by Viviane Schwarz

Can we save the Tiger? By Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Vicky White

I’ll be shadowing the Greenaway with a group of Year 7s at school so I’ll let you know what we think!

My personal Carnegie shortlist

I have finally got to the end of the 52-book long long-list for this year's Carnegie!  I shall tell you which I think should be the final 6, and which I think might actually be on the short list, but first a brief look at the ones I've read since my last related post.  Again, red means I liked it and green means it didn't live up to expectations :-)

Deary, Terry Put Out The Light

Diterlizzi, Tony The Search for Wondla

Doherty, Berlie Treason

Halahmy, Miriam Hidden

LaFleur, Suzanne Eight Keys

Mason, Simon Moon Pie

McCaughrean, Geraldine Pull out all the Stops

McKay, Hilary Caddy's World

Mitchelhill, Barbara Run Rabbit Run

Morpurgo, Michael Shadow

Priestley, Chris The Dead of Winter

Revis, Beth Across the Universe

Saunders, Kate Magicalamity

Stephens, John The Emerald Atlas

I'm afraid I don't have time to explain those opinions today, have a look at my twitter feed (@cazapr1) for my mini-reviews of them all.

Such a huge variety of books, some of which I would not have picked up if they weren't on the list and so some nice discoveries, as well as the occasional disappointment.  But without further ado, my personal short list is...

Blackman, Malorie Boys Don't Cry

Dogar, Sharon Annexed

Gibbons, Alan An Act of Love

Hardinge, Frances Twilight Robbery

Hartnett, Sonya The Midnight Zoo

Ness, Patrick A Monster Calls

with special mention for Earle, Phil Being Billy, Pitcher, Annabel My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece and Young,

Moira Blood Red Road.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Almond, David My Name is Mina, Peet, Mal Life : an Exploded Diagram, or Rosoff, Meg There is no Dog on the real list because, among a couple of the other names on the long list, they're high-hitting literary types even if I didn't enjoy the stories much.

Next week we'll find out whether I have good taste or not!

CKG Longlist update

I think it is about time I updated my 'read' list of the Carnegie longlist - you may remember that way back in November I told you all about the list and which ones I'd read already.  Have a look at that one to refresh your memory because here are those I've read in the last (nearly) 3 months...as with the last post, red means I loved it and green means it wasn't all that. Reverse traffic lights, sorry, but I like red!

Bowler, Tim Buried Thunder - I don't think it could end up on the shortlist, but pretty gripping

Bruton, Catherine We Can Be Heroes - I found it very uncomfortable reading, too much of the racisism and not enough of the balanced opinion in the bulk of the story
Crossley-Holland, Kevin Bracelet of Bones - might be well written but I found it really dull

Donnelly, Jennifer Revolution - very exciting and not what I expected at all
Evans, Lissa Small Change for Stuart - meh
Fine, Anne The Devil Walks - didn't ring true, far too easily resolved, definitely not one of her best
Forward, Toby Dragonborn - far too long
Gibbons, Alan An Act of Love - what 'We Can be Heroes' failed to be!
Grant, Helen Wish Me Dead - nowhere near as good as 'The Glass Demon' so very disappointing
Hardinge, Frances Twilight Robbery  - absolutely my favourite book on the list so far
Hartnett, Sonya The Midnight Zoo - really moving wartime story
Ibbotson, Eva One Dog and His Boy - cute and innocent, classic children's adventure story
Lewis, Ali Everybody Jam - didn't grip me at all
Lewis, Gill Sky Hawk - tonnes better than I expected, never would have picked it up if it wasn't for the CKG nomination, but better than your average animal story
Rooney, Rachel The Language of Cat - collection of poems - very clever and witty, reminded me of Roger McGough's poetry (An Imaginary Menagerie is my all time favourite book of poetry, I never really progressed with age!)
Young, Moira Blood Red Road - one of the better of the recent plethora of dystopian fiction, definitely for fans of the Hunger Games

Here are the last of the 52 that I haven't tried yet:

Deary, Terry Put Out The Light
Diterlizzi, Tony The Search for Wondla
Doherty, Berlie Treason
Halahmy, Miriam Hidden
LaFleur, Suzanne Eight Keys
Mason, Simon Moon Pie
McCaughrean, Geraldine Pull out all the Stops
McKay, Hilary Caddy's World
Mitchelhill, Barbara Run Rabbit Run
Morpurgo, Michael Shadow
Priestley, Chris The Dead of Winter
Revis, Beth Across the Universe
Saunders, Kate Magicalamity
Stephens, John The Emerald Atlas

Not because I don't like the look of them, they've just not yet reached the top of my heap!  The shortlist is going to be announced on March 30th, so my next Carnegie post will be my personal shortlist, just before the official one comes out, so we can see how much overlap there is!

