A Book
Well if he/she/it really is my true love then it couldn't possibly be anything else could it?
If it were up to me then everyone I know would get a book for Christmas. A work of fiction. In paperback (unless it's only available in hardback, in which case my hand will be forced). I don't think books are cheap, I think the right book is one of the most valuable things you can receive. Nothing else can transport you away from reality for a sustained period, make you run the gamut of emotions available as a human being, leave you elated, despairing or just... a little different.
Here are the books I have bought for people in Chrsitmases past (some of these will be less than surprising if you've read previous posts!):
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
Elsewhere - Garielle Zevin
Looking for JJ - Anne Cassidy
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
Loser - Jerry Spinelli
The Red Tree - Shaun Tan
Duck, Death and the Tulip - Wolf Erlbruch
The Dogs - Mark Morris
House of the Scorpion - Nancy Farmer
So I'm looking for some new recommendations for Christmas 2011 and I reckon there's none better than YOU to do the recommending. I'm looking for something published in 2011 that fits firmly into the remit of not for adults (because that's a) too easy and b) so not my style).
Help!
*Yes, I know technically it's not the first day of Christmas. Apologies for my tardiness.
White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick (although published in 2010, my paperback edition was published in 2011) has darkness, suspense and (my favourite) ambiguity aplenty. Two stories coming slowly together is always a good driver in a story and Ferelith is a great character and a great name.
ReplyDeleteYou're OK - the first day of Christmas isn't until 25th.
Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David. It drives the message home but in a very witty way.
ReplyDeleteI loved Dearly Departed by Lia Habel and Deception by Lee Nichols in the past year. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children might make a great Christmas present because it's such a gorgeous book.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting titles there and a couple that hadn't crossed my radar just yet. Maybe I will buy myself a couple of Christmas presents...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Richard, for clearing up my ignorance on the matter of the days of Christmas!
The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip. And an endorsement for catdownunder's suggestion of Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery.
ReplyDeleteI would HIGHLY recommend Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern - very real story for any type of nerd.
ReplyDeleteAlso: Annda Dressed in Blood for boy voice - amazing. Also wonderful writing.
Daughter of Smoke and Bones - would be interested to hear what you think of it, if you've not read it yet.
Divergent - fab main character making difficult choices.
The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon - great book for MG readers with a MC that is a bit whingy and whiney but who really bucks up in the end.
Mist by Kathryn James - folklore, legends, fairies, people in the mist, secret societies...my love for this book is huge. Not quite full-blown YA but now quite MG either - highly recommended.
And I'll stop there.
Delirium by Lauren Oliver because:
ReplyDelete1. The language is just beautiful - as it is in any book by Oliver.
2. It's clever, in that the reasons for love being a disease just make sense, but also highly disturbing, but a beautiful story too!
3. YA crossover, so adults will love it too!
One Seriously Messed-Up Week in the Otherwise Mundane and Uneventful Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson - Just. Too. Funny!
Finally, for either an actual child or an adult, because it's such an enchanting story, Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver. I've actually bought this for my 7-year-old cousin for Christmas because it's so beautiful.
I loved VIII by Harriet Castor. Historical fiction how it should be done for teenagers... informative, interesting and brought the character of Henry VIII to life.
ReplyDeleteOoh, some more exciting picks. I've already bought a couple of these for friends (VIII and Divergent) so I'm on the right track, but sounds like I need to spend harder!
ReplyDeletethis is really nice to read..informative post is very good to read..thanks a lot! Editor Choice
ReplyDelete