I reviewed and enjoyed reading Life in the Slow Lane by Thomas M. Sullivan last year. I had quite a few questions for him after reading the novella. Thomas has an extensive educational background. He has more degrees under his belt than I could count! He is a long time teacher who quite familiar with the murky and lightly regulated world of private vocational education. He has worked for companies that either dramatically fell apart or that were investigated by the federal government for fraud. His novella, Life in the Slow Lane, takes a closer look at private Driver's Education that is far from professional. I hope you enjoy this interview and participate in the giveaway (details below)!

Rummanah: Welcome and thank you for stopping by my blog, Thomas. Given your educational background, the last thing I imagined you doing is being a Driver’s Education teacher. Why did you choose this profession?


Rummanah: And now, you’re a writer. What made you turn to the writing profession?

Rummanah: Now that's what I call using your time wisely! Did you have any other memories from the Driver's Education company that you wanted to put into your novel, but didn’t?

Rummanah: That's great! As a teen what was your most memorable driving memory?

Rummanah: I think that definitely comes across in Life in the Slow Lane. While there is humor in the book, I could still tell there was a serious problem with that driving school. On that note, what would you like your readers to take away from your book?


Rummanah: I hear you loud and clear on that, but I can't help but notice a common critique of your book is the social commentary you included in the middle of the book. Some readers thought it was a bit offensive. What was your purpose of adding that commentary there?

Rummanah: I see. Thomas, if you could offer any advice to aspiring writers what would it be?

Thomas:  Try to find a voice and style of your own and trust it. This can be hard since a lot of traditional venues for writers want things that are familiar and comfortable, which tempts one to change their voice and style to “fit in.” But these restraints that kill innovation are now driving new opportunities to arise. The web is really opening up possibilities, with online journals, audio magazine, e-publishers, blogs, etc. So my one bit of advice would be: don’t change what or how you write, change how you try to get your work out there.

Rummanah: Thanks for the advice! Do you have any other projects that you’re working on at the moment?

Thomas: I’m finishing a collection of humorous non-fiction essays that I think could be called “flash-nonfiction.” A number of these have appeared online. If anyone wants to take a peek I have a link to a few on my website.

Rummanah: Thanks so much for stopping by and answering my questions!

Winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal is:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead.

Honorees of the 2011 Caldecott are:

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Bryan Collier

Interrupting Chicken written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein The Newberry Medal was named in the honor of John Newberry, who was an eighteenth century British bookseller. Like the Caldecott, it is also awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Hush by Eishes Chayil

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Hold Me Closer, Neromancer by Lish McBride
Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

  I have mixed feelings about reading series. I like well developed plot arcs, meeting and seeing characters grow with each volume, and getting a clearer picture of the world that the author has created. What I don't enjoy is reading a series where the story and characters go no where, which is why I dropped the House of Night series by mother-daughter duo, P.C. and Kristen Cast, despite the fact that I already read 7 books in the series. I'm lenient with series than with any other books because I know how difficult it is for an author to set up their world and establish their characters. The series may have its flaws but eventually the author finds his/her stride, the writing becomes clearer, and the characters become alive, which makes the book take flight. As my friend Kayla mentioned once to me (I'm paraphrasing here. Sorry, Kayla, if I jumbled your words): "Give me fascinating characters and I will follow the author where ever he/she goes". I feel the exact same way with the Mercy Thompson series and the third book, Iron Kissed, especially.

Description: When her former boss and mentor, a fae, is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, Mercy is determined to clear his name and show he is innocent regardless of how dangerous it is for her. Time has also come for Mercy to decide which of the two alpha male werewolves, Sam or Adam,  she will claim as her mate, because if she doesn't one of them will decide for her. Mercy has got a lot on her plate, what will she do?

