The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Steifvater, Maggie. 2011. THE SCORPIO RACES. New York. Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-545-22490-1

2.       SUMMARY

The Scorpio Races feature a mix of different legends and myths about the water horses.  In this novel the water horses, called capaill uisce surge out of the ocean every fall, hungry and looking for meat.  Once they come upon shore, teenage boys and men capture the capaill to train.  The Scorpio Races, an event held every year in November is where the horses, sea mad and thirsting for fresh blood, are raced on the beach.  The winner of the races is given an extremely large cash prize.  Puck, or Kate Connelly, an orphan because her parents were killed by the capaill usice decides to ride in the races, the first girl to ever do so, to try to delay her older brother Gabe from leaving the island.  Sean Kendrick is a four time winner of the Scorpio Races, and rides one of the water horses that he himself caught, and trained for his boss.  Sean, who lost his father to the races, loves Corr, the blood red capaill usice stallion, and wants to buy him from his owner.  In order to buy him, he has to win the race, and earn enough money to do so.  Kate and Sean meet, and end up training together for the races, and fall in love.  Will love be enough to save them from the races, can Kate compete on her island pony Dove, and will Sean be able to buy Corr?  I guess you will have to read to find out.

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Stiefvater creates an intriguing and beautifully rendered low fantasy novel.  Her story is set on an island in the sea.  Young people frequently leave behind the island for jobs on the mainland.  However, there is something different about this island, the island is home to the water horses, or capaill usice, or the singular capall usice.  The water horses surge out of the sea every October and November; they are vicious, and attack both animals and humans alike.  “The island becomes a map of safe areas and unsafe areas, because unless you’re one of the riders, you don’t want to be around when a capall usice goes crazy.”  Puck is an average tom boy who had to grow up too fast because of the death of her parents.  Her nerve, daring, and sarcasm are engaging, and both girls and boys can relate to her, and her feelings of abandonment.  Sean was left to raise himself after his mother left the island and him behind, and his father was killed in the Scorpio Races.  He takes a job training horses and the capaill usice for the richest man on the island, all the while dreaming of owning Corr, the blood red stallion he caught and trained.  Teen boys are sure to love Sean, a young man who has been alone for too long, and desperately wants freedom. 

The plot moves along, slowly at first, laying the groundwork for both the main characters and their backstory, and allows time for the characters to grow and evolve.  The setting is modern, which we can see from mentions of planes and the Morris, the Connelly’s old ramshackle car which breaks down more often than it runs.  Stiefvater provides vivid descriptions, of both the sea, and the island.  “Even under the brightest sun, the frigid autumn sea is all the colors of the night: dark blue and black and brown.”  Because of the vivid descriptions the reader can see the churning of the dark, forbidding sea.  The theme of the story is common, can love truly conquer all?  Stiefvater, and her vivid, stark descriptions allow the reader to suspend the disbelief that there are horses that surge out of the sea, hungry, and sea mad.  The opening line of the story immediately catches the reader’s attention, begging for more, pleading to understand, “it is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.”  Readers will want to know why someone will die, why isn’t November 1^st like every other day?

4.       REVIEWS

Starred Kirkus Review

“legend of the water horse into a taut, chilling, romantic adventure.”… Kirkus Reviews

“As a study of courage and loyalty tested, however, it is an utterly compelling read.”… Publishers Weekly

ALA Notable Children’s Books for 2012

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read the Shiver Trilogy by Maggie Stiefavter

Research other water horse legends and discuss the differences between the different legends and Steifvater’s novel

Read other books about faeries, werewolves, and water horses

Brown Bag book report-find objects that relate to the book such as an orange, a honey cake, a car, and a horse figurine

Works Cited

Kirkus Reviews. "The Scorpio Races." Accessed August 7, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/maggie-stiefvater/scorpio-races/#review.

Maggie Stiefvater. "The Scorpio Races." Accessed August 7, 2012. http://maggiestiefvater.com/.

Publishers Weekly. "Children's Review: The Scorpio Races." Accessed August 7, 2012. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-545-22490-1.

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRPAHY

Hale, Shannon & Dean. 2008. Ill. by Nathan Hale. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. New York. Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books. ISBN 978-1-59990-288-3

2.       SUMMARY

Rapunzel grows up believing that the witch Gothel is her mother.  She lives the life of a pampered princess behind the garden walls; all the while feeling like something was missing in her life.  On her 12^th birthday she decides to find out once and for all what was behind the garden walls.  Mine camps, slaves and complete desolation is what she finds.  After meeting her real mother, a slave in the mines, Rapunzel stands up to Mother Gothel, and is then imprisoned. After escaping four years later, she decides to teach Mother Gothel a lesson on how to treat people, and rescue her mother.  On the way she meets Jack and Goldy the goose. 

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Ever wonder what would have happened if Rapunzel decided to get revenge on the evil witch?  What ensues is a hilarious look at a whole new side of Rapunzel, and her long locks.  Using her hair to fight crime, and right wrongs, Rapunzel, and her new friend Jack, set out to teach Mother Gothel a lesson about treating people with respect, and to rescue her mother from the mining camp.  High action and adventure move along the story as she meets different inhabitants, from the dwarves who use a pick ax to fish, ranchers, farmers, Witchy Jasper, a traveling band of fools, and of course, outlaws.  The vivid illustrations of the graphic novel help readers visualize the desolation caused by Mother Gothel, as well as to give the impression of the Wild West.

