The Ultimate Book Guide

Welcome to the drifter notes :)

The previous entries were originally posted on my 1st blog, iKzut, but I've moved them here for the convenience of my readers *ahem* Thus, I have 2 separate blogs, each dedicated to my 2 loves: my bizarre little sketchbook, iKzut, and my launch pad for book reviews, the drifter notes. Feel free to explore/enjoy/comment on/criticize either one ^_^

In honor of the drifter notes' 1st post (the previous posts are 2nd hand so they don't count -_-") I will introduce The Ultimate Book Guide by editors Daniel Hahn, Leon Flynn, and Susan Reuben, which boasts over 600 great books for 8-12s. (See cover ;P)
Books like these kinda make you wish you were that age again. But then again, like someone once said: the best children's books can have an arguably enormous adult appeal (think Roald Dahl). The Ultimate Book Guide not only gives a basic plot summary (with a miminum number of spoilers ;) and review of each book, but also gives several varied suggestions which answer the question that every librarian dreads: I loved that book! Now what the heck I read next?

There are few readers who are untroubled by the what-the-heck-do-I-read-next question and I am (fortunately/unfortunately) not one of them. An example of how helpful this feature is: 

Book: Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen. [which is a story involving students from a local school, a runaway, unethical property developing, wildlife conservation, humor, and a whole lot of plot twisting]  
Suggestions for what to read next list as:

1. Holes, by Louis Sachar "is amazing and equally twisty"

2. Kite, by Melvin Burgess "another book about conserving wildlife"

3. The Big Bazoohley, by Peter Carey "is another author [like Hiaasen] who usually writes for adults; his funny snappy book for younger readers" 

Thus, the suggestions pinpoint on why the reader might have liked the book, and thoughtfully offer a myriad of choices. 


Personally, I found The Ultimate Book Guide especially useful for reminding me of the (too) many books I read when I was that age...many of which I (regrettably) could remember neither title nor author of. A quick glance at the plot summary would result in a sudden flash of enlightenment (Oh, yeaah!! That was a great story! How could I have forgotten all about it??)...and, yes, I now have the presence of mind to note the author's name for future reference should anyone ask me to recommend a good book :)



Apparently, The Ultimate Book Guide(8-12yrs) is the first of a 3-book series. I'm hunting for the others now... I am NOT going to become some old granny bemoaning the ignorance of my youth (Augghh!! This book!! I would have loved it in my [insert younger age here]!!)

  Yeah...that would be my reaction, I think -_-"



But, yeah, I'll say it again: the best children's books can have an enormous adult appeal. Thus, I give The Ultimate Book Guide two thumbs up: 1 for kids, 1 for adults :) There's 600 great books for everyone to choose from. Enjoy!! ^_^


Btw, check out this blog by The Ultimate Book Guide's three editors featuring the same name. This eponymous blog updates pretty consistently - it features a Book of the Week plus a plethora of suggestions for what to read next. Click here now to find out what's hot in the children's world of literature :)

Happy Chinese New Year

 

Gong Xi! Gong Xi! Welcome to the Year of the Tiger!

As you can see, in honor of Chinese New Year, I've given iKzut a makeover ^_^

It's my take on the sketchbook look - clean and simple with pretty much zero tweaking to the original template. This design fitted my decision to dedicate iKzut solely to visual art. As such, I've created a separate blog for my book reviews: the drifter notes.

I hope that having separate blogs for my separate interests will make it more convenient for my readers...
...though my bro thinks iKzut looks like some sorta  promotional website now 'coz of the red seal stamped all over the place (-_-") He thinks it looks like a logo or something...What do you think? Comments please! ;)

Btw, the tiger above is an old ink drawing I dug out (under my growing pile of used sketchbooks ;P) and colored using Adobe Photoshop.

I just realized how old it is... according to the date I scribbled in the corner, it's 6 years old...Huh (-_-")
Well, let me know if you like it/hate it (I'll do a fresh drawing for my next artwork post *promise* ;)

ABC: Keep An Eye Out

Finally got round to posting up my artwork (which was created solely using Adobe Photoshop ;P)
View full size.
Please comment/criticise.
(A/N: I'm sorry for the lack of updates. Real life gets in the way sometimes, y'know? C'est la vie.
(Anyways, my sincere apologies.)
Gurney's ABC post is finally up and displaying everybody's individual interpretation of the excerpt and...
...IT'S SO COOL!! *loves it* 

Man, there are some fantastic artists out there. Hell yeah XD I especially loved the pic from Mei-Yi Chun. It took the exerpt's meaning to a whole 'nother level: the level of cool.
Well... *ahem* that's my own little opinion >_>... Anyone is free to dispute otherwise on this point.
(A/N: Who dares to disagree with me?? *DIE DIE DIE*
(A/N #2: Kidding ;)
Anyways...I discovered her website :) Right here.
 Nice stuff there. *can't wait to explore! ^_^*

Yep. ABC rocks pure awesomeness *nods assent* Wouldn't mind joining the next round :) Here's the quote for next month:

Quintessence of weirdness.
But I'll take a whack at it ^_^
(A/N: Except for one major problem: these days  my schedule is replete with busyness. So, no promises for doing this one. Well, okay... I might be able to fit in time to do this... if I cut out the non-essential stuff in my daily regime. Y'know, stuff like: eating, breathing, and sleeping. Yeah, that would work ;)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Written by Brian Selznick, this magnificent book contains exactly one hundred and fifty-eight different pictures and twenty-six thousand one hundred and fifty-nine words.

It won the 2008 Caldecott Medal, the first considered novel to do so.

I use the word "considered" as it is (described in the author's own words): "not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things."

A novel idea.

In this book, pictures and text perform in turn to enact the story, which takes place in Paris, 1931. Selznick's illustrations are a feast to the eye: elegant pencil strokes combine with meticulous cross-hatching to render the setting in mysterious and hauntingly beautiful sketches. They are gorgeous.

But of the story... oh, what shall I say? I do not want to spoil the book for anyone. Well, let me say this: the plot's subject matter has as much to do with the illustrations as the illustrations have to do with the story. Despite the seeming arbitrariness of the images produced amidst the text, the whole piece reads seamlessly. And in the end, everything in the story ties together firmly into a coherent and perfect whole.

As a children's book, as a work of art: it has no precedent.