Shelly's Book Blog

I finished Nobody's Princess, by Esther Friesner, a few days ago. It was very similar to Sphinx's Princess, but this one is about Helen of Sparta ("the girl who became Helen of Troy"). Helen has no talent for, and no interest in, traditional women's activities. She disguises herself as a boy and secretly shares her brothers' combat training. She also befriends the huntress Atalanta, who helps her learn to ride a horse and encourages her independent, adventurous spirit. Another enjoyable story!

I also read the 2012 Newbery winner, Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos. This one is a little strange, what with all the blood spewing out of Jack's nose, and all the old people dying. There was one scene near the beginning of the book where Jack goes hunting with his dad, though, that was just hilarious. I read it aloud to my boys and they seemed to appreciate the humor, but not as much as I. Maybe it's just funnier in context. Anyway, my favorite character is Miss Volker, the woman Jack helps throughout the novel by typing up her obituaries for the local newspaper and chauffeuring (even though he does not have a driver's license). She is smart, energetic, fearless, and funny, and I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes between her and Jack.

I read on Elizabeth Bird's blog, A Fuse #8 Production, that the British version of this book has a different cover, and is just called Dead End.  I like this cover a lot better. It seems to capture the book's funny/creepy tone a lot better.

Finally, Jack Gantos was a guest on NPR's "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" show last Saturday. He tells the story of how, when he was young, he was arrested for drug smuggling and went to prison for a year and a half. It's worth a listen -- very funny!