Tuesday 28 May 2013

Seen Iron Man 3? Read Iron Man: Extremis!

I'm sure I wasn't the only one pleased to see Iron Man 3 grace the silver screen recently. Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark is as charismatic, witty and sarcastic as ever (maybe he should be renamed Tony Snark?); Gwyneth Paltrow is lovely, (and you can't help but feel sorry for her - Tony can't be an easy man to be in a relationship with); and Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin (the everywhere-but-nowhere mega-terrorist who in the comics is one of the arch-villains) is... well... mesmerising. If you get the chance to see it, I'd heartily recommend it!

The film, which sees Iron Man fighting super-soldiers genetically enhanced by the Extremis serum, lifts a good amount of its plot from the 2005 comic series Iron Man: Extremis. It's got good credentials: the comic was written by legend Warren Ellis (who also wrote Hellblazer) and drawn by Adi Granov (who became a producer on the first film due to the strength of the artwork). In the comic, a man is injected with a drug which induces a horrific and painful physical change: he becomes covered in grey scabs, which before long forms a cocoon over his whole body. When he funally emerges, he is a new man; scarily fast, strong and invulnerable - and with a score to settle. He marches into an FBI station, and slaughters 50 people single-handedly.

Meanwhile, Dr Aldrich Killian [Guy Pearce in an enlarged role in Iron Man 3], a scientist who worked on the Extremis drug, commits suicide after admitting that he stole the drug and passed it on. The colleague who finds him, Maya Hansen, [Rebecca Hall in the film] is a former lover of Tony Stark's and calls him for help. She explains that Extremis is nano-technology: microscopic machinery, capable of rewriting and enhancing a person's DNA. Tony is determined to stop the super-soldier, but is nearly killed in a fight with him, despite wearing the Iron Man suit. It seems there's only one way to stop him...

Extremis is often hailed as one of the best Iron Man storylines ever, and that's quite likely a fair accolade. The plot itself is something of a turning point for Iron Man, and it also does a good job of exploring Stark's character. Tony Stark started out an arms dealer, but changed his company's direction when he became Iron Man. But is Iron Man itself just a harbinger of violence? But the standout scene for me doesn't involve Tony Stark. It features Mallen, the extremist, extremis-enhanced terrorist, travelling outside a small town on his way to his next target. There he meets a teenage girl, who's something of an outcast in the town. She doesn't think like the others there, and she doesn't trust the government. Mallen suspects he's found an ally, but when he reveals his identity, she is sickened. "You're just as bad as they are!" she yells at him before he incinerates her with his fiery breath. She's only in three or four pages, and we never learn her name, but that girl sticks in my mind months after I've read the book, in an extent that rarely occurs.

If you like the Iron Man films, but don't normally read graphic novels, why not give this one a go? And if you read comics anyway, but haven't read this yet, hurry up and get a move on!


Next month sees the release of the new books from both Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, so to celebrate, this blog will host the series "Fantasy: From Toddler to Teen". See you then!

Friday 24 May 2013

Four Great Picturebooks Dealing with Death

Death is that most sensitive of subjects, and a particularly confusing one for children, too. If you ever need to talk to a young child about death, or if someone close to them has died, then maybe one of these books can help. I'll admit that story-wise, I've never gone deeper with my kids than Judith Kerr's Goodbye Mog, which will bring a smile to your face, and a tear to your eye. The four books below may well do that and more, but are told mainly from the point of view of those left behind (unlike Mog). They're accessible and tender introductions to the theme of death.


Grandma's Gloves, by Cecil Castelucci and Julia Denos

A young girl loves spending time with her Grandma: getting squirted by the hose, drinking jasmine tea, but most of all, gardening. Grandma is teaching the girl everything she knows about gardening, when she takes ill and dies. After the funeral, no one but the girl notices that Grandma's plants are wilting. She realises that she can teach her Mum about gardening, just as Grandma taught her.

This story is beautiful, both in words and picture - lovely coloured sketchwork that you don't seem to see so much anymore. It's incidentally the only story out of the four that features humans dying, rather than animals. It's very much set in the real world, but is infused with warmth and hope.

