City of Bones

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
By Cassandra Clare

This book was recommended to me by my twitter peep @MyraMcEntire, and seconded by @MundieMoms, when I was thinking of changing my book from 1st person to 3rd person.  {Side note: I did rewrite said book in 3rd person.  Hated it.  Went back to 1st and got creative.  Go Aimee, Go Aimee!}

OK, back to City of Bones.  It is soooo good.   I can't even stand how good it is.  Well, yes I can stand it.  Anyway, I'm not so good with the focusing today.

Clary is your average 15 year old living in New York.  Which, I must say, is not like your average 15 year old living in Dallas, Texas.  But, again, I digress.  Anyway, Clary is wicked cool and an average kind of way.  Cute boy turns her head.  The boy next door is ready and waiting but she just sees him as a BFF.   Good times.

Then, Clary witnesses something a club she wasn't supposed to see and that no one else can see.  Weird.  Next, she fights with her mom.  Usual.  Then her mom disappears and her apartment is trashed.  Neither weird nor usual.  Scary.

So Clary and cute boy (Jace) endeavor to solve the mystery.  But not in the Scooby Doo kinda way.  In a totally kick butt kinda way.

The last two chapters ripped my heart out.  But they were supposed to and I'm not going to tell you why.  That's too spoilerish.  Go read it yourself!  The ending is completely open and gets you ready for book two:  City of Ashes.  I'm head to the library to get that one right now.  Well, after I finish this but you get the point.

Recommendation: boys and girls 8th grade and up, really any human who enjoys a good book over the age of 13.
Length: 485 pages
Rating: All Time! (I've had a lot of those lately.  Lucky me)

You can learn more about The Mortal Instrument Series here. 
And if your a grown up momma who loves the series check out Mundie Moms here. {Side note, I didn't get their name at first but when I started reading the book and figured it out, it made me smile. a lot.}

Lisa Schroeder

Last week I posted my review of  Lisa's first middle grade book, IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES. 
Lisa is gracious enough to answer some questions for us.  I'm so excited because this is my first author interview.  Enjoy!

IT"S RAINING CUPCAKES is so different that your first 3 books, what made you decide to change your style?
I have always loved middle grade fiction, and actually have a couple of drawer novels that I wrote that just weren't quite good enough. When I wrote my first YA, I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, that was actually the change in style. It was something new and different I hadn't done before, but the story wanted to be told that way. I think the verse created an atmosphere for the story I couldn't have achieved with regular prose. And so I continued to write YA books in that manner because it found a fan base.

But I was ready to do something different after I had finished writing another YA novel in verse. I was driving home from work one day, thinking about what I could write about that would be fun. I really wanted to do a FUN book. And cupcakes popped into my head. And I thought, what about a MG novel with a cupcake shop as the setting? And that's how it started.

It was such a fun book to write. In verse, I have to be careful about too much dialogue, but with this book, I let the characters talk and talk - it was great!

How is writing a middle grade novel different from writing for young adults?

I think in middle grade fiction, you can get away with quirkier characters than you can in YA. I also think MG fiction tends to focus more on family issues. And the big difference - no romance. All of my YA books have romance at the center, and middle grade readers just aren't ready to go there.

You and Isabel are both native Oregoians. Any other similarities?

Ahhh, great question! Well, like Isabel, I would love to travel! Although I have been out of the state of Oregon, I haven't been many places. I've never been out of the United States, and even within the US I've only been to a handful of places. I haven't even been to New York City! So as I wrote about NYC, I kept thinking about how much I wanted to get there. Hopefully someday!

Isabel also has some challenges with her mother, and I think there's a little of me in there with that as well. The mother/daughter relationship can be hard at times.

I love that each chapter title is different type of cupcake. Did you bake all those variety of cupcakes?

Ha - a reader actually e-mailed me and asked if I had all of the recipes. Um, no. I used lots of cupcake shops with menus on-line as ideas for the chapter headings. And then I tried to tie in the little saying that goes with each one into what happens in that chapter. It was challenging at times, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

I actually did very little baking as I wrote this book. I did have to experiment and play around to come up with the two recipes included in the back!