Twilight Robbery by Frances Hardinge

As dusk approaches, the good people of Toll-by-day slam shut their doors and tremble. New openings appear in the shadows, a black carriage rumbles through the streets and a wicked underworld emerges. It is time to discover Toll-by-Night – and it's a very different place.

Black-eyed orphan Mosca Mye and conman Eponymous Clent are down on their luck. Again. So when they find themselves embroiled in a daring kidnap plot, the whiff of money is too tempting to resist. Before she knows it, Mosca is trapped in Toll's deadly night city on a mission to rescue a girl she can't stand with only a midwife, a murderous goose and a war-crazed dandy knight to help her…

Twilight Robbery is the long awaited sequel to Fly by Night.

Macmillan 2011

People don't rave about Frances Hardinge enough as far as I'm concerned, I loved this book!  Fly by Night all those years ago was brilliant, Verdigris Deep wasn't as brilliant but also really good, but Twilight Robbery is wonderful.

Hardinge is a little over fond of slightly pretentious phrasing, but she is an Oxford graduate so I guess she can't help it...part of the premise is that the two main characters are clever and educated while surrounded by uneducated people so it works.  I thought it started a little bit slowly but the idea of Toll-by-Night and Toll-by-Day is amazing and brilliantly executed, and the story is perfectly plotted.  I didn't want it to finish but was very satisfied with the way it did!

By far my favourite on the Carnegie 2011 long-list so far.

Nothing by Janne Teller

This book was originally written in Danish and published in 2000, but translated into English in 2010. It has won all sorts of awards, and for good reason!  Unfortunately because of the language issue it couldn't be eligible for the CILIP CKG awards in the UK.  Anyway...

Pierre Anthon left school the day he found out that it was not worth doing anything as nothing mattered anyhow. The rest of us stayed behind. And even though the teachers carefully cleared up after Pierre Anthon in the class room as well as in our heads, a bit of Pierre Anthon remained within us. Perhaps this is why things later happened the way they did ...
Thus begins the story of Pierre Anthon, a thirteen year old boy, who leaves school to sit in a plum tree and train for becoming part of nothing. "Everything begins just in order to end. The moment you were born you began to die, and that goes for everything else as well." Pierre Anthon shouts and continues: "The whole thing is just one immense play which is about pretending and about being best at exactly that."

Scared at the prospects that Pierre Anthon throws at them together with the ripening plums, his seventh grade classmates set out on a desperate quest for the meaning of life. Nothing they do will make him come down, not even pelting him with rocks. So to prove to Pierre Anthon that life has meaning, the children decide to give up things of importance. The pile starts with the superficial—a fishing rod, a new pair of shoes. But as the sacrifices become more extreme, the students grow increasingly desperate to get Pierre Anthon down, to justify their belief in meaning.

summary from GoodReads

Nothing is the only book by Janne Teller that I've read, it was really very short but packs a big punch!  Some of the reviews I've read compare it to Lord of the Flies, apt in that there is very little adult interference and the group mentality becomes pretty sinister and aggressive.  Their parents are there for them to go home to at night and they have teachers at school, but basically the teenagers have a lot of freedom to get into the state they do without anyone noticing.  It is a philosophical book, really makes you think about the meaning of life and 'stuff', as well as making you despair at the way their pile of meaning is overtaken by their spite caused by having lost something important to them.

