Houghton Mifflin

The Séance

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:04:00 +0000

John Harwood’s The Séance combines all the great elements of a classic Victorian ghost story: Dilapidated mansions, noises in the walls, flickers of candlelight in a darkened window, and a fog rolling in across a menacing landscape—all the workings for a good scary read.

The Séance is told from the perspectives of three different characters. We are introduced to Constance Langton, a young woman who is desperately trying to find out more about her identity and where she comes from. She dabbles in séances to help her adoptive mother communicate with her younger sister who has passed away. Constance is unsuccessful in these endeavors and has to struggle with the guilt and sadness of an unfortunate tragedy shortly thereafter.

Constance soon meets an interesting stranger, John Montague, who informs her that she has inherited the Wraxford estate through a blood relative she has never heard of or met. The Séance leaves the story of Constance at this point and delves into the past with the strange history of the Wraxford Family that is filled with mysterious deaths and disappearances. Wraxford Hall lies right at the center of Monks’ Wood, a dark, gloomy place that is inhabited by the ghost of a monk, or so the locals believe.

Nell Wraxford, the other main character of the story, is cursed with visions of seeing the ghosts of people before they pass on. The reader is never exactly sure if what she is experiencing or seeing is real or imaginary. Nell marries Magnus Wraxford and there is always a sense of foreboding whenever he enters the story.

There is a connection between Nell and Constance but what that connection is, or how deep it goes, is not revealed until the very end. The stories of both women intertwine because they are similar in many ways; Nell and Constance both want happiness in life but are never able to find that fulfillment.

A storyline that runs throughout The Séance deals with lightning, a suit of armor and the disappearances that keep occurring on the Wraxford Estate. I never quite believed the explanation or really understood it, but I have to admit that it was an interesting theory.

The Whitecastle murders (Jack the Ripper) are occurring during the same time that the story of Magnus and Nell Wraxford unfolds, thus creating a more ominous feeling for the reader. The author only mentions the murders a few times, but it is enough to give the reader goose bumps. The reader never finds out exactly what is happening and whether the Wraxford mansion is inhabited by the ghost of old Cornelius Wraxford, or the monk in the woods, or if it is Magnus Wraxford trying to drive Nell into madness.

The Séance is a good book for one to read curled up in front of the fireplace on a winter’s night.

Written by: Su Lin Mangan, April 30th 2009

The Off Season

admin — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:23:00 +0000

By Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Houghton Mifflin

This book, the sequel to Murdock’s Dairy Queen, may be marketed for young adults, but it’s not the equivalent of Sweet Valley High or The Princess Diaries, as both the book and heroine D.J. Schwenk have their feet planted firmly in reality. D.J. is a high school junior in rural Red Bend, Wisconsin, who has a lot on her plate: handling the pressure and jibes directed at her as the first female member of the high school football team; trying to figure out and handle her feelings for Brian, the quarterback of the rival high school team; and putting in hours of work on her family’s dairy farm, worrying that said farm will soon go under; trying to reconnect with her best friend, Amber, who has recently come out and is dating an older woman; and, of course, struggling with school work.

The Off Season is such a gripping read that I read it a single sitting. D.J. is such a believable, sympathetic character and faces up to her challenges (including a big one towards the end of the novel) that the reader empathizes with her throughout, even when she does something somewhat foolish. Murdock does an admirable job of capturing the rhythm and concerns of small town and rural life and has an ear for dialogue. The supporting characters, including her father, mother and younger brother, ring true and are fleshed out enough that they give us a picture of D.J.’s upbringing and family life. This is one-level headed girl with a down-to-earth grip on what’s important in life. I can’t wait to read of her further adventures.

Written by: Karen Duda, July 28th 2007

Dairy Queen

admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:15:00 +0000

By Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Houghton Mifflin

The word “charming” is too vague, and it makes me think of smarmy real estate descriptions, but…I…can’t…stop…myself. Dairy Queen is just so darn charming that I am forced to momentarily succumb. Catherine Gilbert Murdock has taken a traditional coming-of-age story about a tomboy in a small town and wrung some feisty new life out of it. Her character, DJ Schwenk, is a fifteen year old girl living on a dairy farm and learning about boys, football and family ties.