Heaven, by Nicholas Allan
Lily's dog Dill has packed his suitcase for a very long trip - and it's one that Lily can't go on just yet. But what is it like in Heaven? Lily's idea is of rollercoasters and sweets, but Dill is sure Heaven is full of bones and lampposts and smells. Lily misses Dill terribly, but she later befriends a stray puppy, filling his life with bones and lampposts and smells. As Dill reflects from his cloud up above, he must think he's in Heaven already!

This is certainly the most humourous of the four (Nicholas Allan is the author of The Queen's Knickers and Cinderella's Bum,so that's perhaps to be expected), but is wise, moving, and thought-provoking just the same.

Always and Forever, by Alan Durant and Debi Gliori

Otter, Mole, Fox and Hare live together as a family in their house inside a tree. Fox is very much the father of the little family, and when he dies a gloom settles over the others, like the snow outside. Even talking about the good times just hurts too much. But as Spring arrives and the snow melts, Squirrel visits them, and helps pick them back up. He helps them remember and laugh at funny, silly memories of Fox - the time he built a chair, which broke straight away; the time he did the weeding, but dig up the carrots instead; the time he baked a pie and burned it all. This lightens their spirits and brings healing to them. They decide to honour and enjoy Fox's memory by building a new garden bench, planting more carrots and baking a pie.

Debi Gliori's illustrations are always a pleasure and very child-friendly, but this book deals with the lingering, debilitating effects that grief can have if left unchecked. Yet despite that, even in its darkest times, it is never too despairing for most children, and shows that joy can return.

Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley

This picturebook classic is still Susan Varley's best-known book, though it was written way back in 1984. It looks at first glance like a Wind in the Willows type of story; and indeed it is - until Badger dies. Badger finds himself walking down the Long Tunnel: slowly with his stick at first, and then running, as the strength returns to his old legs. But all his friends know is that their friend is dead and gone, and will be with them no more. In time, each of them are able to recognise a strength or skill that they have, which Badger helped them to develop - the "parting gifts" of the title. Making use of those gifts both honours Badger and helps each other.

It's not hard to see why this book is so well loved, and both the text and artwork have a style to them not often seen in newer releases. This book (as with Heaven) will comfort the young reader by lingering slightly on the dying beloved before returning to the bereaved friends. Badger's run is as lovely an image is you could hope for.

***
I'm struck in reviewing these four books together that although they are each different, they have a common theme: remembering the deceased, and making use of what they have taught you. This way, we honour our friend, and bring something of them into ours and others' lives. I hope that one of these books can be helpful and a comfort if ever you need them.

Friday 17 May 2013

"The Knife of Never Letting Go", and a terrible secret revealed.

Ok, third feature... so before we get too chummy, I've got a confession to make: I'm a 28 year old bookaholic (or bibliophile if you want to play it classy), with an affinity for Young Adult fiction, but I only read To Kill a Mockingbird earlier this year, to the shock (and perhaps disgust) of some of my colleagues and library borrowers. What's more, to force myself to start reading it (continuing reading it was easy!). You see, when I get told too many times that I have to read a book, it turns me off it. I'm not quite sure why this is, but it does. On the plus side, it's given me further cushioning from reading Dan Brown or Fifty Shades, but it also nearly stopped me watching The West Wing, reading Mockingbird - or reading Patrick Ness' The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Because Patrick Ness and his recent novels for Young Adults have received an awful lot of acclaim. His Chaos Walking trilogy (of which Knife is the first, followed by The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men), won him oodles of the top book prizes (including the Carnegie). His follow up - A Monster Calls, based on an idea from YA fiction wunderkind Siobhan Dowd before her death - if anything earned more praise, and a second Carnegie Medal. Finally, I gave in, and read a book I knew logically that I should love.

And boy, did I love it. Here's the basic plot, with mild spoilers:

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown, the one surviving settlement on New World. There are no girls left, no women; just men. Todd and the men of Prentisstown are infected with a virus that produces "Noise", meaning that everyone can hear what all the men are thinking. And yet, days before the birthday that will make Todd a man, he discovers that Prentisstown has been lying to him his whole life. When Todd discovers that most impossible of things - a girl (and what's more, one without Noise) - they must both run for their lives. Because Prentisstown wants them, and it won't stop until it gets them.

