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?

Top Ten Tuesday - autobuy authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that I occasionally like to join in with.  Today's theme was pointed out to me by Strange Chemistry on twitter and I thought of my first 4 straight away...

1. Terry Pratchett is my fave author in the whole wide world and has been for literally half of my life.  I discovered him because there was a poster on the tube advertising the Discworld in which TP was the spitting image of my Dad!

2. I've loved Frances Hardinge since her first book, Fly By Night in 2005, and they keep getting better.  She has a wonderful way with words.

3. The Chaos Walking trilogy and then A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness are so perfect that he has to be on my staples list now.

4. I added James Dawson because I loved his first book, Hollow Pike, and am really excited by the blurb for his next, coming out this year.  He came to my school last year and my pupils (and I) loved him :-)

So those were the 4 I tweeted.  Thinking further, there are dozens of authors that I love but I am a library addict, tending to borrow and rarely buying, so I can't say that many are 'auto-buy'.  There are things I will automatically buy for my school library but I don't think I can really count them...I will drop everything and read something new by the following authors, and do own a large number of their books:

5. To my shame, I didn't mention her in my tweet, but I adore everything by Maggie Stiefvater and have managed to get all my copies signed by her at various UK events.

6. The Dustland trilogy, so far, is wonderful.  Moira Young is a lovely lady, she's visited my school twice and is really engaging, she has an amazing imagination.  I can't wait for the last book.

7. Garth Nix is another one who seems to consistently deliver brilliance, I've been reading his books for years, and at a book signing last year I snagged one of Sabriel's bells so I love him a little bit more!

8. I have proofs and signed hardbacks of the first two Department 19 books by Will Hill so have to continue for the whole series...conveniently they're really good and well worth having on the shelf...but sadly the third proof was an ebook!

9. Philip Reeve is another of my long term favourites, Mortal Engines is one of the most gripping books I've ever read, so I always keep an eye out for another prequel/sequel!

and finally...10. hmm, will have to be shared by all the newish series I've been reading and am desperate for the next one of, but won't necessarily buy for myself - Veronica Roth, Charlie Higson, Michael Grant, Michelle Paver...

The next time you hear from me will be my personal Carnegie short list - the real one is announced on 12th March and I've only 2 of the longlist left to read!

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!

#cpd23 fail!

Avid readers (all one of you) may have noticed that my CPD23 posts ended at Thing 16 quite some time ago.  We have until November 30th to finish and get a certificate and I keep thinking I really must do it, but I'm sitting here procrastinating, avoiding doing actual essential YLG things, and have realised it aint gonna happen.  If they re-run it next year I will make a concerted effort to finish the final leg!

The Carnegie 2013 Longlist!

Wow, a list of nearly 70 books this time!  Don’t forget, each of these books is long-listed purely because at least one librarian in the UK liked it, it just has to have been released in the UK between 1^st September 2011 (a long time ago now!) and 31^st August 2012 and they will not all meet the judging criteria even if they are entertaining reads.  As I did last year, I intend to read the whole longlist before the short list is announced on 19^th March 2013.  There were only 52 last year and I had read 22 before the list was announced.  This year I’ve read 25 so far, and actually haven’t heard of a few of the longlist so I look forward to finding out about them!  Man alive, I’ve got a lot of reading to do…

Goldilocks on CCTV by John Agard (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean by David Almond (Puffin Books)
Soldier Dog by Sam Angus (Macmillan Children's Books)
The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird by Atinuke (Walker Books)
The Traitors by Tom Becker (Scholastic)
The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne (Doubleday Children's Books)
Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari (Macmillan Children's Books)
Spy For The Queen of Scots by Theresa Breslin (Doubleday Children's Books)
Naked by Kevin Brooks (Puffin Books)
Kill All Enemies by Melvin Burgess (Puffin Books)
Dead Time by Anne Cassidy (Bloomsbury)
VIII by H.M. Castor (Templar Publishing)
Dying To Know You by Aidan Chambers (Bodley Head)
The Broken Road by B.R. Collins (Bloomsbury)
The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce (Walker Books)
15 Days Without a Head by Dave Cousins (Oxford University Press)After the Snow by S.D. Crockett (Macmillan Children's Books)
The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)
Scramasax by Kevin Crossley-Holland (Quercus Publishing)
Mortal Chaos by Matt Dickinson (Oxford University Press)
Sektion 20 by Paul Dowswell (Bloomsbury)
A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle (Marion Lloyd Books)
Saving Daisy by Phil Earle (Puffin Books)
Buzzing! by Anneliese Emmans Dean (Brambleby Books)
The Things We Did For Love by Natasha Farrant (Faber and Faber)
Trouble in Toadpool by Anne Fine (Doubleday Children's Books)
Call Down Thunder by Daniel Finn (Macmillan Children's Books)
Far Rockaway by Charlie Fletcher (Hodder Children's Books)
The Double Shadow by Sally Gardner (Indigo)
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (Hot Key Books)
After by Morris Gleitzman (Puffin Books)
To Be A Cat by Matt Haig (Bodley Head)
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Children's Books)
Unrest by Michelle Harrison (Simon & Schuster Children's Books)
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (Doubleday Children's Books)
The Seeing by Diana Hendry (Bodley Head)
Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan (Walker Books)
Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes (Walker Books)
The Abominables by Eva Ibbotson (Marion Lloyd Books)
The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen (Oxford University Press)
The Prince Who Walked With Lions by Elizabeth Laird (Macmillan Children's Books)
In Darkness by Nick Lake (Bloomsbury)
The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan (David Fickling Books)
Skulduggery Pleasant: Death Bringer by Derek Landy (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Itch by Simon Mayo (Corgi Children's Books)
At Yellow Lake by Jane McLoughlin (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy (Andersen Press)
The Treasure House by Linda Newbery (Orion Children's Books)
All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls (Marion Lloyd Books)
This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel (Random House David Fickling Books)
Hitler's Angels by William Osborne (Chicken House)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (Bodley Head)
Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver (Puffin Books)
Burn Mark by Laura Powell (Bloomsbury)
Black Arts: The Books of Pandemonium by Andrew Prentice and Jonathan Weil (David Fickling Books)
Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley (Bloomsbury)
This is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees (Bloomsbury)
Goblins by Philip Reeve (Marion Lloyd Books)
Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid (Puffin Books)
Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts (Templar Publishing)
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (Indigo)
A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton (David Fickling Books)
The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon (Profile Books)
The Flask by Nicky Singer (HarperCollins Children's Books)
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic)
A Skull in Shadows Lane by Robert Swindells (Corgi Children's Books)
A Waste of Good Paper by Sean Taylor (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Electric Monkey)

Of the ones I have read so far I haven’t disliked any, but some are definitely better than others.  Very disappointed to see that Heart Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne wasn't eligible because it was published for adults before on a YA list (keep that in mind publishers).  Considering the judging criteria, and the fact that the shortlist is only 6-8 books, the red ones are my shortlist so far…I can't predict a winner with as much confidence as I did last year...my top 8 will change as I read more!

Our Dress Up Day!

I wrote about Literacy Week Day 5 on Saturday but had left my camera at school.  Here are some of the promised pictures, selected so as to not ruin any reputations...

Batgirl forgot to change into
her day-wear!

This needs no caption...

He kept the mask on all day! 

House Coloured Oompa Loompas

Batman popped in to help

Some of my lovely staff!

Sue picked our winner, my favourite,
but never fear, Batgirl caught him later...

Arch enemies meet in the library!