Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy
Robin LaFevers
(His Fair Assassin #1)

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-0547628349
Publisher: HMH Books
Date of publication: April 3, 2012
Age: Grades 10 and up
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Themes: Death, devotion, assassins, nobility, politics, betrayal, mercy

Ismae was sired by Death himself, but grew up tormented by her mother's husband. She escapes the brutality of an arranged marriage to take refuge in the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns of the gifts Death has bestowed on her. She trains to be an assassin, doing the god's bidding and delivering justice. Her most important assignment? To investigate the highest court in Brittany, where political maneuvering and intrigue have turned deadly. Completely underprepared, Ismae must determine where her true loyalties lie when her next target is the man she loves.

This book redeemed itself by the end, but holy cow, it was a bit tough to get through in some places. The whole beginning half with her unfailing devotion to the convent came off really sketchy--I was uncomfortable, I'm not going to lie (but maybe that just shows you how good the writing is?). So, in the end, I give it four stars because it ended like it should. And, I REALLY admire the writing style (so formal sounding!) and research that went into it. So well done! Just a creepy story...

Warning: Explicit Content
Sexuality

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Storytime: Kites

This storytime was for a preschool-aged group at my library.

Hi, Koo!

Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons
Written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-0545166683
Publisher: Scholastic
Date of publication: February 25, 2010
Age: 4 - 8 years
Genre: Poetry

Themes: friendship, seasons, haiku, Japanese culture

“Tiny lights
garden full of blinking stars
fireflies”

Koo the panda bear plays and experiences each season, delivering 26 haikus along the way. From sweeping up leaves in autumn to warm cookies in winter, and puddle jumping in spring to kite flying in summer, Koo has a lot of fun with his friends.

Hi, Koo…haiku…get it? Jon Muth starts his book with his explanation that a haiku does not have to be 17 syllables, but should deliver sensory images in few words—and so he describes the seasons. With 26 haikus, he also creates an “alphabetical path” for the reader to follow. Overall, it is a very beautiful book—poems, illustrations, emotion…I like it very much. Even more so once you read his other books, too. I recommend them all (but go check out Zen Shorts, a Caldecott honor and fantastic book).

Three Bears in a Boat

Three Bears in a Boat
Written and illustrated by David Soman

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-0803739932
Publisher: Dial
Date of publisher: May 20, 2014
Age: 3 - 7 years

Themes: sailing, adventure, honesty, family relationships

Three bears break their mothers prized blue shell, and—instead of telling her—figure they can find her a new one before she even realizes it's gone. And so begins their sailing adventure where they encounter a variety of fellow sailors, strange islands, a herd of whales, and the ever expansive sea…but no shell. When a huge storm blows in, threatening their safety, the bears wonder if they'll ever get home. What can they do?

This. This book was a surprise. It shouldn't have been, because it's David Soman, but I still was pleasantly surprised. It had just the right amount of everything a good book needs: some humor, an epic adventure, trouble—and the good morals to fix it. And, on top of all that, just BEAUTIFUL illustrations! I mean, just the way he painted the water…Go and read. It's beautiful.

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