Tuesday, April 12, 2011
BOGO
 If you're looking to buy the latest 39 Clues book (which was pretty awesome, by the way), you might want to pick it up at a Barnes and Noble. My local store was offering a deal where if you bought Vespers Rising, you also got a free copy of the 39 Clues Agent Handbook. I'm not sure what non-game-playing readers (like me) would DO with an agent handbook, but it might make a nice Easter gift for somebody...? Labels: 39 Clues, Kids' books, Series, Wordcandy on the cheap
Friday, March 11, 2011
39 Clues on a budget
 If you've never read the best-selling 39 Clues series, I noticed a "buy one, get the next for half price" deal at my local Barnes and Noble. I don't know if the deals will get better or worse as we get closer to the April 5th release of Vespers Rising (the 11th 39 Clues book), but a series-wide 25% off isn't a bad price (particularly since there only seems to be one Complete Boxed Set left on Amazon). Labels: Kids' books, Series, Wordcandy on the cheap
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Looking to waste some time?
 Have I got the iTunes app for you: several "classic" Choose Your Own Adventure titles have been launched recently as interactive reading experiences for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Even as a child, I hated CYOA books (they aggravated my OCD, which forced me to constantly backtrack and read every potential outcome), but I suppose this news will warm the hearts of the (inexplicably) vast numbers of people who actually experience '80s nostalgia. Labels: Old Books, Series, Technology
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
A Kiss in the Dark, by Lauren Henderson
 Lauren Henderson's Kiss in the Dark is the third book in her series about Scarlett Wakefield, a wealthy, orphaned teen attending Wakefield Hall, her iron-willed grandmother's exclusive English boarding school. Scarlett is hoping her new relationships at Wakefield will allow her to move beyond her troubled past, but when her former nemesis (queen bee Plum Saybourne) is transferred to the school, all of Scarlett's carefully guarded secrets may be exposed. We thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series ( Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies), but were less impressed by this latest installment. Kiss in the Dark is just as well written and nicely characterized as its predecessors, but the plot felt scattered and the mystery was forgettable. Reading it was a bit like watching a good-but-not-great episode of an ongoing TV show—you can't skip it altogether (because it adds a bunch of stuff to the overarching storyline), but it doesn't work as a self-contained mystery. Review based on publisher-provided copy.Labels: Book Reviews, Lauren Henderson, Series, teen literature
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Teachers/parents/etc. take note...
 I'm not sure if this contest will be of personal interest to our normal demographic, but it sounded too good to ignore: Random House Books and the Kids Crooked House Company have put together an essay contest inspired by Mary Pope Osborne's massively successful Magic Tree House series. Kids interested in entering must submit a response to this question: Write about an adventure you would like to have in the Magic Tree House. Where would you go and what would you do? The grand-prize winner will be awarded their own "Magic Tree House" (a custom-designed playhouse by Kids Crooked House) and 10 runner-ups will receive an autographed copy of one of Osborne's books. Mary Pope Osborne will review the submissions and choose the winner. Entry forms can be downloaded from MagicTreeHouse.com and will be accepted until October 31st, 2010. The winners will be announced in mid-December. Good luck! Labels: contests, Kids' books, Series
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Return
 I got an e-mail last week informing me that Scholastic is planning to re-launch Ann M. Martin's Babysitters Club series with new covers and an all-new novel (a prequel) called The Summer Before. Frankly, now that eighties fashions have been back in style for a few years, the old cover doesn't look so dated, does it? I mean, the clothes are still super-ugly, sure, but I bet you could buy a convincing facsimile of both that jumpsuit and the leggings-and-sweater combo at Urban Outfitters right now. Labels: Re-releases, Series
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Monday, March 31, 2008
The Once and Future Sweet Valley High
I would like to think that this is an April Fools' joke, but, sadly, it's still March.  With typical elegance and restraint, Gawker is reporting that the Sweet Valley High books have been updated. (See: "Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders".) According to the linked memo, Random House has given the blonde, beautiful, unlucky-in-love Wakefield twins a full 21st century makeover. Elizabeth is now a blogger and the editor of her school's website, the twins drive a Jeep Wranger (wouldn't socially responsible Elizabeth drive something a little more fuel-efficient?), and both girls are now thinner: they've been updated from a grotesquely fat "perfect size 6" to a much more reasonable "perfect size 4". While the size four thing is totally gross, I think the Gawker headline is unfair. Random House is trying to promote a series that was actually pretty wholesome: the original Sweet Valley High books were like a PG-rated soap opera. They were plenty stupid, but they didn't have the meaningless sex, rampant brand-whoring, or extreme social backstabbing so prevalent in today's Gossip Girl-influenced publishing industry. I'm not saying I approve of the choices Random House has made, but I'm reserving judgment... at least until Jessica (now a full-blown alcoholic) gets drunk and sleeps with Elizabeth's boyfriend, and Elizabeth gets her revenge by publishing X-rated pictures of Jessica on her blog. If that happens, Gawker can write whatever they want with my full support. [Via BuzzSugar] Labels: Random creepiness, Series, Updates
|
If you're looking to buy the latest 39 Clues book (which was pretty awesome, by the way), you might want to pick it up at a Barnes and Noble. My local store was offering a deal where if you bought Vespers Rising, you also got a free copy of the 39 Clues Agent Handbook. I'm not sure what non-game-playing readers (like me) would DO with an agent handbook, but it might make a nice Easter gift for somebody...?