Review: The Mercy Thompson series gets better with each book. The world building becomes sharper, the plot arc slowly builds, the pacing gets better, and the writing is a smoother. Like the previous books, Moon Called and Blood Bound, which focuses on a specific paranormal community, werewolves and vampires respectively, Iron Kissed continues the trend and spotlights the fey. The paranormals live amongst the humans yet they face discrimination and strict laws that are pretty similar to Marvel's Xmen. With each book, I enjoy the new mythology and folklore that Briggs introduces. 
  Iron Kissed picks up where Blood Bound leaves off. Mercy is still haunted by her actions in the last book, which Briggs nicely sums up to bring the reader new to the series up to speed without slowly down for those who are already updated. A new mystery arrives when Mercy receives a frantic call from her former boss about powerful fae instruments stolen and murders occurring on the fae reservations. Things get worse when her boss is framed for murder and is thrown in jail. There are a lot of twist and turns in the plot, some of which I had anticipated before hand and others that took me by complete surprise, but it is Briggs' dynamic characters that bring this series to life and the only reason why I continue to read this series.
  Mercy is a heroine that I admire. She is a complex and strong. I appreciate Briggs creating a character of color, who for once is the main lead and not a sidekick character. Mercy is utterly loyal and will do anything to help those who she loves. A child of a single teenage parent, she was raised by a pack of werewolves and has always fought to stay independent. While she is physically strong, she is also vulnerable. She is constantly trying to fit in and create a place to call home. We see more of this come to light in this book. Unlike the two previous mysteries, this current conflict is much more personal to Mercy. To her, her boss is like a surrogate father who has guided and cared for her, which is why she doesn't hesitate to put her live in danger in order to save him. Mercy goes through strong emotions and turmoil in Iron Kissed, but how she maturely deals with her problems is what makes her real, appealing, and admirable.
  Sam and Adam, Mercy's love interests, are honorable men who also have a fair share of flaws. To be honest, I have been conflicted with both of them. It is clear that both of them care deeply for her and have to come to her aid regardless if their own lives are at risk. While there is a traditional love triangle in this book, I thought Briggs did a great job in not dwelling on the angst or have a character walk off because of the outcome, which took me by surprise. The love triangle wasn't solved completely out of emotion, but rather logic. While it may come across as anticlimactic for some, I loved how maturely it was dealt with and how the characters stayed true to themselves throughout it. Finally, there is a resolution but no baggage that characters carry.
  As for the mystery, I figured out the identity of the murderer ahead of time but I did not expect how it unfolded nor the emotions that were revealed after. I won't mention what happened exactly because that would be a huge spoiler, but I will say that it was very powerful and made me reread the section quite a few times to really understand what had happened. What took me off guard completely, but in a good way, is the character of Ben. Ben, in the first two books, came off as being prickly and shady. I didn't care for him at all, especially with how he acted around Mercy. My opinion of him, after reading Iron Kissed however, completely changed how I see him now. Ben is a man who has a dark and tragic past, who is working on his recovery. I have warmed up to him and now understand him better.
  If you are considering to read the urban fantasy genre or looking for a book that has mystery, suspense, romance, and great characters, I think you will really enjoy this series. I really look forward to reading the next books to see what else Briggs has in stored for me.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and an allusion to rape. Although the series is marketed to adults, I think this a pretty clean series to recommend to strong teen readers.

If you like this book try: Bones Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4), Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews or  Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

  After reading the Emmy and The Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell, I finished the list for the Bluestem Award. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Bluestem Award, is a Reader's Choice Award for books that are written for Grades 3-5. Books are selected by students, librarians, and teachers. Participating schools in this award hosted by the Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA) hold an election and a winner is announced. I really enjoyed reading the nominees this year and can't wait to see the list for next year. I'm glad that I finished Emmy and The Incredible Shrinking Rat and ended the reading list on a happy note.  

Description: Emmy Addison was perfectly happy as the daughter of bookstore owners, but then her parents inherited a lot of money and she suddenly became invisible. She can't understand why her formerly attentive, loving parents are always constantly away and leaving her alone with the strange and controlling Miss Barmy, her nanny, who gives strange concoctions to Emmy to drink and eat. To much of Emmy's dismay, it's not just her parents who don't notice her, but also everyone in her classroom. When she is bitten by the classroom pet rat, called appropriately Rat, she discovers that she can understand what he says and so can her fellow classmate, Joe, one of the cool kids in her class. Things really get challenging and odd when Rat bites Joe and Joe shrinks to Rat's size.Determined to unshrink her friend, Emmy discovers Miss Barmy's hidden agenda. Could Miss Barmy be the reason why Emmy is invisible to her parents and her classmates? What is in those drinks and food that Miss Barmy serves at Emmy's house?

Review: Emmy and Incredible Shrinking Rat is a charming and very funny story. The beginning, especially the scene where Rat admonishes Emmy for being too nice, hooks the reader right away. Emmy, our heroine, is adorable. She is very frustrated by being invisible to others, even when she is physically present in front of them. She yearns for her parent's attention and adoration. We see her desperately tying to capture their attention by excelling in school and other extra curricular activities but to no avail. So when Rat and Joe seek her friendship and help, she immediately jumps on board and thus begins to uncover the agenda of the evil nanny, Miss Barmy. As a villain, Miss Barmy is not too scary and serves as excellent fodder for jokes. The real star of the story, however, is Rat. I absolutely loved his snarky voice. He had me constantly laughing and smiling.
   A mystery regarding Miss Barmy is cleverly woven into this fun story, but at times it seems to take the story off track and thus slow down parts of the book. As an adult, I was able to figure out the mystery and Miss Barmy's motive, but I still enjoyed on how Emmy, Rat, Joe, and other characters work together to resolve the conflicts. I would have also liked a clearer explanation of how the animals have powers, but I think kids will be most invested with the talking animals and the jokes and not mind the obvious plot line or this hole in the story. I  thought the illustrator did a neat job in decorating the margins with drawings that produce a flip-book effect: the rat falls from the bough of a tree, covering his eyes as he somersaults backward in mid-air to land in Emmy's outstretched hand. It is very different than your average illustration between the text. Emmy and The Incredible Shrinking Rat is a funny, fun filled read that I'm sure many kids and adults will love.