It starts with shoes, photos, bikes, diaries, but moves on to far more spiritually and potentially devestatingly meaningful things.  It is hard to say too much without spoiling the empathy you'll feel when reading certain passages, I was certainly in turmoil at a couple of points and was squirming with discomfort on the bus this morning because of something particularly horrific.  At the same time, it is such a short story that the descriptions are quite superficial and the rest is in your head.  It is wonderfully written so hats off to the translator, Martin Aitken, for retaining the mood.  The only complaint I have is the lack of consequence for their actions.

On the cover, David Almond is quoted as saying "Bold, beautiful, terrifying.  One of the greatest young adult novels I have ever read".  I'm not sure I would go that far, and it is funny how every review I've seen either loves or hates it - definitely a marmite book - but I would agree that it should become a classic and a must-read for everyone.

The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Longlists 2011

The longlists for the two awards, nominated and voted for by Children's Librarians, were announced this month.  As I've mentioned before, the Greenaway award is for outstanding illustration in a book for children/young people while the Carnegie is for the writing.  The main criteria is that the book has to have been published in the UK between september 2010 and end of August 2011, and not have been published in another country more than 3 months earlier.

Remember they're not necessarily amazing literature, at the moment each book is on the lists because at least one Librarian in the country enjoyed reading it and so voted for it (each member of CILIP can vote for 2 books in each award).  The judges have to read them all and narrow them down to a shortlist by Easter 2012.  By that point they will have looked at the detailed list of criteria for winning the awards (you can find these on the CKG website if you're interested).

Here's the Carnegie list.  Those in red I read and love, those in green I've read but don't think they're amazing, those in white I haven't read yet.  For the last 3 years running I've read the whole shortlist before it was announced so I'll try to keep that streak going!

Almond, David My Name is Mina
Publisher: Hodder ISBN: 9780340997253

Barraclough, Lindsey Long Lankin
Publisher: Bodley Head ISBN: 9780370331966

Bedford, Martyn Flip
Publisher: Walker ISBN: 9781406329896

Blackman, Malorie Boys Don't Cry
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780385604796

Bowler, Tim Buried Thunder
Publisher: Oxford Children's Books ISBN: 9780192728388

Boyne, John Noah Barleywater Runs Away
Publisher:David Fickling ISBN:9780385618953

Brahmachari, Sita Artichoke Hearts
Publisher: Macmillan ISBN: 9780330517911

Bruton, Catherine We Can Be Heroes
Publisher: Egmont ISBN: 9781405256520

Collins, B.R Tyme's End
Publisher: Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408806470

Condie, Ally Matched
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141333052

Crossley-Holland, Kevin Bracelet of Bones
Publisher: Quercus ISBN:9781847249395

David, Keren Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery
Publisher: Frances Lincoln ISBN: 9781847801913

Deary, Terry Put Out The Light
Publisher: A & C Black ISBN: 9781408130544

Diterlizzi, Tony The Search for Wondla
Publisher: Simon & Schuster ISBN: 9781847389664

Dogar, Sharon Annexed
Publisher: Andersen ISBN: 9781849392211

Doherty, Berlie Treason
Publisher: Andersen ISBN: 9781849391214

Donnelly, Jennifer Revolution
Publisher: Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408801529

Downham, Jenny You Against Me
Publisher David Fickling ISBN: 9780385613507

Earle, Phil Being Billy
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141331355

Eastham, Ruth The Memory Cage
Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 9781407120522

Evans, Lissa Small Change for Stuart
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780385618007

Fine, Anne The Devil Walks
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780857530646

Forward, Toby Dragonborn
Publisher: Walker ISBN: 9781406320435

Gibbons, Alan An Act of Love
Publisher: Orion ISBN: 9781842557822

Grant, Helen Wish Me Dead
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141337708

Halahmy, Miriam Hidden
Publisher: Meadowside ISBN:9781845395230

Hardinge, Frances Twilight Robbery
Publisher: Macmillan ISBN: 9781405055390

Hartnett, Sonya The Midnight Zoo
Publisher: Walker ISBN: 9781406331493

Ibbotson, Eva One Dog and His Boy
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN: 9781407124230

Kennen, Ally Quarry
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN:9781407111070

LaFleur, Suzanne Eight Keys
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141336060

