Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew

Wonderland written by Tommy Kovac and illustrated by Sonny Liew
published January 2008 by Disney

160 pages, YA 

Told through the voice of Mary Ann, the White Rabbit's housemaid, this graphic novel picks up where Alice's story ends. Mary Ann is compulsive about her cleaning, after all, she is a maid, and that is precisely what amused me so much about this book. While Wonderland is the same as Carroll's original creation with appearances from the Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts, the Jabberwock, and others, it's Mary Ann's docile personality that grounds the ridiculous happenings of the story - and I love the contrast.

The story begins with Mary Ann frantically trying to launder a spot off her apron because she detests uncleanliness and insists on a crisp, clean outfit. She is late in attending to the White Rabbit, who is oblivious to the fact that the Queen of Hearts is after his head for associating with the Alice Monster and who is about to show up at his door. After the Queen barges into the White Rabbit's house and accidentally dirties Mary Ann's now clean apron, Mary Ann bops her on the head in a fit of rage and must flee to safety with the White Rabbit. Thus, their adventures begin.

The illustrations in this book are pencil drawn and digitally inked - with magical, muted yet vibrant colors to convey all that is Wonderland. I could flip through (and smell - oh, how good they smell!) the pages all day every day; they are that pleasing to my senses. The story itself is suffused with Carroll's witty, wry humor that will be appreciated by teens and adults alike. At parts, I could not suppress my giggles of delight. Mary Ann is such an ordinary character in a world of chaos, peculiarity, and indulgence. And of course, that is why I love her and the comedic genius of Kovac. I would recommend this book to just about anyone.

I expect that there will be renewed interest in Carroll's original tale as well as the myriad of spin-offs and retellings since Tim Burton's version will entrance us all come March 5, 2010. I might just have to re-read the classic myself! 

Link love:

The Written World: Buddy Review, Part 1

things mean a lot: Buddy Review, Part 2

 

Graphic Novels Challenge

I was wandering around the blogosphere last night looking for some graphic novel recommendations and realized that it has been entirely too long since I've gone on a GN reading binge. I used to read a lot of manga when I worked at a high school, but since being in a middle and elementary school, I haven't had the desire to venture into the graphic world. Which is completely unacceptable! Therefore, I've decided to not only join the Graphic Novels Challenge, but also to set a much higher goal for myself.

I hope to read and review at least 25 graphic novels this year. I plan to read at least 50 because I'm sure I will want to continue series without necessarily reviewing each book. Considering I have 14 checked out right now, I think I can achieve this goal. I just have to make a monthly concerted effort to go to the library and browse the various graphic novel sections. :)

I encourage you all to join! Or at least check out the blog - tons of great resources!

Oh, and I'll record my progress here:

1. Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew - review - read 01/16/10
2. Adventures in Burrwood Forest by John Lechner - review - read 01/19/10
3. Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton - review - read 01/28/10 
4. Korgi (Book 1): Sprouting Wings! by Christian Slade - review - read 02/09/10 
5. Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi - review - read 02/27/10
6. Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi - review - read 02/28/10
7. Chibi Vampire (Volume 1) by Yuna Kagesaki - read 03/14/10
8. Chibi Vampire (Volume 2) by Yuna Kagesaki - read 03/14/10
9. Blankets by Craig Thompson - read 04/10/10 
10. Zeus: King of Gods by George O'Connor - read 04/20/10 
11. Calamity Jack by Dean and Shannon Hale - read 05/05/10 
12. Alison Dare, Little Miss Adventures by J. Bone and J. Torres - review - read 06/09/10
13. Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden by J. Bone and J. Torres - review - read 06/09/10
14. Zoey Zeta and the Sisters of Power: Family Secrets by Robert Simon - review - read 11/06/10
15. The Adventures of Ook and Gluk by Dav Pilkey - review - read 11/30/10
16. Amulet: The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi - read 12/05/10

Libraries in books!

