Troublemaker: Review Haiku

Wow, Leila was right:
this is a truly awful
book. (And that Barbie bod . . . !)

Troublemaker, Book 1: A Barnaby and Hooker Graphic Novel by Janet Evanovich and Alex Evanovich. Dark Horse Comics, 2010, 112 pages.

P.S. Huh. I coulda sworn Leila reviewed this. But now I can't find it. Regardless, I'm pretty sure she would hate it.

Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon: Review Haiku

But did you do a
discounted cash flow analysis,
Babymouse?

Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm. Random, 2010, 96 pages.

Bink and Gollie: Review Haiku

What I really want
to know is, how can I get
a treehouse like that?

Bink and Gollie by Alison McGhee and Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Tony Fucile. Candlewick, 2010, 96 pages.

Mary Mae and the Gospel Truth: Review Haiku

Would've been more
effective if the creationists
weren't hillbillies.

Mary Mae and the Gospel Truth by Sandra Dutton. HMH, 2010, 134 pages.

Finally: Review Haiku

Random acts of kindness
don't really add up to
anything, alas.

Finally by Wendy Mass. Scholastic, 2010, 296 pages.

The Upside of Irrationality: Review Haiku

Pop psychology
explains why we do dumb things
that we know are dumb.

The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely. Harper, 2010, 352 pages.

Halloween cop-out

I am woefully behind in reading, so I offer instead this picture of my Hermione and my robot.

Enjoy.

What Happened on Fox Street: Review Haiku

Does it make me a
bad person if I liked this
but didn't love it?

What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstrubb. Balzer + Bray, 2010, 224 pages.

Mockingbird: Review Haiku

How do you make sense
of the senseless? Asperger's
story of grief, hope.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine. Philomel, 2010, 235 pages.

P.S. Yes. The Eagle Scout thing. But for some reason I spent the first fifty pages thinking it was a dummy chest (like "Annie, Annie, are you okay?" dummy), which seemed like a reasonable project.

How I Made It to Eighteen: Review Haiku

Harrowing, hopeful
take on breakdown, starkly rendered
in black-and-white.

How I Made It to Eighteen: A Mostly True Story by Tracy White. Roaring Brook, 2010, 151 pages.

Zilch: Review Haiku

Nuggets of wisdom
snuck in among the auto-
hagiography.

Zilch: The Power of Zero in Business by Nancy Lublin. Portfolio, 2010, 246 pages.

Big Nate: Review Haiku

Poor man's Wimpy Kid
takes delight in his under-
achievement. Still fun.

Big Nate: In a Class By Himself by Lincoln Peirce. Harper, 2010, 224 pages.

The Vanishing Violin: Review Haiku

A few wrong notes, but
overall, a great puzzle fest

for smart tween girls.

The Vanishing Violin (Red Blazer Girls #2) by Michael D. Bell. Knopf, 2010, 336 pages.

Zebrafish: Review Haiku

Gorgeous rich colors
tell of music, friendship, illness.
Great kid power.

Zebrafish by Peter H. Reynolds. Fablevision/Atheneum, 2010, 119 pages.

As Simple As It Seems: Review Haiku

Unique topic makes
run-of-the-mill coming-of-age
worth checking out.





As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks. Harper, 2010, 192 pages.

P.S. What does this jacket have to do with anything? She skips rocks like, once. The nightgown is good, but otherwise . . . ?

Fly Away Home: Review Haiku

First adultery
novel where I didn't want

to punch everyone.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner. Atria, 2010, 416 pages.

Brains for Lunch: Review Haiku

Sadly, not nearly
as awesome as the title/
concept would imply.

Brains for Lunch: A Zombie Novel in Haiku by K. A. Holt. Roaring Brook, 2010, 96 pages.

Bone: Crown of Horns: Review Haiku

OMG I FINISHED
BONE. Now I am sad that

there aren't any more.

Bone #9: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith. Graphix, 2009, 224 pages.

Just Let Me Lie Down: Review Haiku

Much of this is old hat,
but it will make you feel
like you're not alone.

Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom by Kristin van Ogtorp. Little Brown, 2010, 259 pages.

Sophie Simon Solves Them All: Review Haiku

Resident genius
unwillingly helps others,
makes friends. Plus, lemurs.

Sophie Simon Solves Them All by Lisa Graff. FSG, 2010, 112 pages.