The narrative is present-tense and first person, getting you well and truly into Todd's head - and unfortunately into the head of everyone else he can hear. The characterisation is masterful, and everyone you meet feels real and alive. This makes Aaron, the town's malevolent and imposing preacher, a terrifying character to behold. But it's also one of the things that elevates the book from being a really good adventure, to being a multi-layered masterpiece. The building relationship between Todd and Viola, from reluctantly protecting each other to... well... willingly, determinedly protecting each other, is perhaps the strongest YA book coupling since His Dark Materials's Will and Lyra (though Katniss from The Hunger Games is probably the best heroine since Lyra). In fact, Ness seems to write with a similar scale of ambition to HDM's Philip Pullman, and with as electrifying results.

Oh, and Todd's devoted dog Manchee (who also has Noise) really does show that a dog is a man's best friend. Not that Todd's a man yet. Or is he? What it is to be a man is a major theme of the novel, as is war. Are there times when the stronger man in fact lets go of the knife? And what dark secret is compelling Prentisstown to chase Todd and Viola?

You may have been one of the lucky many who were given a free copy of the book in this year's World Book Night. But either way, I urge you to read it, whether you're 13, or 83. It's not a particularly happy book, or a hope-filled one. But my goodness, it's a stonker of a story.

I hope saying that doesn't put you off.





Patrick Ness' new book for adults, The Crane Wife, is out now.
 

Monday 13 May 2013

"Tales from Mudpuddle Farm" - Michael Morpurgo's Animal Fun!

Michael Morpurgo has been writing stories for over thirty years, with the likes of Kensuke's Kingdom, Private Peaceful and of course, War Horse (published in 1982, it's finally a mega-hit, thanks to the recent success of the National Theatre production, which in turn paved the way for the Spielberg film last year). A good many of his most successful books fit into three categories: animal books, war books, and animals at war books. Well, it's safe to say that these books fall into the first category. Morpurgo's Mudpuddle Farm stars a whole range of farm animals in a series that children aged around 4-7 will really enjoy. And for those of you that are familiar with Michael Morpurgo's work, this may be a surprise... it's actually quite funny!

Gone are the tales of surviving adversity (am I being a tad stereotypical here?). Instead, there are short chapter-stories such as And Pigs Might Fly!, where Pintsize the piglet decides he wants to fly like a bird. When the other animals get sick of having to save him from his near-lethal attempts to get airborne, they decide to take matters into their own hands - um, paws - um, hooves - um, trotters. Talons. Wings? Whatever. How can they stop Pintsize from getting himself killed - or getting themselves squashed by him? Or there's Albertine Goose Queen, (which we got free from McDonald's, in a growing trend of theirs of giving away books in Happy Meals; which makes it harder to dislike them!) which features a fox loose on the farm. But when he needs help hiding from a hunt, should Albertine the goose trust him, or is this another cunning fox trick?
Copyright Shoo Rayner

The stories are warm, humorous, very child friendly, and occasionally quirky in a rather British way, and all of this is aided by Shoo Rayner's funny, slightly manic illustrations. There's a good few to choose from, so if your kids have tried the younger Dick King Smith books, or you want a break from Animal Ark and the like, then these are well worth checking out!

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Booky Hero #1... NICK SHARRATT!

You've perhaps heard of Nick Sharratt. He's very popular with kids. But I feel pretty sure that whether you know the name or not, you'll be familiar with this work. You know Tracy Beaker - the book version, not Dani Harmer? She's drawn by him, as are pretty much all the Jacqueline Wilson books, giving them their distinctive style. (In fact, Wilson and Sharratt are one of the top author/illustrator teams alive today). He's done the Jeremy Strong books, too. And several picture books with Julia Donaldson. In fact, his website lists over 200 books that he's illustrated!

So, if you've got kids, there's no escaping the almighty Nick Sharratt; whose work, to my mind, sits alongside Quentin Blake and Tony Ross (though Sharratt's work is perhaps brighter, cleaner and neater). All three draw with real childlikeness: it's not how children draw, it's how children think they draw, and that's what's so incredibly appealing about them.