Perhaps I have a natural sensitivity to the portrayal of libraries in books, but it seems like lately much of what I've been reading mentions (or focuses on) a library of some sorts. So, I decided that every once in awhile, I'll highlight some scenes in books that mention a library because hey, it's interesting to me.

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
published September 2008 by Scholastic
224 pages (hardcover), Middle Grade

First, some quotes:

Mr. McIntyre stood. He closed his leather folder. "I must get back to my office. But, my dear, perhaps your way of finding out is not the same as the other teams'. What do you normally do when you need answers?"
"I read a book." Amy gasped. "The library! Grace's library!" (41)

I may have squealed a little after reading this passage. Oh, it makes my little heart flutter when someone thinks of the library first for an information need. And I'm not alone...

Fortunately, the librarians were having a slow day, and Amy wasn't shy around them at all. She loved librarians. When she told them she was doing a summer research project on Benjamin Franklin and needed to use historical documents, they fell all over themselves to help her. (89)

(We love you too, Amy!) What can I say, really? Riordan was very kind to bring out the best of the library and librarians, where other authors are still stuck in the past, in outdated stereotypes that frustrate us just a tad. And I appreciate the bit of humor at the end, as we can be overly eager to help out, but only because that's the best part of our jobs (in my opinion), and we just love to do it. So, yay for libraries in this book!

Any librarians out there have a favorite library passage or scene to share? I know you think about it too!

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
published October 2009 by Hyperion
506 pages (hardcover), YA

First, I'd like to apologize to myself for having waited so long to read this book. I admit that the length scared me and that I returned it to the library a few times without reading it. Young adult novels are just too darn long - my happy place is at about 250 pages, so I think my hesitation was at least a little justified.

Except that I read, I devoured, this book in a day and a half. Besides eating and a little bit of sleeping, I devoted myself to this story, and I can't imagine having read it in any other way. For a short though incomplete plot summary, check out my Goodreads review (scroll down to my updates) because I can't do that here. Here I must just gush.

There are some books that are totally captivating - can't put them down, forget about the real world, this is more important. I should not be surprised that Chima has done it yet again for me. Her Warrior/Wizard/Dragon Heir trilogy hooked me. I knew that The Demon King would be good. But I didn't know that it would be THAT good. I have to confess that I probably don't give fantasy stories and authors as much credit as they deserve. In the end, I'm happy with a story where I can escape to new worlds, meet fairies and princesses, and travel back home safely and at a distance from it all. I don't consider these books life-changing, other than the fact that they give me peace and comfort, and when I think about award-winning books, fantasies don't generally make it. But those opinions are behind me now, and I hope that others can begin to see the value of these stories based on the creativity and skill it takes to create such complex situations and characters.

Back to the book, The Demon King is a story with many stories. It takes place in the Seven Realms where magic and earth-bound gifts must balance each other. Where a queen may rule with a High Wizard at her side but where wizards must be limited in their power by the clans and their matriarchs. Princess Raisa is the young heir to the queendom, dually interested in play and duty. She has spent her whole life in Fellsmarch Castle, rarely drifting past its walls. One act of kindness sends her into a shady neighborhood, and then kidnapped by a former streetlord who is trying his best to keep himself and his family alive. Han Alister sees himself as a nobody, but everyone else recognizes him as a somebody - someone to fear, someone to catch, and someone to believe in. These are mere glimpses into The Demon King, meaningless without context, without the superior word-work of Chima. How she weaves together these two characters' stories so seamlessly is beyond me. Just as I was getting to know Han and his meager life, I was swept away into the Castle to meet Princess Raisa, a sweet girl with good intentions and also with a strong head on her shoulders and instinct for trouble. She's powerless but cunning, and she won't sit back and let things happen around her. Such depth in these characters! I feel I'm getting to a rambling point, so I'll just say that I loved this book in more ways than I can convey and will undoubtedly read it again before the second book in the trilogy is released. Yeah, it's a trilogy. Oh, how I love those trilogies.

And I was right - this book does indeed make it to my Best of 2009 list.

In the Middle Reading Challenge

Hosted at the Owl for YA blog, this challenge is meant to stir up readership in middle grade novels, or rather books written for 9-12 year-olds. That would be 5th-8th grade, the pre-teen, or tween, or whatever else you'll call them bunch. The rules:

1. You must read middle grade books. These are books deemed right for kids ages 9 (sometimes 8) - 12. Harry Potter would be considered a MG book. If you look for them on Amazon you need to look under children's ages 9-12.

2. Challenge starts Jan 17, 2010 and ends Dec 31, 2010. All books for the challenge must be read in that time frame.

3. Books for this challenge can cross over to other challenges.

4. Audio and ebooks count for sure!

5. There will be 4 levels:

• 5th Grader: At least 4 Books
• 6th Grader: At least 6 Books
• 7th Grader: At least 8 Books
• 8th Grader: At least 10 Books

I'm setting my standards high and plan to aim for the 8th grade level. I think I can read 10 MG books in a year. I'll be listing them here with links to reviews as I read them!

1. The Case of the Missing Marquess (An Enola Holmes Mystery) by Nancy Springer - review - read 01/25/10
2. The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (An Enola Holmes Mystery #2) by Nancy Springer - read 02/11/10
3. Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi - review - read 03/02/10
4. Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi - review - read 03/02/10
5. The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd - review - read 04/03/10
6. The Dream Stealer by Sid Fleischman - read 04/10/10
7. Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell - read 04/25/10 
8. The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood - review - read 05/04/10 
9. Calamity Jack by Dean and Shannon Hale - read 05/05/10
10. Miss Daisy is Crazy! by Dan Gutman - review - read 05/12/10
11. Mrs. Roopy is Loopy! by Dan Gutman - review - read 05/12/10
12. Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon - read 05/15/10 
13. The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler - review - read 06/06/10 
14. Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland - read 07/05/10
15. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia - read 07/30/10
16. Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix - review - read 09/11/10

Bloggiesta Wrap-Up

Phew! I spent most of Friday and Saturday working on my blog with a little time here and there today, which I'd say amounted to roughly 15 hours. Here are the major things I accomplished:

• Added a new profile picture, linked to my profile from it
  
• Updated my profile
• Joined the Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge and linked to my post in the sidebar
• Added a Subscribe button
• Signed up to be a mentee at the Bloggie Cult for this Mini-Challenge
• Moved from Bloglines to Google Reader (this was a big decision!), cleaned up my feeds, and updated my sidebar
• Graded my blog at WebsiteGrader (it's a sad, little number)
• Added meta tags
• Commented on 16 other blogs for the Comment Mini-Challenge
  

So, I didn't do as much as I wanted to in terms of content (writing up posts in advance, choosing a review style, coming up with features), but I think that now that I am more happy with the way my blog looks and feel like I have at least a tiny readership, I'll be more motivated to post regularly and creatively. Before, I felt like I was just talking to myself, so it didn't really matter how often I posted or what I said, really. I have been thinking more about my purpose in the blogging community and what I have to say, and I've decided that I do like the direction in which my blog is heading. Personal reviews with some library love splashed around and bits of news every now and then.

Thanks to Natasha at Maw Books for this challenge, as it did just that, challenge me to make my blog better, which I think I did as much I could in the time and space of one weekend. Definitely glad for the opportunity to connect to other bloggers and much less shy about having my voice heard and responding to others. :)

Kirkus' Best YA of 2009

Since I've declared January my catch-up month for reading, I thought I'd browse around for some more "Best of 2009" lists. Not sure how I overlooked Kirkus' lists - there are so many! I was most interested in their Young Adult Best Books of 2009, so here are three that I've decided to add to my to-read pile:

Serendipity Market by Penny Blubaugh
published March 2009, HarperTeen
288 pages (hardcover), YA

Inside flap:

When Toby breathes on Mama Inez's bird-shaped invitations, giving them the power to fly, plans for the Serendipity Market begin. Soon, eleven honored guests travel from afar and make their way to the storytellers' tent to share their stories. Each tale proves what Mama Inez knows—that magic is everywhere. Sometimes it shows itself subtly—a ray of sun glinting on a gold coin, or a girl picking a rose without getting pricked by the thorn—and sometimes it makes itself known with trumpets and fireworks. But when real magic is combined with the magic of storytelling, it can change the world.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
published October 2009 by Little, Brown
224 pages (hardcover), YA

Inside flap:

Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.