Rating: 4.5 stars


Words of Caution: None. Although the reading level is suitable for Grades 3 and up, Grades 1 and 2 will definitely enjoy this story and the book would be a great choice for a read aloud.

If you like this book try: Emmy and The Home for Troubled Girls by Lynne Jonell, Matlida by Roald Dahl, or The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

  Paolo Bacigalupi's young adult debut novel, Ship Breaker, has been receiving glowing reviews in review journals, the blogosphere, and on some librarian's prediction lists for this year's Printz award. Bacigalupi is more popularly known for his adult novel, The Windup Girl, which received the Nebula Award last year. While I didn't love Ship Breaker as much as my colleagues and fellow bloggers, I did enjoy it. 


Description: In futuristic U.S. oil is scarce and grounded oil tankers are broken into and stripped, sold for their parts. Nailer scavenges ships in order to stay alive. When he finds a rich, beached ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl. Is the girl the ticket he needs to get out of poverty or will she drag him down further into his hellish world?


Review:  As The Ship Breaker opens, we are plunged into a claustrophobic, dark setting of a ship's service duct. We immediately realize that Nailer's dirty and dangerous job is to crawl deep into the wrecks of the ancient oil tankers that line the beach, scavenging copper wire and turning it over to his crew boss. Quota must be met or you might not live for the next day. Nailer and his crew live in extreme poverty where food and clean drinking water is scarce. While the book is considered a dystopian and futuristic society, one can't help but feel that the dire situation mirrors what reality is for many, if not all, impoverish communities living in many countries today. The division between the haves and the have nots is staggering, but unfortunately not startling. While the world may not be different from today's economic times, what is startling to see is the lengths humans are willing to go to in order to survive. Like the resources that are limited in Nailer's world, trust, loyalty, and family is almost nonexistent, which is portrayed both by the book's characters as well as the distant, third person narrative.
   Nailer, our main character, is not our usual male hero that we have seen in YA literature. He is short, scrawny, and horribly scarred. In fact in order for Nailer to make a living and to survive, he must stunt his growth so he can fit into the small crevices of the ship to scavenge. Descriptively, he is very far from the typical tall, athletic, and attractive hero we generally read about. Unlike his looks, his living condition is not unusual. Like many children in severe poverty, he is forced to become an adult very quickly and make his own living. To make things worse, he is also living with his drug addict, alcoholic, and abusive father. While I understood Nailer's difficult situation and decisions, I couldn't connect with him beyond the superficial level. I had already met this type of character before in other books I've read.
  In fact I thought a lot of the secondary characters share very similar characteristics with Nailer. I felt if you could switch their names with his, you essentially get the same person. The only exception to this is a genetically engineered character named Tool who is composed of hyena, tiger, dog, and human. Half-men like Tool are created for the sole purpose of being utterly loyal to his patron/master and having a fierce temperament whenever he is called upon. Unfortunately, the side effect of this experiment is having a face that looks a bit canine. While he may not look physically attractive to us, Tool's face is supposed to inspire fear, especially since his breed are mostly employed as thugs and bodyguards. Tool is definitely menacing, but he is also unique. His rebellion against the natural order of half-men (thus the irony of his name) make him mysterious and that aura is heightened with the lack of a back story. Tool's past is never revealed, but he constantly reminds Nailer and those around him how unexpected his actions are. At first I was a bit frustrated with not knowing Tool's history, but then I realized if it was given then it would be not only inconsistent with his social rank but also might lessen my fascination of him.
 Ship Breaker is a gripping and fast paced story that I'm sure many reluctant readers will enjoy. I learned a lot about the job of being a ship breaker, which I did not know about until I read this book. I really appreciate Bacigalupi in using racially and culturally diverse characters in his novel. Both the female and male characters have equal presence and importance in the novel. I can definitely see boys and girls liking this book. Themes such as environmental responsibility and social/economic inequity make the book a good choice for a book discussion.

Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: There is strong language and violence in the book. There is also a scene of underage drinking. Recommended for Grades 8-12.

If you like this book try: The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, House of Scorpions by Nancy Farmer, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness