Howdy, Campers!
It's POETRY FRIDAY!
Our topic is What are We Reading? I love this topic...I've learned so much about my blogmates, our readers and books.
Carmela, JoAnn, Jill, Laura and Esther have each checked in about the books they've checked out this summer.
My turn!
Here's what I've read recently:
~ THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green on my Kindle (loved it)
~ WE ARE CALLED TO RISE by Laura McBride ~ adult book (wonderfully written...but why are adult books so sad?)
~ TEA WITH GRANDPA written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg ~ (SPOILER ALERT: I've bought copies to give to grandparents who Skype their grandkids)
What I'm currently reading:
~ DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth on my Kindle (not crazy about the writing so far).
But I am CRAZY CAKES for audiobooks. I live in Southern California, so maybe that explains it. Or maybe I should say I live in my car in Southern California. :-)
So here is my list of 3 WONDERFUL audiobooks in the order I read them. And yes, you can say "read them" if you listened to them. Because I said so.
ONE:
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork, read by Lincoln Hoppe (read a review here)
Lincoln Hoppe is an AMAZING voice actor. I think I want to marry him.
Hang in there with this audiobook. At first it felt soooo slow...I wasn't sure I was going to keep listening. But, boy, am I glad I did. I mean, wow.
From the Random House website:
"Reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in the intensity and purity of its voice, this extraordinary audiobook is a love story, a legal drama, and a celebration of the music each of us hears inside."
TWO:
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt, read by Sam Freed
From Wikipedia:
"Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, published by Clarion Books, is a 2004 historical fiction book by Gary D. Schmidt. The book received the Newbery Honor in 2005 and was selected as a Michael L. Printz Honor that same year. The book was based on a real event. In 1912, the government of Maine put the residents of Malaga Island in a mental hospital and razed their homes."
“Schmidt’s writing is infused with feeling and rich in imagery. With fully developed, memorable characters. . . This novel will leave a powerful impression on readers.” ~ School Library Journal, Starred
THREE:
Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt—National Book Award Finalist. Read by Lincoln Hoppe. (!)
Here's what the National Book Award website says:
“In this stunning novel, Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survival.”
His main character, Doug Swieteck, first appeared in Schmidt’s Newbery Honor book, THE WEDNESDAY WARS.
Listen to an 8 minute NPR on-air interview of Schmidt about OKAY FOR NOW here.
There. Those are my Fab 3.
What I look forward to listening to next:
~ THE WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary D. Schmidt, read by Joel Johnstone. I think I may have this read years ago; I can't wait to listen to it. (I'm inspired by Esther and am reading a string of books by the same author...something I almost never do. Gary D. Schmidt is a brilliant and deeply affecting writer.)
Carmela, JoAnn, Jill, Laura and Esther have each checked in about the books they've checked out this summer.
My turn!
Here's what I've read recently:
~ THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green on my Kindle (loved it)
~ WE ARE CALLED TO RISE by Laura McBride ~ adult book (wonderfully written...but why are adult books so sad?)
~ TEA WITH GRANDPA written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg ~ (SPOILER ALERT: I've bought copies to give to grandparents who Skype their grandkids)
What I'm currently reading:
~ DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth on my Kindle (not crazy about the writing so far).
But I am CRAZY CAKES for audiobooks. I live in Southern California, so maybe that explains it. Or maybe I should say I live in my car in Southern California. :-)
So here is my list of 3 WONDERFUL audiobooks in the order I read them. And yes, you can say "read them" if you listened to them. Because I said so.
ONE:
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork, read by Lincoln Hoppe (read a review here)
Lincoln Hoppe is an AMAZING voice actor. I think I want to marry him.
Hang in there with this audiobook. At first it felt soooo slow...I wasn't sure I was going to keep listening. But, boy, am I glad I did. I mean, wow.
From the Random House website:
"Reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in the intensity and purity of its voice, this extraordinary audiobook is a love story, a legal drama, and a celebration of the music each of us hears inside."
TWO:
From Wikipedia:
"Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, published by Clarion Books, is a 2004 historical fiction book by Gary D. Schmidt. The book received the Newbery Honor in 2005 and was selected as a Michael L. Printz Honor that same year. The book was based on a real event. In 1912, the government of Maine put the residents of Malaga Island in a mental hospital and razed their homes."
“Schmidt’s writing is infused with feeling and rich in imagery. With fully developed, memorable characters. . . This novel will leave a powerful impression on readers.” ~ School Library Journal, Starred
THREE:
Here's what the National Book Award website says:
“In this stunning novel, Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survival.”
His main character, Doug Swieteck, first appeared in Schmidt’s Newbery Honor book, THE WEDNESDAY WARS.
Listen to an 8 minute NPR on-air interview of Schmidt about OKAY FOR NOW here.
There. Those are my Fab 3.
What I look forward to listening to next:
~ THE WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary D. Schmidt, read by Joel Johnstone. I think I may have this read years ago; I can't wait to listen to it. (I'm inspired by Esther and am reading a string of books by the same author...something I almost never do. Gary D. Schmidt is a brilliant and deeply affecting writer.)
LISTENING IN THE BACKSEAT
by April Halprin Wayland
Are we twisting,
risking all,
listening to what the writer
wires us,
what the teller
sells us?
Twisting, uncertain,
wheeling...to the final curtain?
by April Halprin Wayland
Are we twisting,
risking all,
listening to what the writer
wires us,
what the teller
sells us?
Twisting, uncertain,
wheeling...to the final curtain?
Did you know that many folks read books aloud for your listening pleasure on YouTube? Go to YouTube and search for a book title. For example, click here for a sampling of folks reading THE FAULT IN OUR STARS.
And...if you know any flat-out beginning picture book writers in the Los Angeles area, my six-week class, Writing Picture Books for Children in the UCLA Extension Writers' Program starts August 6th. (The student who benefits most from this class has never heard of SCBWI.)
poem and drawing (c)2014 April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved.
posted by April Halprin Wayland...who's amazed that you've read all the way to here. Thank you.
And...if you know any flat-out beginning picture book writers in the Los Angeles area, my six-week class, Writing Picture Books for Children in the UCLA Extension Writers' Program starts August 6th. (The student who benefits most from this class has never heard of SCBWI.)
poem and drawing (c)2014 April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved.
posted by April Halprin Wayland...who's amazed that you've read all the way to here. Thank you.
Posts
14 comments:
Would love to take your class, April! I live so close to everything now that I've moved that I've been listening less to audio books, but loved doing it when I had a longer commute. I love the Gary Schmidt books, read them, used them in book groups, etc. I think the complexity of his stories is wonderful. Finally, didn't know about YouTube reading, will look! Thank you for the sharing!
Dear April, I, too, use my car time for reading. I am a huge fan of Gary Schmidt's work -- you will enjoy The Wednesday Wars as well! I've been meaning to read Marcelo, and you've just given me the nudge. Thank you! And your poem is delightful, as ever. xo
I listen to books in the car on the way to work, and, surprisingly--considering I only work 10 minutes away--I manage to make my way through quite a few. One very long title is The Signature of All Things, a novel by Elizabeth Gilbert. If I tell you it's the story of the life of a woman who studies mosses, and, if I tell you it's by the woman who wrote Eat, Pray, Love, you might be completely turned off, but, don't be. I love, love, loved it! (If you ever need suggestions of good audios, let me know.)
Thanks for the great book recommendations, April. I'm a big Gary Schmidt fan too, but had not heard of Marcelo in the Real World and am putting it on my to-read list. We used to listen to audio books on car trips when my kids were young (I remember once when none of us wanted to get out of the car when we were almost at the end of Anastasia Krupnik.) I haven't listened to audiobooks in years, but maybe it's time to start again.
I started listening to books in my car this summer and was amazed at how you can get through books this way. And actually look forward to driving somewhere. Thanks for the suggestions and for the twisty backseat poem.
Thanks for so many good listening suggestions, April. And no, I didn't know people actually read books on youtube!
Love, love, love everything by Gary Schmidt! I was privileged to go through the Hamline MFAC program where Gary is an instructor. He is an amazing man as well as an amazing author. Thank you for sharing your poem and Gary's books. = )
Love Gary Schmidt . Wish I lived closer to take your class.
Hello, Dear April! Thanks for the fulsome post. My last car trip including listening to Katherine Paterson's THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS. :0) You've got some real treasures here (on my list to read/listen to for a while).
Thanks for sharing your poem, too - "what the teller sells us" - yummy line.
This is the second post this week I've read where someone mentioned Schmidt's book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. I have to get this book. I LOVED Okay for Now and also What Came from the Stars. I think I need to read all of Schmidt's books. I hope he has a new one in the works. I just read The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Daley Mackall. It's wonderful.
You have so many wonderful books here, most of them I haven't read yet. I have yet to read a Gary Schmidt novel. Marcelo in the Real World has been in my radar for quite awhile now, will be on the lookout for this one. I have my issues with audiobooks, as I feel that I am not in control of my reading with someone else reciting the words for me, but then again, it can be an acquired taste. :)
Wonderful book suggestions, April! During long road trips for author visits out-of-town, I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to several of Andrew Clements books (the last one I listened to was NO TALKING), and the CITY OF EMBER series. Makes me want to get in the car and listen to a book now!
Linda, I WISH you were in my class!
Irene ~ we need to take a road trip together…
Diane ~ I've heard fabulous things about Gilbert's newest book--thanks for the suggestion!
Buffy ~ Yep, it's time to start listening to audiobooks again. They seem to be getting better and better...(although listening to the classic audio E.B.White read Charlotte's Web was amazing when my now 25-year-old was 3 years old...especially knowing that he cried while recording the ending and had to do several takes to get it right…)
Margaret ~ I love that I can be reading two books at once--one in the car and one by my bedside.
Monica ~ yup--look up a favorite book on YouTube and you may find a teen reading the whole thing aloud for your listening pleasure!
Bridget ~ How WONDERFUL that Gary Schmidt was one of your teachers--I wish I could take a class from him. *sigh*
Jone ~ I wish you lived closer, too!
Robyn ~ we need to take a car trip…
Rosi ~ Thanks for the suggestions of What Came From the Stars...and also Dandi MacKell's book. I've wanted to read it ~
Myra ~ sometimes the voice of the narrator is not right for me—too whiney or maybe the wrong speed...and some people think much faster than an narrator can speak. One of my friend speeds up the narration because she thinks so fast. I couldn't do that, but it works for her...
David! Thanks for the Andrew Clements suggestions. (And it’s lovely to see you here!)
In my car right now I'm listening to THE UGLIES by Scott Westerfield; at bedtime I am devouring Maggie Stiefvater's stunning THE SCORPIO RACES, which was a Printz Honor Book and a PW Best Book of the Year. I hope it's made into a movie--it's cinematic and BEAUTIFULLY written ~ wow!
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