Musical Monday (56): "Secrets"

Every Monday I post whatever song I can't get out of my head or just can't get enough of, because Mondays can often be less than marvelous, and music is happy--even when it's sad. If you'd like to join the party, just make your own Musical Monday post and leave a comment!

This week's song is "Secrets" by Headlights. It's catchy, likeably odd, and has great musical texture. (A variety of instruments used in interesting ways :) ) It's also a good song to write papers to--I listened to it over and over while doing homework last weekend.

Enjoy! (Or not. Tell me what you think of the song.)



Wishing you a Magnificent Monday,

PS: Based on last week's comments, I will do a post about how I find/choose songs for Musical Monday. It will probably go up in mid-December, unless I decide I need an excuse to procrastinate on end-of-semester projects :)

They dance quite well in Belgium.

I'm taking French this year. My French professor is Belgian, and she's fantastic. She talks about chocolate a lot and stomps her high-heeled shoes whenever we mispronounce words. We didn't have any homework for this last Monday because she wanted to tell us about Belgium. She talked about the different languages that are spoken there, festivals, what universities are like there, etc. She also showed us this video of a dancing flash mob in Antwerp:

PS: I noticed a couple comments on the last Musical Monday asking about how I find/pick the music out. I can certainly post about music-finding if anyone's interested :)

Book Review: Visibility by Sarah Neufeld, Illustrated by D. Meister

Release Date: June 2008

Publisher: Bowler Hat Comics

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 320

Source: Review copy from publisher.

Summary:
Natalie is the disappointingly normal daughter of Jayden Irving, a universally reviled woman with the power to turn invisible at will. When Natalie discovers she had inherited more than just her mother’s metallic blue eyes, she decides it’s about time she traveled beyond the boundries of her suffocating life. Desperate to escape Jayden’s indifference and disdain, Natalie soon finds herself pulled into a web of blackmail, false identities, and lies that threaten to turn mother against daughter. (From Bowler Hat Comics.)
___________________________________________________
First, even though the cover suggests it, Visibility is NOT a graphic novel. According to the back of the book, it is an "Illustrated Novel." This is an accurate description; illustrations are scattered throughout the novel, but the words do the storytelling. In fact, the illustrations sometimes seem unnecessary, but a few are helpful for visualizing the story. Their greatest contribution lies in lending Visibility an occasional comic book feel that suits the book's superhero plot well.

Natalie Irving's mother, Jayden, has the power of invisibility, but--to the anger of the government and the public--she refuses to use her gift to help others. She's cold, inaccessible, and, as Natalie repeatedly insists in her first-person narration, a terrible mother. Jayden sends Natalie as a representative to meetings she'd rather not attend, and even throws her a rather public birthday party just to show how inept Natalie is with reporters and other humans in general. Jayden seems to find pleasure in making her daughter uncomfortable. She's a difficult woman to read, and while she becomes more interesting toward the end of the novel, she's talked about more than she's seen-- there's a lot of Jayden this, Jayden that. It makes sense when combined with Jayden's power of invisibility and Natalie's own limited knowledge of her mother, but I would've liked an extra scene or two with her.

As for the other characters, Natalie is a likeable narrator, and Peter--her bodyguard/friend--is an appealing character. He's unfailingly kind, intelligent, and always there for Natalie. He also draws a lot, which plays into the novel's illustrations well. I even liked a certain blackmailing police officer, an ambiguous character as far as good and evil go.

In a nutshell, Visibility is a well-paced, well-written, and entertaining novel. Author Sarah Neufeld keeps the plot moving, and introduces plot twists and jolting surprises at perfect moments. It is hard to be bored while reading Visibility. Natalie is an endearing character: living in Jayden's shadow leaves her with little self-confidence, and she feels invisible in a way that many girls without distant parents with the power of invisibility feel. Neufeld explores figurative visibility through literal invisibility--the idea of seeing oneself, seeing others, and being truly seen by others.

Visibility stays away from getting too philosophical, though. It's a superhero story with a realistic twist at heart, complete with humor, secret missions, and enough action to keep readers in suspense. It's a wonderfully quick read, and I'm warning you now that reading it may interfere with small things like housework and sleep. Overall, it's an entertaining and original story. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys superhero stories, coming-of-age tales, or fast, exciting reads.

Musical Monday (55): "The Way I Am"

Every Monday I post whatever song I can't get out of my head or just can't get enough of, because Mondays can often be less than marvelous, and music is happy--even when it's sad. If you'd like to join the party, just make your own Musical Monday post and leave a comment!

This week's song is "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. It's cheesy and has a line about sweaters. Freezing drizzle fell yesterday, and today it's cold: it's sweater weather, which calls for a sweater song.

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!


Wishing you a Magnificent Monday,

Anti-Musical Monday (4): Art History Edition

This book is why there is no music today:

I need to read it really, really quickly for my Later British Literature class, which is a seminar focusing on Victorian literature and social protest. I adore the class, but I'm having mixed feelings about Adam Bede. I'm over halfway through, and not much has happened yet. People are just going about their lives, getting crushes on the wrong people, going to church, going to work...and I think that's part of the point. George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans) turned ordinary lives into art, which was a pretty bold action.

(I think. I am not expert on anything I'm typing in this post.)

I know more about the conventions in visual art at the time. (But I'm still not an expert. You'll keep remembering that, right?) There were formal academies in countries like England and France, and in France there was an annual organized exhibition called the Salon. Realist paintings like The Stonebreakers by Gustave Courbet caused a big stir:

It's a large painting with ordinary people in it. The horror! Large paintings usually signified (or, as the working people in Adam Bede would say, "sinnified") important (rich, powerful, etc.) subjects. And the style? I'm not going to get into that because of Adam Bede, but I can certainly talk about scandy paintings and the--gasp!--rebellion against the Salon later.

Happy Monday,

Book Review: Carney's House Party and Winona's Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace

Release Date: October 12, 2010 (reprint)

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Age Group: YA/children's/crossover
Pages: 448

Source: Review copy from publisher.

Summary:

It is the summer of 1911 and Carney Sibley is back home in her beloved town of Deep Valley, Minnesota. She's looking forward to hosting a month-long house party, with guests including her Vassar college roommate Isobel Porteous and old chum Betsy Ray. With lots of the old Crowd and a new friend -wealthy, unkempt but lovable Sam Hutchinson-around, the days are filled with fun. And romance seems to be in the air. But Carney can never be romantic about anyone but Larry Humphreys, her high school sweetheart, who moved to California four years ago. Then Larry returns to Deep Valley and sets the town abuzz. Will Larry propose? And will Carney say yes?
Included with Carney's House Party is the bonus children's novel by Maud Hart Lovelace, Winona's Pony Cart. Winona Root is almost eight years old. More than anything in the world, she wants a pony for her birthday. She wishes so hard for a pony that she's sure to get one-at least, that's what she tells her friends Betsy, Tacy and Tib. It's only when the exciting day grows near that Winona begins to wonder: What if her father meant it when he said she couldn't have a pony? (From HarperCollins)
___________________________________________________
Carney and Winona* are characters from Maud Hart Lovelace's wildly popular Betsy-Tacy books. If you haven't heard of the series, you're not alone--the series began in 1940. Carney and Winona were first published in 1949 and 1953, respectively. The Betsy-Tacy books have maintained a loyal following ever since.** And from what I can tell, the people who like Maud Hart Lovelace's books really like them.

Carney and Winona join Emily of Deep Valley in a reprint of Two Deep Valley Books featuring characters from the Betsy-Tacy series. I recently read Emily and fell in love with Deep Valley, the setting of Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy books.

I expected to like Carney, and I did. The beginning of the book finds Carney at Vassar, finishing her sophomore year of college. There are pompadours, class day dresses, massive daisy chains, and hot cocoa parties. Everything about this novel is cute and cozy, yet smart. Lovelace brings up complex, real-life problems and offers insightful ideas that, as far as I can tell, are standing the test of time. (About sixty years, anyway.) Carney has been in love with Larry, who moved to California while the two were in high school, for years. They've been faithful pen pals, and she's sure he's the one. Like life, though, things don't always go how one expects. I won't spoil the story, but I will say that the romance is squeal-worthy. Carney contains one of my new favorite kissing scenes.

Maud Hart Lovelace based her books on her childhood, but she knew how to combine reality and fiction to make a good story. My favorite thing about the character of Carney is her ability to think and reason through her feelings. She's a strong, self-confident young woman.

Winona is short, sweet, and funny. Basically, Winona wants a pony. She also wants to invite lots of people to her birthday party. Misunderstandings both embarrassing and hilarious give way to a satisfying ending. Both Carney and Winona are written clearly (with younger readers in mind) and with the same sweet humor that stays just shy of too sugary. Carney was my favorite work of the two, but Winona seems like she'd be a favorite with children, especially when read aloud. In any case, don't let the children's lit category put you off these books. Carney's House Party and Emily of Deep Valley are easily some of the best books I've read in the last few years. They've earned the right to be called modern classics, and they possess enough humor and insight to satisfy all ages.***
___________________________________________________
*I keep wanting to call her Ramona; it's easier to type.
**The Betsy-Tacy Society in Mankato, MN. How many series with full blown historical societies do you know of?
***This book also contains a foreword from Melissa Wiley, another reader who discovered Lovelace's works as an adult. If you've ever wondered what prefacing a favorite--and classic--book is like, check out my interview with Mitali Perkins on prefacing Emily of Deep Valley.

"We have nothing to nom!"

John Green on the beginning of the French Revolution:

Musical Monday (54): "Library Girl"

Every Monday I post whatever song I can't get out of my head or just can't get enough of, because Mondays can often be less than marvelous, and music is happy--even when it's sad. If you'd like to join the party, just make your own Musical Monday post and leave a comment!

This week's song is "Library Girl," an original song by Reina del Cid. I just saw it at bookshelves of doom and it's too catchy, clever, and adorable not to post. (My Antonia is a good book, by the way, if you've never tried it. And that link goes to Project Gutenberg, where you can read it for free, if computer-screen reading is your thing. I have a professor who had us read some assignments from the website this semester, and while I prefer print, Project Gutenberg is still a neat resource. I also know that the creator really likes going to rummage sales--he spoke on our campus a few weeks ago.)

My discovery of this song also coincides with advising week, and I'm starting to seriously consider going to grad school for library science--but I have to do some research first. I'm both thrilled and terrified that I'm almost half done with my junior year of college.

If you're doing NaNoWriMo...how's that going? I may not be participating, but I'm still rooting for NaNoers from my pile of books and essays :)



Wishing you a Magnificent Monday,

On Halloween I saw...



...Katniss Everdeen!




That's my friend and fellow art major, Becca. You may remember the fantastic Mockingjay display she made for the campus library.

Becca made that mockinjay pin. Yes, she is that awesome.

  

I went as Little Red Riding Hood for lack of creativity. The navy blue era-non-specific dress is my mom's. She wore it in the 1970s. The girl hiding behind me is my friend Kirstie.

She was going to wear an explorer's hat and attend the campus Boo Bash as Dr. Livingstone, but she wore a witch's hat instead because she didn't think anyone would get it, although I think it would've been pretty awesome.

 
<><>

<><>

Becca and Jen (another friend & art major) replaced the mockingjay with this monster for Halloween.



I think the monster comes from the book in the display, The Monstrumologist, which I haven't read yet. If you have, did you like it?



Rawr!



I also saw the Scooby Gang, minus Fred. Great costumes, right? They even had a little radio that played the Scooby Doo theme song. That's dedication.

Hoping you saw something literary this Halloween,

Author Interview: Mitali Perkins

I recently received the chance to review Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace. I LOVED it. Emily was originally released in 1950, and was re-released last month by Harper Perennial with a new foreword by author Mitali Perkins. Mitali was born in India, and in her foreword she recounts her discovery of Emily at a public library when she was relatively new to America.

The library I currently work at serves a lot of immigrant families and a large, diverse group of kids hang out at the library after school. I was especially touched by the Mitali's affection for books. I recently asked Mitali some questions about writing the foreword for Emily of Deep Valley, and I'm happy to have some new book recommendations for bored kids. (And bored me.)
 __________________________________________

In the foreword you discuss how Lovelace’s books possess essential storytelling ingredients: people, place, and plot. Which Lovelace characters do you most enjoy spending time with?

I love how Betsy starts the school year with introspection, setting goals for her writing and life. But my favorite, of course, is Emily, because of her courage in a tough situation.

You enjoyed Lovelace’s books as a child—do you think they influence your writing?

Definitely! I strive to convey the uplifting values and hope Lovelace effortlessly intertwined into her excellent stories.

Your foreword tells the beautiful story of your childhood discovery of the Betsy-Tacy books and Emily when you were fairly new to America. Are there other books that spoke to you in similar ways? (Do follow the links for Mitali's thoughts on each of these books.)

Little Women. A Little Princess. Anne of Green Gables. And many, many more.

Did writing the foreword to Emily of Deep Valley come easily? What is prefacing one of your favorite books like?

It was a piece of cake because I love the book so much. And such an honor to be asked! I'm still floating.

How do you think Emily of Deep Valley and Maud Hart Lovelace’s other books measure up to contemporary young adult and children’s literature?

I think they're better than most contemporary novels, including my own. I'm organizing a tweet-read of the book this week where I'm asking people to comment on why this book earns the label of a classic, especially when it comes to issues of race, class, culture and gender. The hashtag is #kidclassic.

I must admit that I’ve never read your books. Do you have a favorite work or one you recommend starting with?

Why not travel to India with Jazz in Monsoon Summer? Or if you're looking for a quicker read, visit Bangladesh with Naima in Rickshaw Girl.

Please describe your newest book, Bamboo People, in three words.

Boys. War. Choices.

__________________________________________________

Thank you, Mitali! You can find out more about Mitali Perkins at her blog. A list of her books can be found here.

Stay tuned for more Maud Hart Lovelace fun with Carney's House Party and Winona's Pony Cart--another book to gush about.