The first few pages of Dairy Queen are a little disconcerting. DJ speaks in the first person with a simple style and slangy dialogue, and she definitely sounds like a fifteen year old from Wisconsin. Once I settled into her voice, though, I was hooked. DJ is disarmingly honest, naïve, observant and witty - Gilbert Murdock’s voice is spot on. DJ’s mixed feelings toward her family are a realistic combination of humor, angst and love, but they aren’t overdone or corny.

Gilbert Murdock also skillfully addresses some of the issues female athletes face. DJ gets called a “dyke” on the football field, but what upsets her more is that the opposing player pinches her butt as he says it. DJ describes herself as “big” and “strong,” but she has no more than an occasional pang of jealousy for the thin “girly girls.” She may not be free from insecurity, but she is comfortable in her skin. I found DJ’s healthy body image and appetite to be a refreshing departure from teen weight and popularity obsession. More importantly, DJ’s focus on training and competition rings true to anyone who has ever loved to play. When that focus begins to clash with a budding summer romance, DJ is forced to make decisions she has been putting off all summer. By that point I was praying for a sequel as charming as the debut.

Written by: Jennifer Wedemeier, July 10th 2007

Me, Penelope

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:56:00 +0000

By Lisa Jahn-Clough

Houghton Mifflin

Writer Lisa Jahn-Clough presents a deteremined character named Penelope who deals with her life bit by bit and rants while finally facing her proverbial dragons. While finishing high school in her own way, Penelope attempts to accomplish feats she thinks necessary before heading into the college world.

Her living situation with her mom Viv (who dates a younger man and detests being called "Mrs." at any point) and a college student, who only appears some of the time, seems to be the ultimate in any high school student's dream. However, both Penelope and Viv attempt to cover up and avoid facing a past tragedy that both women feel is their fault. This ongoing angst culminates at the end and leads to the redemption the reader anticipates throughout the novel.

As Penelope interacts with her classmates, her potential sexual conquests, and Toad, her best friend from childhood, she encounters personalities based on established stereotypes. lAlthough the reader sees how Penelope's character maintains her individualism, several people in her life play up the stereotypes commonly found among the high school set.

An excellent read for the young adult and mature reader, Me, Penelope develops clearly with an identifiable plot line and conflicts. Jahn-Clough reveals a precocious, fascinating and quirky character who makes her way in the world with a cautious and unique self-awareness. Penelope definitely is kooky, but this makes her absolutely real. The voices she hears guide through various challenging scenarios in her daily life. Reading like a journal entry at points, the book progresses well, giving the reader some space to digest the actual substance of the story while cheering once reaching the climax.

Written by: Carolyn Espe, June 25th 2007

When I Met the Wolf Girls

admin — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:18:00 +0000

By Deborah Noyes, August Hall

Houghton Mifflin

The title of this children’s book caught my eye since my family supports Wolf Park, a local wolf education and research facility located in Battle Ground, Indiana. This delicate story of family and friendship, set in picture-book format, recants the ordeal of two feral sisters discovered in Midnapore, India in the 1920s. The story is told in the perspective of an orphan named Bulu, who meets Amala and Kamala when a Christian missionary brought them to an orphanage after discovering the pair in a termite mound raised by a she-wolf. The sad tale of orphan life is compounded by loss and death as the sisters struggle with their new lives and all that is expected by a civilized society.

This book is a great read aloud, quality time opportunity. I received expert advise on this work from an expert, my 8 year-old neighbor Audrey M., who has written several stories herself. Who better to know a good children’s book than an accomplished young writer? We explored the story together, admiring the illustrations, trying hard to pick just one favorite picture. August Hall’s illustrations treat the eye with bold colors and reveal the story in beautiful pictures as the tale winds through the 40-page book. His acrylic illustrations breathe life into the scenes as Bulu’s story shares the chaos, fear and sadness of the experience.

Audrey agreed the book was very good, and we ended up having our own favorite picture. We discussed the story line, ogled at the photograph of the two sisters taken in the 1920s that the author supplied and read the true story on how the girls were discovered by J.A.L. Singh. This is a great book that created the space for quality time, and Audrey and I enjoyed discussing a good book together.

The author (a.k.a. Deborah Wayshak, editor at Candlewick Press) has published seven books. August Hall is a California based illustrator and has done work for Industrial Light and Magic, Pixar Animation and Dreamworks. He has also written and illustrated another children’s book, Song and Jupiter.

Written by: Mary O'Hara, June 18th 2007