Reading Challenge: June Link Up

Link up your June review here =)

Review: The Firefly Letters by Margarita Engle

Title: The Firefly Letters

Author: Margarita Engle

# Of Pages: 160

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Publication Date: March 16, 2010

Level: Middle Grade

Rating: 4 Hearts

Synopsis

(From Amazon.com)

The freedom to roam is something that women and girls in Cuba do not have. Yet when Fredrika Bremer visits from Sweden in 1851 to learn about the people of this magical island, she is accompanied by Cecilia, a young slave who longs for her lost home in Africa. Soon Elena, the wealthy daughter of the house, sneaks out to join them. As the three women explore the lush countryside, they form a bond that breaks the barriers of language and culture.

My Verdict

This was a beautifully written middle grade novel about life and slavery in Cuba, based on the writings of the real life Fredrika Bremer.

The story is told from four alternating viewpoints; Elana, Cecilia, Fredrika, and Beni.

-Elena is a plantation owners daughter, trapped within the walls of her own home, never allowed to go out and catch fireflies or walk beneath the moonlight.

“I sit alone in my room

at the ornately barred window,

embroidering curlicues

like the fancy ironwork

that separates me

from the rest of the world.”

-Cecilia is a fifteen-year old slave from Africa who was sold by her own father in exchange for a cow. She works on Elena’s family’s sugar plantation as a translator.

“If I had known

that my father would trade me

for a stolen cow,

I would have run away

into the forest

to live in a nest

made of dreams

and green leaves.”

-Fredrika is a rich man’s daughter, who gave up the aristocratic lifestyle to wander the world and be a writer.

“My sketchbook is bursting

with stories

told by dances,

stories about life on two shores…

two distant lands,

Africa and Cuba,

joined and also separated

by the endless flow

of ocean waves

that sound

like music…”

-Beni is Cecilia’s husband, chosen for her by Elena’s father. There are only a couple of pages told from Beni’s perspective, but I found it nice to see his thoughts on Cecilia and their marriage instead of just having her point of view. 

Fredrika believes in a world of equality, not just between men and women, but also between the races. She goes to Cuba to write about slavery on the island in hopes of bringing about change.

Against all odds the three girls form a strong friendship filled with shared hope for a brighter future. 

I found Engle’s writing to be very lyrical and beautiful. My only wish was that it would have lasted longer.

Breathtaking Book Cover: One Whole & Perfect Day

Todays Breathtaking Book Cover is...

One Whole and Perfect Day

by

Judith Clarke

Goodreads =)

Book Review: Minn & Jake by Janet S. Wong

Title: Minn & Jake

Author: Janet S. Wong

# Of Pages: 160

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication Date: August 12, 2003

Level: Ages 7+

Rating: 1 Heart

Synopsis

(From Amazon.com)

Do you ever feel like you've somehow lost your true best friend? Minn feels this way. So does Jake. But Minn and Jake have no intention of being friends. Minn's a string bean. Jake's a shrimp. Minn's a girl. Jake's a boy. And in fifth grade, who wants a best friend of the opposite sex? But Minn and Jake are forced together by circumstances, which only strengthen their resistance . . . until Minn takes Jake lizard hunting. There are lots of good ways to choose a friend.

My Verdict

This is a young-readers novel told in free verse. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the free verse format to fit with this story at all. There was nothing poetic about it, the lines didn’t flow together, or paint a beautiful picture with words like most verse novels do.

Not only did I not like the format of the story, but I didn’t much care for the story itself. Going into it I thought it was going to be this sweet story of new friendship, but it turned out to be an awkward story about two kids who can’t stand each other at first and then without you really realizing what happened, bam, they’re best friends.

And then there’s the whole lizard thing, Minn is obsessed with catching lizards and she tries to teach Jake even though he hates them. I felt like the whole book was used to talk about lizards; catching lizards, studying lizards, dreaming about lizards, dancing and chanting to the lizard gods, etc…

The best part about this story were the cute sketch-like illustrations that accompanied it, and to go along with the lizard theme there was a lizard shaped cloud, shadow, or something in each picture.

I’m thinking this story was meant more for boys than girls, who would enjoy all the lizard talk and not care so much that the friendship seemed disjointed. 

Wordlover Wednesday: Tintinnabulation

The inspiration for this weeks word came from 10,000 screaming fans of One Direction. 

The word is...

Tintinnabulation (tin-tin-nab-u-la-tion)

Noun- a ringing or tinkling sound

Thanks to all those screaming fans I've had a severe case of tintinnabulation  in my ears for the last 18 hours. 

Breathtaking Book Cover: Insanity

Today's Breathtaking Book Cover is...

Insanity

by

Lauren Hammond

Click Here to Add This Book on Goodreads =)

I discovered this book thanks to Hilda at Catch the Lune. I was blown away by the beauty of this cover and immediately went to Goodreads to see what it was about. The story sounded so intriguing I downloaded it instantly. It's only $2.99 on Amazon! I hope it lives up to it's cover!

Foreign Cover Friday: I Am Number Four

Foreign Cover Friday is a weekly meme hosted by The Reading Fever, where foreign covers of the books we know and love are spotlighted and discussed. To join, either pick your favorite foreign cover or pick many foreign covers, and start discussing!

This weeks book is...

I Am Number Four

by 

Pittacus Lore

 (US Version)

This is the version I read, as well as my favorite. It relates to the story, the colors are nice and I like the use of multiple type styles.

(US Movie Version)

This is the cover that came out after the movie, that shows us a picture of the main character. 

While it's not the most original designs, I like that they still incorporated the symbol of his mark from the original cover into the background of this one.

(Italian)

I don't really care much for this one. The symbol is kind of muddled up with the brightness of the lights shining through it. It definitely has a more "spacey" theme to it than the others. 

(French)

I always find it funny when a foreign cover uses the American dvd front as their design.

(German)

Everything about this one falls flat. It looks like they just slapped everything on a black background and called it a day. 

(Portuguese)

I have the same issue with this one as the one above

What are your thoughts? Love one? Hate one? Let me know below!