Crossing Stones by Helen Frost
published September 2009 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
192 pages (hardcover), YA

Inside flap:

Eighteen-year-old Muriel Jorgensen lives on one side of Crabapple Creek. Her family’s closest friends, the Normans, live on the other. For as long as Muriel can remember, the families’ lives have been intertwined, connected by the crossing stones that span the water. But now that Frank Norman—who Muriel is just beginning to think might be more than a friend—has enlisted to fight in World War I and her brother, Ollie, has lied about his age to join him, the future is uncertain. As Muriel tends to things at home with the help of Frank’s sister, Emma, she becomes more and more fascinated by the women’s suffrage movement, but she is surrounded by people who advise her to keep her opinions to herself. How can she find a way to care for those she loves while still remaining true to who she is?

Except for Once Was Lost, which has gotten quite a bit of media exposure, I hadn't heard anything at all about these books. Which makes me think about a recent blog post I read (and for the life of me, I can't remember where it was or who wrote it) about popular books receiving tons of media attention, especially when they get reviewed on blogs, which generates even more buzz and readership. But books from smaller presses don't get much hype at all and tend to get overlooked. It also made me think of So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld, which deals with how trends are created - and now I'm being challenged to read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, which apparently deals with similar topics. Although it all seems tangential, these are the thoughts that came to me while I was browsing through a "Best of" list - because wouldn't you think that if a book makes it to such a list that I would have heard about it before then? But if only Kirkus seems to think it's a "Best of" book, then no, probably not. It makes me wonder about how much influence bloggers really have about what gets promoted/read/sold - and that's a scary thought.

2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

Hosted at J. Kaye's Book Blog, this challenge encourages people to use the public library. Woo! Roaming around the book blogging community, I'm astounded at how many people purchase books - that's an expensive habit! Obviously, I'm biased toward libraries, but I'm rather excited that so many people are participating in this challenge. I hope visiting your local library also becomes a habit. :)

Anyhow, there are four levels in this challenge:

The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.
Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.
Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.
Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

I will be participating in the Super Size Me level. My personal challenge will be to read at least 100 library books because I know that I will check out far more than that!

I'll be posting my books here as I read them, and hopefully linking to reviews. :)