Lewis, Ali Everybody Jam
Publisher: Andersen ISBN: 9781849392488

Lewis, Gill Sky Hawk
Publisher: Oxford Chldren's Books ISBN: 9780192756237

Mason, Simon Moon Pie
Publisher: David Fickling ISBN: 9780385618519

McCaughrean, Geraldine Pull out all the Stops
Publisher: Oxford Chldren's Books ISBN: 9780192789952

McKay, Hilary Caddy's World
Publisher: Hodder ISBN: 9781444900538

Mitchelhill, Barbara Run Rabbit Run
Publisher: Andersen ISBN: 9871849392495

Morpurgo, Michael Shadow
Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN: 9780007339594

Mulligan, Andy Trash
Publisher: David Fickling ISBN: 9780385619011

Ness, Patrick A Monster Calls
Publisher: Walker ISBN: 9781406311525

Peet, Mal Life : an Exploded Diagram
Publisher: Walker ISBN:9781844281008

Perera, Anna The Glass Collector
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141331157

Pitcher, Annabel My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
Publisher: Orion ISBN: 9781444001839

Priestley, Chris The Dead of Winter
Publisher: Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408800133

Rai, Bali Killing Honour
Publisher: Corgi Childrens ISBN: 9780552562119

Revis, Beth Across the Universe
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141333663

Rooney, Rachel The Language of Cat
Publisher: Frances Lincoln ISBN: 9781847801678

Rosoff, Meg There is no Dog
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141327167

Saunders, Kate Magicalamity
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN:9781407108964

Sepetys, Ruta Between Shades of Gray
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141335889

Stephens, John The Emerald Atlas
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780857530189

Young, Moira Blood Red Road
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN: 9781407124254

So I've read 22 out of 52 so far...how many have you read and which is your favourite?

No Passengers Beyond this Point by Gennifer Choldenko

I don't understand how I've not seen loads of reviews for Gennifer Choldenko's latest gem 'No Passengers Beyond this Point'!  I didn't even know it existed until I saw it on the shelves in a public library (where would we be without them eh?) and it has been out since May 2011 in the UK (Feb in America) so I've missed the chance to put it on the CKG longlist for this year, boo.  Hopefully someone else in CILIP found it in time, but anyway I digress...

 Three siblings - India, Finn, and Mouse - have less than forty-eight hours to pack up all their belongings and fly, without Mom, to their uncle Red's in Colorado, after they lose their house to foreclosure. But when they land, a mysterious driver meets them at the airport, and he's never heard of Uncle Red. Like Dorothy in Oz, they find themselves in a place they've never heard of, with no idea of how to get home, and time is running out.

In a total departure, Gennifer Choldenko tells a story of adventure and survival, set in a fantastical place with rules all its own. Sharp dialogue, high stakes, and taut action make this a book that will stick with you long after you read the incredible ending.

summary from Goodreads

It is a typical sibling relationship, with a selfish older sister, conscientious middle brother and loopy younger sister (I'd guess autistic although she never states that) but stretched by an atypical happening that is very well devised.  Their mum suddenly tells them that they have to move to their Uncle's house because they are losing theirs, and they have to fly there without her while she finished the term teaching.  Plot spoiler here: the plane they are on crashes but they don't know this, in fact the reader doesn't really, they think that they've landed in a strange place.  It turns out that the challenges they face will determine whether they survive or not.  All the way through (because I figured this out straight away, probably kids will too) I was worried, thinking "She can't possibly let them die but how can they survive a plane crash without a ridiculous miracle?" but I was actually really pleased by the end, which I won't spoil :-)

It is quite different to 'Al Capone Does my Shirts' (and '...Shines my Shoes') and 'If a Tree Falls and Lunchbreak', the other books by her that I've read over the years and loved, but it is still in her lovely child-friendly style.  As there is such an age difference in the characters, and there are chapters from each of their perspectives with well created voices, I'd highly recommend it for confident readers of all ages!

Snuff by Terry Pratchett

I love Terry Pratchett, and every time a new book is announced I preorder it immediately and spend the follwing months alternately jumping up and down in excitement or worrying that it won't be as good as I expect...thankfully Snuff was worth looking forward to, hooray!