What is your favorite cupcake?

This is just an impossible question. I like so many kinds!!! Just last week I went to this shop in town called Bliss Bake Shop that does all kinds of cupcakes, because I'm going to buy some for my book signing event in a couple of weeks. They had a banana one with a hint of chocolate in it and it was SO good. I also love applesauce and lemon. I sort-of go for the fruity ones, I guess!

Anything else you'd like our readers to know about you and IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES?

A little something special about the book - My grandpa passed away a few months ago. His name was Stan. Stan the barber, who is a character in the book, is named after him. Although my grandpa wasn't a barber and didn't look a thing like Stan, they are both good, kind people, who want to help. And I'm glad I have Stan the barber to sort of memorialize my grandpa.

Thanks so much for having me here! And now everyone should go eat a cupcake!
 
Thank you Lisa!  And now, what you've all been waiting for, the winner of IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES.
 
drumroll.....

randomly chosen....

Shannon O'Donnell, who's favorite type of cupcake is funfetti with cream cheese frosting!  Yummo!  Funfetti, that's so fun.  I like typing that funfetti funfetti funfetti

Opps, sorry lost focus.  Back to Shannon, Shannon email me your address (aimeebartis(at)gmail(dot)com) and I'll get the book in the mail to you!

IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES hits stores today!  You getcha one!  I'm gonna go get myself one.

Happy Book Day, Lisa!

It's Raining Cupcakes

It's Raining Cupcakes
Lisa Schroeder

A fire escape is really not

an escape at all.

Traveling to New York, 

now that would be an escape.

-IB

Isabel lives in Willow, Oregon.  She hates that she's never been outside of Oregon.  And she has a plan to change that!  She's entering a baking contest for kids and the finalists get to travel to New York City.

Isabel's family is opening a cupcake shop in Willow called It's Raining Cupcakes.  So, naturally she'll enter a cupcake recipe, right?  Right?  Maybe.  She can't decide. It's complicated.  A lot of things are complicated for Isabel this summer.

Besides the contest, her relationships are complicated.  She's jealous and a tad annoyed with her BFF Sophie.  Isabel wants her mother to be happy.  That seems impossible.  Isabel wants to be happy too.  Can they both be happy at once?

It's Raining Cupcakes is a great book.  Isabel is real and you want to root for her.  You feel her struggle to make herself and everyone else happy.  You feel her love for her mother.  You understand her relationship with Sophie.  Isabel makes you love her.   And want to bake cupcakes.  At least I wanted to bake after I was finished reading It's Raining Cupcakes.

Recommendation: I recommend this book for 5th-8th grade girls.  Especially those struggling with their moms.  I'd also recommend for moms of 5th-8th grade girls who are struggling with their daughters.  

Length: 193 pages (including two yummy recipes)

Rating: All Time!

It's Raining Cupcakes is available on March 9.  Click here to order from Barnes & Noble

You can learn more about Lisa Schroeder on her website

CONTEST!!

I love It's Raining Cupcakes so much that I'm going to give my copy away (you know the old saying, if you love something set it free).  One entry for each of the following:

1. follow the blog (Click on follow in the right hand column)

2. leave a comment telling me your favorite cupcake flavor

3. tweet about the contest (@aimeebartis)

AND MORE CUPCAKE GOODNESS!!

I'll have an interview with Lisa on the blog next Tuesday, March 9 to celebrate It's Raining Cupcake's release!

TCEA

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the TCEA (Texas Computer Educators Association) Conference.  I have never been able to attend a conference with my other school districts so I was super excited.  And, as much as I missed them, I was looking forward to being kid-free for a while.

I attended lots of great sessions.  I have lots of great ideas that I'll be implementing this year and some things on the horizon.  You are gonna love these projects!!

While I was in Austin, I got to meet Lisa and Elizabeth from Simple K-12.  I so heart Simple K-12!    Remember the pre-assessment we took at the beginning of the year?  They did that for us - FOR FREE!!  And they'll do it again at the end of the year for our post-assessment.

