As a kid, Jacob formed a special
bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls
and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from the old man's unexpected
death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to
the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the
children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion
that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his
grandfather’s childhood, he suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he
can see. A haunting and out-of-the-ordinary read, debut author Ransom Rigg’s
first-person narration is convincing and absorbing, and every detail he draws
our eye to is deftly woven into an unforgettable whole. Interspersed with
photos throughout, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a
truly atmospheric novel with plot twists, turns, and surprises that will
delight readers of any age.
Another really good one! The summary doesn't really do justice to what it's about. It's kind of a combination of sci-fi and history (including time travel, crazy monsters, children with "peculiar" abilities, all set in Wales during WWII). It's also really cool because the author based his story on a collection of vintage photographs he found, all of which are reprinted throughout the novel. I was engaged by the story, and there is nothing objectionable in it. It also feels of some substance, which is good if we are going to end up recycling books every few years. It's part of a series (Book #2 comes out in January), which means it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger (though there is some resolution), but it also encourages more reading, and I would be shocked if a movie is not in the works. I think this is another good contender.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Ms. Handley. This book has a lot going for it and I think is a strong contender for summer reading. The story is a great blend of mystery and history, and had me guessing until at least halfway through the book whether the magic was real or just imagined. It's got a likeable teenage main character who's a bit of an outsider. There is a fair amount of action and suspense, and enough depth/substance to merit ordering hard copies and re-reading every four years, if we go that route. I like that it's going to be part of a series, and since the author is also a filmmaker, I have to imagine, there will be a movie out at some point.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the idea of connecting random photographs to make a story (might be a good writing exercise), and I enjoyed the character of Jacob, but (I know, I always have a but) it only kept my attention truly for the first maybe 40% of the book (I read it on my kindle). I stopped reading for quiet some time and then picked it up when waiting here and there until the last 10%, which kept me a little more interested again.
ReplyDeleteI may pick up the sequel, but I don't feel compelled to, like I do with other series.
I also think this book might be a bit polarizing for some of our students. Some students will really love it and we could some activities maybe on what your peculiar talent would be. But, I also think a good portion of the student body will not like it at all and that it delves a little too much into the ridiculous/imaginative for many of them.
I feel some of our other choices would appeal more to the students as a whole.
I could sure live with this one as our summer read pick. It's a fast read and pretty interesting although it lacks the depth of some of the other choices. The main character's relationship with his parents is awkward and a bit unrealistic in parts but I guess it's not that important to the central story line so it's overlook-able. Not a word, I know, but you get the point. Fun fact: the graphic novel version of this story has some insanely scary, wonderful drawings that many kids will love. I started the sequel. It's good. ms
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