It is really dark...really dark...but it is a Vimes story and he does tend to attract violence, even when on holiday.  As usual he makes you think about the way the world is, and the way people can be, in fact it is a much more serious book than earlier Discworld.  It will still make you laugh though, and perhaps make you feel for the characters more than ever before.  I think you can't just class the Discworld as 'comic fantasy' any more because the issues Terry Pratchett tackles are so real you actually forget that Goblins don't really exist.

My favourite aspect of it was Vimes's relationship with his son.  I love that, as in Thud, he thinks that the most important thing in the world is to be home to read to Young Sam or listen to him read aloud, and really loved that everything he reads has led him to a passion for poo.  When I was telling my Dad that loads of kids books at the moment include poo he didn't believe me, but just put it into Amazon as a keyword and you'll see the range!  The Story of the Little Mole who knew it was none of his Business is my favourite for sheer 'ick'ness, there's even a plop-up version available.

The action scenes are exciting, the dialogue is witty, the relationships are great...to cut a long story short, read it!

YLG London CKG Nominations evening

This evening the Youth Libraries Group London is meeting to decide which books they will put forward as a group vote for the CILIP Carnegie Greenaway awards awards this year.  The committee has decided on a shortlist and each of us is going to tout one or two of them to the rest of the group.  The Kate Greenaway award is for an outstanding picture book, as I don't see many picture books nowadays I'll enjoy watching the others pitch them.  I'm nominating My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabel Pitcher  for the Carnegie, which is for an outstanding piece of literature for children or young people - here's my pitch:

Her first book, it is for a younger audience than many other Carnegie contenders or past winners, has a lovely simple and accessible style.

It is a story about a family coping, or not, with the death of Jamie's older sister Rose in a terrorist attach a few years before we meet them.  Mum deals with it by running off with a member of her support group, Rose's twin sister Jas deals by rebelling against their parents' image of her.  Dad deals with it by turning to drink, and turning against Muslims who he blames for his daughter's death.

Jamie, our protagonist, is too young really to remember Rose, and believes his Dad when he says that moving to the Lake District will be a fresh start, until Rose's urn goes straight on the mantlepiece and he finds empty vodka bottles in the recycling.

To make matters worse, in his new school he is sat next to <gasp> a Muslim girl who, shock horror, turns out to be lovely.  We follow his innur turmoil as he tries to reconcile his feelings for her with the opinions of his father, and as she turns into his best friend, trying to keep her a secret.

It is a very moving and well written book, a perfect candidate for the Carnegie!

The others being put forward for the Carnegie are:

My Name is Mina - David Almond

0.4 - Mike Lancaster 

Small Change for Stuart – Lissa Evans

Noah Barleywater Runs Away – John Boyne

One Dog and His Boy – Iva Ibbotson

I've read My Name is Mina and Noah Barleywater, have you read any yet?  I'll let you know whether I can persuade a room full of Librarians that my choice is the right choice!

Review: Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David

I loved When I was Joe and the sequel Almost True, so when I saw that Keren David had a new book out I was desperate to read it!  While it is the summer holiday I've not been in school so despite having ordered it it won't arrive until September, so I was really pleased to see that UK Book Tours was offering a copy to review!

Money can’t buy you love. But it can buy many other very nice things. Lia’s mum is a nag, her sister’s a pain and she’s getting nowhere in pursuit of the potentially paranormal Raf. Then she wins £8 million in the lottery, and suddenly everything is different. But will Lia’s fortune create more problems than it solves? Everyone dreams of winning the lottery - but what’s it really like?

Synopsis from Amazon

Lia is an excellent main character, such a proper teenage girl, and I really enjoyed her voice. The characters are believable and at no point did I think 'that wouldn't have happened', with Lia's thought processes and understanding of situations sounding perfectly believable all the way through.  Saying that, I thought that the references to paranormal romance were brilliant, with the questions surrounding Raf's background keeping you guessing right up to near the end!

A couple of serious issues are broached in this book, Lia's best friend has recently become more religious, her younger sister has been bullied, and of course with a romance there's the physical aspect of a relationship as well as the emotional.  The 16 year old characters are very mature about it all and I thought it was well done.

It is a very different story to Keren's previous two novels with a much more lighthearted plot, but it is written with the same wit and style and so was equally enjoyable.  I'd expected a lot and I was not disappointed, 5/5