1. Ash by Malinda Lo - review - read 01/06/10
2. Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley - review - read 01/07/10
3. The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima - review - read 01/10/10
4. Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew - review - read 01/16/10
5. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - review - read 01/17/10
6. Need by Carrie Jones - review - read 01/18/10
7. Adventures in Burrwood Forest by John Lechner - review - read 01/19/10
8. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger - review - read 01/24/10
9. The Case of the Missing Marquess (An Enola Holmes Mystery) by Nancy Springer - review - read 01/25/10 
10. Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton - review - read 01/28/10
11. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - read 01/30/10
12. Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney - review - read 01/31/10 
13. Darklight by Lesley Livingston - read 02/01/10 
14. Splendor by Anna Godbersen - read 02/09/10
15. Korgi (Book 1): Sprouting Wings! by Christian Slade - review - read 02/10/10
16. The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (An Enola Holmes Mystery #2) by Nancy Springer - read 02/11/10
17. Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund - review - read 02/15/10 
18. Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman - read 02/16/10 
19. Once was Lost by Sara Zarr - read 02/19/10
20. High Five by Janet Evanovich - read 02/20/10
21. The Bride's Farewell by Meg Rosoff - review - read 02/22/10
22. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - review - read 02/26/10
23. Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi - review - read 02/27/10
24. Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi - review - read 02/28/10
25. Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough - read 03/05/10
26. Aurelia by Anne Osterlund - review - read 03/09/10
27. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld - review - read 03/14/10
28. Chibi Vampire (Volume 1) by Yuna Kagesaki - read 03/14/10
29. Chibi Vampire (Volume 2) by Yuna Kagesaki - read 03/14/10 
30. Gone by Lisa McMann - review - read 03/16/10
31. Soulless by Gail Carriger - review - read 03/18/10
32. Heist Society by Ally Carter - review - read 03/24/10 
33. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich - read 03/26/10
34. The Rain Came Down by David Shannon - read 03/27/10
35. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes - read 03/27/10
36. My Garden by Kevin Henkes - read 03/27/10
37. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - read 03/28/10
38. Too Many Toys by David Shannon - read 03/30/10
39. The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd - review - read 04/03/10 
40. What Happened to Marion's Book? by Brook Berg - review - read 04/07/10
41. Duck on a Bike by David Shannon - review - read 04/07/10
42. Hansel and Gretel retold by Rachel Isadora - review - read 04/07/10
43. Blankets by Craig Thompson - read 04/10/10
44. The Dream Stealer by Sid Fleischman - read 04/10/10
45. No, David! by David Shannon - read 04/15/10
46. David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon - read 04/15/10
47. David Goes to School by David Shannon - read 04/15/10
48. Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas - review - read 04/15/10
49. The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald - review - read 04/15/10
50. Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton - review - read 04/15/10
51. It's Spring! by Jimmy Pickering - read 04/15/10
52. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan - review - read 04/16/10
53. Strega Nona Meets Her Match by Tomie dePaola - read 04/18/10
54. Big Anthony and the Magic Ring by Tomie dePaola - read 04/18/10
55. Koi and the Kola Nuts: A Tale from Liberia by Verna Aardema - read 04/18/10
56. Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye - read 04/18/10
57. Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa by Niki Daly - read 04/18/10
58. Luba and the Wren by Patricia Polacco - read 04/18/10
59. What Kinds of Seeds Are These? by Heidi Roemer - read 04/18/10
60. Flip, Float, Fly!: Seeds on the Move by JoAnn Early Macken - read 04/18/10
61. Fruit Is a Suitcase for Seeds by Jean Richards - read 04/18/10
62. Jack and the Beanstalk retold by E. Nesbit - review - read 04/19/10
63. Jack and the Beanstalk retold by Richard Walker - review - read 04/19/10
64. Jack and the Beanstalk retold by John Cech - review - read 04/19/10
65. Zeus: King of Gods by George O'Connor - read 04/20/10
66. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher - review - read 04/25/10
67. Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell - read 04/25/10 
68. Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale by Helen Ketteman - read 04/27/10 
69. The Princess and the Beggar: A Korean Folktale by Anne Sibley O'Brien - read 04/27/10
70. How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long - read 04/27/10
71. Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long - read 04/27/10
72. Bear and Bunny Grow Tomatoes by Bruce Koscielniak - read 04/27/10
73. Watch Out for the Chicken Feet in Your Soup by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10
74. Tony's Bread: An Italian Folktale by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10
75. Little Grunt and the Big Egg by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10
76. Tom by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10
77. The Art Lesson by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10
78. Papa Gatto by Ruth Sanderson - read 04/29/10
79. Beastly by Alex Flinn - review - read 04/29/10
80. Changeless by Gail Carriger - read 05/02/10
81. Count Silvernose: An Story from Italy by Eric A. Kimmel - read 05/02/10
82. The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood - review - read 05/04/10  
83. Calamity Jack by Dean and Shannon Hale - review - read 05/05/10
84. Franklin's Library Book by Sharon Jennings - read 05/10/10
85. Miss Daisy is Crazy! by Dan Gutman - review - read 05/12/10
86. Mrs. Roopy is Loopy! by Dan Gutman - review - read 05/12/10
87. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder - review - read 05/12/10
88. Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon - read 05/15/10
89. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund - read 05/22/10
90. Robot Zot! by Jon Scieszka - read 05/22/10
91. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead - read 05/26/10
92. Princess Hyacinth by Florence Parry Heide - read 05/28/10
93. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
94. Today I Will Fly! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
95. Pigs Make Me Sneeze! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
96. I Am Invited to a Party! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
97. There is a Bird on Your Head! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
98. I Will Surprise My Friend! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
99. Are You Ready to Play Outside? (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
100. My Friend Is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
101. Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
102. Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10
103. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - read 05/29/10
104. Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr - read 06/01/10
105. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder - review - read 06/05/10
106. The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan - review - read 06/05/10
107. The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee - review - read 06/06/10
108. The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler - review - read 06/06/10
109. Seven Up by Janet Evanovich (audiobook) - read 06/07/10

