I don't normally read around this age range, and this book was a very simple read so it is fine for grades 1+, but I thought it was kind of boring. The main character goes through his second year of school in this book, and the length of the book might be intimidating to readers under second grade, but the writing style is definitely simple enough for 1st graders. So it has that going against it. Also, as I mentioned, it was boring. This book looks pretty long and intimidating, but most of that could have been cut back and shortened. Here's what happens to Billy in a year: He knocks himself out and gets a bump, he's afraid he's not smart enough for second grade, his desk partner is a little prat, his teacher may hate him, his father needs inspiration for his art, Billy wants to stay up all night, he writes a poem about his mother. All these "plot points" are resolved within a couple pages and completely forgotten, but somehow takes up 240 pages. It's as if each chapter was meant to be a separate, beginning chapter book, but Henkes decided to throw them all together to make a whole book.

Anyway, I read this for our Mock Newbery, and it is certainly not getting a vote from me.

I really liked this graphic novel, but there was one thing that bothered me and made me think: The Cute Girl Network. Are there really such shallow women out there? Are they really so stupid about relationships? So the Cute Girl Network works like this: All across the faux town of Brookport, in this comic, hundreds of girls have created a network to inform each other, and new members, of all the men they have dated. Met a new guy? The CGN recommends meeting with at least three of his exes to get the dirt on him. So, the main plot to this book is what I had a big problem with. The story is built around a new girl, Jane, who really likes a soup vendor she meets, Jack, but her roommate happens to be his ex. She demands that Jane meets up with other exes and hear the dirt on Jack (who is a completely great guy, just simple, a bit lazy, and absent minded, but not mean, malicious, or a playboy). Thankfully Jane's reactions are a lot like mine, she doesn't care what the others say, thinks they're petty, and loves Jack for who he is. Did anyone else think all the other characters were just blown out of proportion with bitchy-ness?

Anyway, while I loved the two main characters and the artwork, the CGN itself is an idea that I hope is too mean and petty to be a real thing. Sure, I absolutely loathe my ex, he was a terrible person, but if another girl wants to date him, either they will be more compatible than I was for him, or they'll figure out soon enough on their own he's a psycho.

After hearing such good things about this book, and the likening of it to Stephen King, I must say I was a bit disappointed. Maybe it was because I read a couple graphic novels between this book, and also read a new, all-time favorite novel that made me read ravenously. This book I picked up, put down, read bits during lunch breaks, and didn't get truly involved until the last 70 pages. It certainly is a dark, violent book. Definitely for older teens. It is a bit slow, but it's taking its time building its creepy-factor and making sure you're entirely seeped in the darkness of the book before it delivers its climactic blow.

Yeah, that's right: 5 stars!!! It was really amusing to read and I simply love the simple, comic, art style!

Man, Zuko, your sister be cray cray.

I really do love the art in this series, and while the characters are odd and the story a bit convoluted, I am still really enjoying it!

This selection for the Mock Caldecott was scary, then fun. Illustrated by Jon Klassen and created with gouache and then the rest is digital. So, from what it looks like he used the gouache for the background and the splattery textures. The line art and main colors (like the boy and his blue pajamas) are all digitally drawn later. A fun method and a cute book I really liked it, but it wasn't the beeeeest!

CONGRATULATIONS! You just won a place in my top 5 favorite books of ALL TIME! This book gets me. I get this book. Cath, I feel that I am you (but without a twin, an estranged mom, or a mentally unstable dad, and slightly less anxiety), but I totally understood you! When it comes to writing fanfiction, I was with you all the way. Well, I am nowhere near as popular as Cath with her thousands and tens of thousands of hits on her fanfictions, but boy is it satisfying to post your writing under an anonymous user name and get compliments and encouragement from strangers who love your writing. It's gratifying to create scenarios of characters from books, movies or anime, so that things played out the way YOU wanted them to. And then to post it and know that other people also think this is a good idea and want to read more of YOUR writing.

Yes, this is a wonderful way to spend your time and your creativity; sharpening your writing skills on characters you love and living in a world where your skills are appreciated by many. Even when you make those characters love each other in a gay way. Yup, Cath is a writer of guy/guy fanfiction (another reason I super love her and understand her). Luckily Cath had a lot of support from her friends and family (both online and off) for her fanfiction, and alas I did not. Sure it's nerdy, but I consider fanfiction writers on par with authors. They ARE authors. Cath's fiction-writing teacher may not understand this, but luckily this doesn't break Cath's spirit. And there are a lot of tests and trials for poor Cath in this book that made me worry and sad and happy and smiling for the main character. A tough-to-figure-out roommate and her always smiling boyfriend, a "break up" with her twin sister, someone who was always there for her, anxiety attacks from the extremely different change into college dorm life, new people, and no sister, and many many more ups and downs that made me never want to put this book down.

So if you are a twin, or entering college, suffer from anxiety of new places and people, or a fangirl that has obsessed over something and writes or reads fanfiction, this book is for you!