Last weekend, my wife and I went to Portland, Oregon, for a late Mother’s Day getaway. While there, we visited the art museum, attended a play (“Uneasy Chair”) at a small theater, and of course spent a couple hours at the justly famous Powell’s bookstore.
Earlier in the week, I had compiled a lengthy list of “sale” books from the Powell’s website, after which I culled the list through online research of reviews, then made a revised “must buy” list to take with me. The upshot? I bought 20 books for just a little over $60. What a score!
Now, the inevitable (enviable?) problem: what do I read first? My haul ranged from chapter books to young adult titles, though most were middle grade level. I spent Sunday night reading first chapters, trying to decide, and finally settled on Horns and Wrinkles.
An engaging narrative voice, an immediate air of mystery and suspense, a dose or two of humor, a sympathetic main character in an interesting situation—it’s all there, and it hooked me. I would tell you more, but I need to sign off and read another chapter before I start working on my list of chores for the day….
Earlier in the week, I had compiled a lengthy list of “sale” books from the Powell’s website, after which I culled the list through online research of reviews, then made a revised “must buy” list to take with me. The upshot? I bought 20 books for just a little over $60. What a score!
Now, the inevitable (enviable?) problem: what do I read first? My haul ranged from chapter books to young adult titles, though most were middle grade level. I spent Sunday night reading first chapters, trying to decide, and finally settled on Horns and Wrinkles.
An engaging narrative voice, an immediate air of mystery and suspense, a dose or two of humor, a sympathetic main character in an interesting situation—it’s all there, and it hooked me. I would tell you more, but I need to sign off and read another chapter before I start working on my list of chores for the day….
4 comments:
I love the cover of that book! what is it about?
According to SLJ's starred review: "With the Mississippi River full of magic, and a touch of the Pinocchio effect, a thriving rivery realm spills out into the real world. A human couple has been turned to stone while sitting across from one another in the breakfast nook, and when a few well-meaning people try to help, they too fall under the spell. Only 12-year-old Claire, accompanied by her irascible cousin, Duke, dares to get to the bottom of things. Duke has already been cursed with a horn for not showing an act of kindness, and the girls trust in him backfires when he steers her toward three conniving river trolls. From there, Claire must maneuver a perilous path through troll-river folklore and magical twists. Tongue-in-cheek humor brings a delightful zing to the playfully inventive storytelling and fast-paced plot. Enchanting sketches foreshadow each chapter, adding to the wonder. A new Mississippi River fable has been born..."
Sounds cool! Tell me what you think when you're done.
I agree with Stephanie - the cover is very intriguing! It's another book I'll have to keep a look out for!
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