It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Brit Lit Edition
This year I've decided to join my good friend Jen {I think I can say that now that we've finally met IRL!} over at Teacher Mentor Texts in her It's Monday! What Are You Reading Meme! But because I have a hard time focusing :: wait...what did you just say? :: I'm going to focus on British KidLit because, well,...I lervs it.
Some of the Brit Lit Kidlit I read is ordered from Britain. I use BookDepository.com It is an easy way for me to get British releases that have not yet arrived Stateside or that I have a hard time finding over here. It also helps that shipping is free with no minimum order! {I have not been compensated for this shout-out, btw!}
So...here goes it...
Last Week's Book Perambulations
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| Do you like this cover... |
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| ...or this cover best? |
The signs were there. I purchased Jonathan Stroud's The Screaming Staircase at my school's bookfair. Then a fifth grader where I teach asked me if I had read it yet. Then Ms. O at twitter.com/senioritao went gaga over it...so I retrieved it from my TBR (To Be Read) pile. LOVE THIS BOOK. If you love Flavia de Luce, Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes, I feel like this is all that rolled into one and sprinkled with even more delicious details.
This next book is kind of a cheat. It is a book I read this week and one I'll read next week. In fact, I consult it every time I read some Brit Kid Lit! Did you guess it...?
The Upcoming Week's Perambulations
This next book is kind of a cheat. It is a book I read this week and one I'll read next week. In fact, I consult it every time I read some Brit Kid Lit! Did you guess it...?
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| I love to use London A to Z to look up real places featured in the books I read! |
What have been your Brit Lit Perambulations this week, kidlit or otherwise?
I bought this title for my son at Christmas after hearing lots of raving about it. I will "borrow" it from him to read soon!
ReplyDeleteCarrie, I can't even describe it properly. It's spooky and chilling - it's difficult to tell when the story takes place, which adds to the mystery. Stroud has constructed such a fascinating world both urban and rural. And accurate! I used my trusty A to Z and was able to follow some of Lockwood & Co. meanderings about London. Yes, you must "borrow" it immediately!
Deletei loved The Screaming Staircase and have the sequel waiting for me as an audiobook. Such a great read - one of my favourites from last year.
ReplyDeleteHi Cheriee, eeek! I bet The Whispering Skull is very creepy as an audiobook. I wonder who the narrator is - I will check it out! Thanks for the suggestion!
DeleteThe Screaming Staircase sounds good. I'm going to have to get my hands on a copy. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Stacey, I would not have known about it if it hadn't been at my school's bookfair. It has a sophisticated feel to it which makes it a great read for students of all ages {and adults!}. I would recommend for students in grades 5 and up who can handle ghosts and gory details - it's definitely not for the sensitive reader as it is basically a murder mystery.
DeleteSo glad you liked it as well! I liked the narrator of the first better than the second. Second wasn't bad at all and I still loved that book ... just liked the first best. A good reviewer should be able to give a better reason than that. :P
ReplyDeleteI think I must get myself one of those London A-Z books. Well. And get myself BACK there. Only been once for a couple days.
And I LOVE THIS BLOG NAME. And the design. And Foyle's War. And all things Brit.
Somehow I missed this new spot. Will be following closely in the future. ;)
Hi Ms. O! Glad you stopped by! Thank you so much for the final convincing review! I love my London A-Z books. I bought it used on Amazon. I was able to track Lockwood & Co. when they went to the newspaper offices - when he described the curve of Regents, I could actually follow the curve in the road. Makes you realize how truly detailed Stroud is, even when the readers might not appreciate how true-to-life the details of his book are. :)
DeleteI loved Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy so when I heard about this new series by Stroud I was really excited. I am glad that you enjoyed it, really looking forward to finding it and reading them soonest! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's weird. I have the trilogy in my library, but the cover never really appealed to me so I never picked it up! Terrible, I know! I hope you can get your hands on a copy soon. : )
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