And whilst his work illustrating novels is brilliant, it's his picture book work I'd particularly like to draw your attention, because they showcase his skill, talent and humour much more than small black-and-white pictures are able to. Here are my three favourite picture books of his, all repeatedly enjoyed at storytimes, both at the library and at home with my kids.


3. Do Knights Take Naps?, written by Kathy Tucker

This funny book answers questions about knights' lives, in humourous, catchy verses. Read this book to find out whether knights had TV, what they wore, and how they beat the dragon and the Bad Prince! It's not informative, but when it's this fun, it doesn't have to be. Sharratt is the perfect illustrator to show knights who are fearsome warriors on one page, and on another, tucked into bed by their mums for a nap!













2. Eat Your Peas, by Kes Gray.

This laugh-out-loud hilarious tale is about a mum trying to get her daughter to eat her peas. But Daisy doesn't like peas, and has no intention of eating them... no matter what her Mum bribes her with! It's deceptively simple (both the text and the art), and that rare find: a conversational picture book! (See also: The Baby Owl books by Jonathan Allen)

Mum's list of treats she'll give Daisy if she'll just eat her peas grows and grows (from sweets and staying up late, to chocolate factories and not having to go to bed ever again, to Africa and the Moon and stars!). The picture of Daisy zooms in as she gets more stubborn and cross. Parents may disapprove of the ending perhaps, but it's the right ending. In lesser hands, this could be so dull, but as it is, it's a comic masterpiece. And the good news is that it's just the first of a growing number of Daisy books, that are just as fun.


And Number 1....

You Choose, written by Pippa Goodhart






You Choose, along with its sort-of-sequel Just Imagine, are a different type of picture book. Instead of one that tells a story, they get the reader to decide the details for themselves. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Well, anywhere you like! City, seaside, jungle, desert, volcano, space... there's the choice of all that and more, with a picture to accommodate you. Where would you live? If you could choose your family and friends, what would they be like? What would your dream job be? These books are jam-packed full of more ideas than any book that size has any right to be! And whilst my eldest son (still only 5) is apt to pick some selections and stick with them for repeat readings, it doesn't detract from his enjoyment of it.

The sequel, Just Imagine does further into the world of imagination as it invites you to consider the pros and cons of life as a giant or the size of a mouse; what if you were made out of jelly, or were magical; what if you lived underground, or in another period of history? My two year old daughter loves the books, and so do the eight year old school pupils who visit the library on trips.  Clearly lots of other children love it too, because it's just won the York Libraries Best Picture Book Ever Award, beating the likes of The Gruffalo and The Very Hungry Caterpillar! High praise indeed, and a fitting winner.
Well, that's it for now. And I didn't even get to mention Pants, or The Foggy, Foggy Forest, or What's in the Witch's Kitchen?! With a great back catalogue like his, there's always more to enjoy! Long may he continue - and he's surely a good candidate for Children's Laureate once Julia Donaldson ends her reign.



Check out Nick Sharratt's website here.

And of course, all these images are copyright Nick Sharratt.

Hello, Here's a Book Blog.

Hello.

I'm a librarian who loves good books. I love children's books. I love young adult books. And hey, every once in a while I enjoy a full-blown grown-up book too! As I was recommending another book to a friend, she suggested I started a book blog. Maybe that was just her attempt to shut me up. But either way, I thought that I could share some of my best reads with Johnny Internet. You may like some of them.

And so, once a week or so, I'm going to throw a great book in your face. (Not literally; that'd be weird. And more hassle than it's worth.) Children's and YA books mostly, because I specialise in that area at my library, and it makes sense to give this blog a bit of focus. But hey, parents need books too, so every so often I'll be highlighting some excellent books just for them, too. There'll be some books that you'll definitely know (just because everyone's talking about them, doesn't mean they don't deserve people talking about them!) and hopefully some undiscovered gems that deserve more attention.


Every month, I'm going to be showcasing a children's author or illustrator whose breadth of work deserves applause. Again, sometimes they'll be well-known, other times,they may be new to you, but either way, they'll be superb masters of their field (because when do you get a mediocre master?).

And the first Booky Hero (right, that's what we're calling them, then?!) is...

Nick Sharratt.