Since I've already reached my goal and since I'm lazy, here's a link to my Goodreads "read" shelf for everything I've read since the summer. :) 

Bloggiesta!

I started this blog last summer with no real direction, purpose, or sense of community. I had no idea how connected kidlit bloggers are or how much fun (and work!) blogging could really be. So, I confess that I've been lurking in the shadows - reading a handful of kidlit blogs religiously, browsing tons of others, and secretly updating my own blog every once in awhile.

I must say that this is a big step for me - participating in the Bloggiesta, graciously hosted by Natasha at Maw Books. This means exposure! Other bloggers may actually stumble upon This Purple Crayon, leave a comment, or secretly lurk me like I've been lurking them. Oh, the horror! Truly, it's a scary experience, but I hope that it will help me feel more a part of this wonderful community and push me to do more with this blog. To make it my own, to have a distinct voice, and to give back just a little.

Here is my list of things I would like to accomplish during the Bloggiesta:

• Participate in the Comment Challenge over at MotherReader.
  
• Add more sidebars - visit other blogs for inspiration
• Make myself an avatar - I've always wanted to do this but never found one I liked. Well, it's not a cartoon me, but I like the old photo feel to it. Created at BeFunky.com.
  
• Create a review style. Read past reviews to look for common elements.
• Library spotlight? Find a way to promote libraries and their use.
• Signatures seem to be popular. Maybe make one of my own.
  
• Clean up my Bloglines. Add new blogs. Or should I switch to Google Reader?
• Brainstorm ideas for blog posts - thanks Jenn for this mini-challenge!
  
• Sign up to be a mentee at The Bloggie Cult for this mini-challenge. I need help!
• Spruce up my profile. It's a little sparse.
• Add meta tags
  

Phew, this seems like a lot for the weekend! Here goes...

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
published August 2009, Egmont USA
357 pages (hardcover), grades 5-8

My Goodreads review:

This book pleasantly surprised me. Of all the faerie books I've read recently, I can't remember one that actually took place nearly entirely in the land of the Fey, or Feyland as it's called in this book. Zaria is a young fairy about to come of age, but she is special. She is an orphan with no knowledge of how her parents and brother "died" and she learns that she is a Violet, Level 100 fairy - which basically means she can wield more and more powerful magic than other fairies dare dream of. Unfortunately, she gets stuck with a shady mentor who can only be described as "diabolical." Zaria gets tangled in her mentor's schemes and must fight with all that she has in order to take her down and learn the truth about her family.

This book was action-packed, yes, as I could not turn the pages quickly enough, but it was also quite descriptive of Feyland and the fairies and genies themselves. Each chapter began with an excerpt from "Orville Gold, genie historian of Feyland," which included information about the world, its inhabitants, and their practices. Generally, I find quotes at the start of chapters rather annoying, but I enjoyed getting the inside story apart from the actual plot sequence in the book. It actually reminded me a lot of Harry Potter - witches and wizards are replaced by fairies and genies, but essentially the magic is still there and hey, there's an orphan and a bad guy must be defeated. And of course, friendship is at the heart of this story.