I spoke to Lisa and Elizabeth about what we do in Tech Apps.  And they gave me this awesome shirt!  Which I love because I love to say "I heart" things.  Here I am in front of our school hearting my I heart EdTech shirt!  Not an all time favorite photo but you get the picture.

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

Al Capone Shines My Shoes
Gennifer Choldenko

"In the visitor's section I see Mae Capone holding her yellow rose across her lap.  Doc Ollie's old sister with her practical shoes has placed the rose behind her ear, like she's a flamenco dancer.  And there's Bea Trixle talking to Mrs. Caconi, holding the rose as if it is made of glass.  It's amazing the power of a few stupid flowers.  Simply amazing."

Al Capone Shines My Shoes is Gennifer Choldenko's amazing follow up to Al Capone Does My Shirts.  It is historical fiction narrated by an 8th grade boy, Moose.  Moose's dad is an electrician and guard on Alcatraz in 1935.  Moose and his family live on Alcatraz with the cons and other guard's families. 

In Al Capone Does My Shirts Moose reaches out to the famed crime boss for a favor.  Which he grants - YIKES!  And now for the payback in Al Capone Shines My Shoes. 

Moose is a very likable 8th grade boy.  Which can be hard to do.  Actually, it's 7th grade boys that are not so likable - too goofy.  8th grade boys are usually fun.  Moose is fun.  He's worried about a lot of things normal 8th grade boys usually don't have to worry about.  Like a sister who thinks differently.  But he's also worried about the usual 8th grade things - girls and friends and keeping everyone happy.  Moose is a people pleaser and I can relate.

As a teacher, I really liked the Author's Note at the end.  It think it's important in historical fiction to help younger readers distinguish between facts and the author's imagination.  Gennifer Choldenko does a great job at this.  And you get to know more about her.  Another rarity. 

I really did love this book.  Almost as much as I loved Al Capone Does My Shirts.   You don't have to have read Al Capone Does My Shirts to enjoy Al Capone Shines My Shoes but you'll want to find it afterward.   I enjoy Gennifer Choldenko's work.  She has another great book, I love: If A Tree Falls at Lunch Period.  Plus, I feel a certain kinship we both have oddly spelled ordinary names. 

Recommendation:  any middle schooler, especially history buffs.  Boys can relate to Moose and girls will get a glimpse inside a boy's mind. 
Length: 270 pages including Author's Note
Rating: Love It!

Three Little Words A Memoir

Three Little Word A Memoir
Ashley Rhodes Courter

I think I chose this book by it's cover. I know you aren't supposed to do that but I did.  And it worked out.  I love the picture of the little girl on the cover (who turns out to be the author).  And I love the quote on the front cover (you'll have to get the book  yourself).

Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent the vast majority of her young life in the Florida foster care system. Her life was horrific.  Thankfully, not as horrific as it could have been or as I had imagined it.  But still not how I would choose another human to live.

Ashley's story is poignant.  She's honest about her emotions without being too emotional.  She weaves in the sketchy details of her mother's troubled life. (Because I'm nosy, I'd like to hear her mother's story.  But I in no way advocate her getting 15 minutes of fame as a result of mistreating and discarding her children.  So, I'm happy to die curious about her.)  She has to leave her brother.  Which is both a relief and a source of guilt.  She finds her happy ending then does everything she can to screw it up.  But the Courters stick with her.  She gets her happy ending.

I was surprised by what the Three Little Words actually were...you will be too!

I have always believed and do still believe that I will adopt a child someday.  I LOVE my boys and my husband but I know our family is not yet complete.  Ashley's story melted my heart and reminded me of the need for adoptive families. 

Recommendation: I'd recommend this to 7th grade and up.  Especially kids who've been adopted or are in foster care.  And families who want to open their homes and hearts.
Length: 301 pages
Rating: Love It!

WoooWhoo!!

I was shocked to see this tweet after I tweeted about my review of The Dark Divine!

Yep, I'm still a bit giddy....