Rapunzel’s Revenge includes two common themes; it affirms that love is more important than power, as well as good triumphs over evil.  Sacrifices must be made, Rapunzel is imprisoned for four years before she manages to escape and rescue her mother, but eventually she triumphs over the evil Mother Gothel and rescues the land from her tyranny.  Rapunzel turns down Mother Gothel’s offer to take over her evil empire more than once.  The distinctive and often humorous language the Shannon and Dean Hale use helps accentuate the setting, “I’ll be swigger-jiggered and hung out to dry” is just one humorous example of the language used.  In addition, the illustrations are invaluable to the story, and provide comedic relief.  When Rapunzel escapes from her prison, “I managed to lasso the tree…swing gracefully from my prison…climb down the tree’s branches…and land triumphantly on the forest floor.”  The expertly done illustrations provide the more accurate view, such as swinging into the tree, falling onto most of the branches on the way down, and landing into a stream on her backside.  Both girls and boys are sure to enjoy the feisty Rapunzel, sarcastic and loyal Jack, and the hair whipping adventures they have in the Wild West. 

4.       REVIEWS

“A dash of typical fairy-tale romance, a strong sense of social justice and a spunky heroine make this a standout choice for younger teens.”… Kirkus Reviews

“With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.”… Publishers Weekly

YALSA 2009 Great Graphic Novel for Teens

ALA 2009 Notable Children’s Book

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read Calamity Jack the sequel to Rapunzel’s Revenge

Read other graphic novels

Read other novels by Shannon or Dean Hale

Discuss the differences in Rapunzel, from the traditional fairy tale, Disney’s Tangled , and the graphic novel

Works Cited

Hale, Shannon. "Book's: Rapunzel's Revenge." Accessed August 7, 2012. http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books_rap.html.

Kirkus Reviews. "Rapunzel's Revenge." Accessed August 7, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/shannon-hale/rapunzels-revenge/#review.

Publishers Weekly. "Children's Review: Rapunzel's Revenge." Accessed August 7, 2012. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59990-288-3.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gaiman, Neil. 2008. Ill. by Dave McKean. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-053092-1

2.       SUMMARY

Nobody Owens, or Bod, is your average boy, other than living in a graveyard and learning the skills of a ghost, Fade, Slip, Fear, Terror, Dream walking, etc., all things one would learn as a ghost, or as a living child adopted by ghosts and given the Freedom of the Graveyard.  Bod comes to the graveyard as a toddler, after his family was murdered he managed to wander into the graveyard, away from the murderer, Jack.  After a kindly ghost woman sees the young boy, and speaks to the boys’ deceased mother, she and her husband decide to hide the boy away from Jack.  Bod grows up in the graveyard and learns about ghouls, Hounds of Hell, all about ghosts, and history, while his guardian tries to find answers.  Eventually Bod must face Jack, but will he survive the encounter or will he live on in the graveyard, as a permanent resident? 

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Gaiman provides an interesting take on a ghost story.  Boys will most likely identify with Nobody Owens, or Bod.  He is an intelligent young man, who has no living friends.  He flies under the radar, and is often ignored.  “No one even noticed that they hadn’t noticed him.”  Young adults often feel that they go unnoticed by their parents, teachers, and other adults.  The story does not move fast, however this gives us a chance to see Bod grow up and develop as a character from a young boy to a teenager.  While the story is slow at developing we see the different things that Bod must learn to face the man named Jack and to take his place among the living. 

The setting takes place in England, and we are given several clues to this location such as, “Josiah Worthington, local brewer, politician and later baronet, who had, almost three hundred years before, brought the old cemetery and the land around it, and given it to the city in perpetuity.”  Other comments mention London Town, as well as being close to Caledonia, or Scotland as we know it.  “This was a cold country at the edge of the world, and the only place colder was Caledonia to the North,” implies that Scotland lies to the north.  This fantasy novel has a common theme of good triumphing over evil.  Bod had escaped to the graveyard when we was a toddler, and managed to escape the notice of Jack, the man who had murdered his family.  This theme reaffirms the belief that good must be more powerful than evil.  In addition to this unique take on a ghost story, Gaimans’ use of language is impeccable.  Within the graveyard there are inhabitants who are from many different centuries, one of the oldest is a Roman named Caius Pompeius.  Other characters include the witch Liza Hempstock, the poet Nehemiah Trot, and more. 

Each of the characters has their own unique voices.  Master Trot’s voice is very different from Liza’s voice for instance.  “Of course, brave boy.  The advice of poets is the cordiality of kings!” the language he uses is educated, and is how a poet from the mid 1700’s would have sounded like.  Liza’s language sounds like she is uneducated, and from an earlier time.  “Drownded and burnded and buried here without as much as a stone to mark the spot.”  We can guess at the time period in which she lived because of her mention of the plague.  “But it turned out there was more in that carpet than strong wool and good weaving, for it carried the plague in its pattern, and by Monday five of them were coughing blood, and their skins were gone as black as mine when they hauled me from the fire. “  Other comments made by Liza mention how she was branded as a witch, and was drowned, burned and then buried in unconsecrated ground near the graveyard.  Overall, Gaiman provides a fresh new look at ghost stories and provides us with Bod, a boy many children and teens will identify with.  His choice of language provides each character their own voice.  The Graveyard Book is a true pleasure to read. 

4.       REVIEWS

Newbery Honor Book

Starred Kirkus review

“Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy.”…Kirkus Reviews

“When the chilling moments do come, they are as genuinely frightening as only Gaiman can make them”… Publishers Weekly

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Research the different burial methods of different cultures and places-for instance the catacombs in Rome, and the above ground tombs in New Orleans

Create a model of a graveyard and include famous names from history with dates of birth and death

Works Cited

Kirkus Reviews. "The Graveyard Book." Accessed August 6, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/neil-gaiman/the-graveyard-book/.

Publishers Weekly. "Children's Review: The Graveyard Book." Accessed August 6, 2012. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-053092-1.