Mosquitoland by David Arnold
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Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans
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Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach
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Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
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Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins
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Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
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There are people out there for whom going to the beach on Spring Break would be a normal, even expected, occurrence. I am not those people. Funny to note, then, that March has been bookended (see what I did there) with trips to the beach. The first was with a school trip, and we went to Florida to learn to surf. We had a great time, and when I came home raving about it, the family suggested we go back during our Spring Break. So we did. We camped, saw ‘gators, went to Legoland, and the kids learned to surf a bit. We also listened to several audiobooks about rats (more on that later), and I managed to finish the book (Skippy Dies) I had started on the first installment of this trip.
On its face, March looks like a mild reading month. Only one real example of adult fiction, and four of the titles are for young readers? Many would consider that a failed outing. Those many would be wrong.
I started Paul Murray’s Skippy Dies at the very end of February, and I read it all month, and like the best long books, it never felt long. It is brilliant. May I say that and be taken seriously? Because it really is an unlikely treasure, especially (but not exclusively) for those who overlap regularly with high schoolers. Murray understands the high school experience, and he captures the youthful voice beautifully, and though there is plenty of slang and profanity and stuff you wish you didn’t know about high school students, it is always coupled with insightful commentary and the prose of a true craftsman. It is no spoiler to tell you that Daniel “Skippy” Juster dies at the beginning of the book - it’s in the title. To reveal more than that, though, would ruin the unsurpassed experience of wading into a book with the same tentative steps one uses with the ocean. You’re not sure of the water temperature, or of your desire to be wet, and you’re never sure what you’ll find beyond the first break or under that endless water. Skippy Dies is about a group of friends and their teachers and administrators, and there are girls, too, and it makes me want to read everything Paul Murray has written. Thankfully, I already own An Evening of Long Goodbyes, so I have that to look forward to.
Last night, I was playing around with my Google Play and found a bunch of old songs that I used to listen to on my mom’s records. One of those records is seared in my memory - its red Smash Records label; the small, black print; and every word of every song. This morning, I wondered what my kids will remember listening to. I’ve mostly avoided traditional kids’ music with them, so they have a fairly wide musical vocabulary, but the most enduring listening experience in their childhood has been audiobooks. Every time we travel, and sometimes just around town, we listen to audiobooks. This trip, I downloaded three books, all of which feature rats in some way. Interestingly, we listened to them in order from good to (unfortunately) not-so-good. We began with Newbery winning Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The kids loved it, and I was reminded once again of how important it is for young readers to get strong, intelligent writing and a good story. I was also reminded of how uncommon it is. I didn’t particularly love the first Gregor the Overlander book, but the rest of the family enjoyed it, so I got the second in the series, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane. Like all the Suzanne Collins I’ve yet experienced, the story is better than the writing, and there’s lots of action. I actually slept through a good portion of this one, so I can’t really respond to it, but I can tell you that it frustrates me no end that one of the main characters is a two-year-old whom Collins has written like an 10-month-old. I understand the variation that comes with children, but I just don’t buy this two-year-old, and besides being inaccurate, the dialogue written for her is annoying. I also don’t prefer the reader, so I’m hesitant to finish the series. We shall see. After Gregor, we started (but didn’t get very far in) Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. This series came highly recommended to us, but I was reluctant because I am a book snob, and I resist things written by people famous for things other than writing. Undoubtedly, their fame plays some role in getting the book published, so the quality of the writing does not fall under the same microscope as another emerging writer’s work would. And boy, does it show in The Land of Stories. My daughter is admittedly a seasoned reader, but even she was able to notice the bad writing. When describing the kids’ grandmother giving them an old book, he writes something like “it felt like someone giving you a family heirloom before they died.” Even the 10-year-old knows it’s not like that - it is exactly that. These pseudo-comparisons happened often, startlingly so. Also, words that don’t exist (and not in a good, fantasy-world-building kind of way). Also, a serious lack of editing. Also, well, suffice it to say I hope the kids don’t remember that we didn’t finish it now that we’re back to regular life.
Dinner: A Love Story was a fun, and even informative, cookbook experience. It has much to offer a beginner, but there’s good stuff here for even a seasoned cook. One thing I liked was the idea of starting a meal even if you weren’t sure what you were making. She says sometimes she just starts caramelizing an onion while she decides - it will enhance just about anything, and the smells get her inspiration moving. I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but I think there are several that will be a big success in this house. On the other hand, Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms was not such a success - with this reader anyway. It was our Book Club selection last month, and while the girls all seemed to enjoy it, I found it decidedly meh. And that’s all I will say about that.
Finally, let me tell you about David Arnold’s Mosquitoland. I read Mosquitoland as part of my search for the perfect Summer Reading offering. Our school does a summer reading Book Group experience, where students pick a title from a large selection offered by the different faculty members, and then we meet in the fall to discuss. Last year, my group was not as successful as I wanted, and I blame my choice. This year, I wanted to make sure I had a winner, so I bought a big stack of titles, searching for just the right thing. Guys, I won. Or rather David Arnold wins. Mosquitoland is his debut novel, and it is amazing. I am so impressed with the characters, the pacing, the plot - everything. The main character, Mim, is one of the most unique voices I’ve read recently, and though she is quirky, she is also oh-so-familiar. I loved this book, and I cannot wait to share it with the high schoolers who pick it. Do read it. And love it. I promise you will.
