Some books featuring strong female characters, except for the last one.:
Minli is a child driven by love for her family and a desire to change their fortune. Living a hardscrabble existence, Minli, goes on a journey to talk with the Old Man of the Moon. Along the way there is a kind dragon, an evil green tiger, mischievous monkeys, clever children, talking goldfish, and a kind boy, among other characters. This book reminded me of a Chinese version of The Wizard of Oz. She even had to follow the yellow road at one point. The book is made of short chapters with short folktales making perfect segues. The story was like a lovely woven tapestry. One of my favorite stories is when some of the villagers that Minli meets take fabric from each of their own clothes to create a warm jacket for her to continue her journey. These people where the exemplars of happiness and their selflessness in helping Minli brought tears to my eyes. The lessons in this book were ones that would be beneficial to all.
This was a decent beginning to a series about a young woman who is saved from the gallows to become a part of group of secret agents. I never felt immersed in this Victorian era mystery. It had a rather modern feel. That being said I liked the character of Mary Lang and had a desire to go along on her quest to find out information on a possible smuggler. There was nuance missing in this first book, so I'm curious how the next in the series compares.
This reads very much like a college paper, which is not surprising since Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is a scholar. She begins the book explaining how a short phrase from one of her early research became a phenomenon in the world of apparel and novelties. She goes on to discuss the impact made by woman such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Virginia Woolf, Christine de Pizan. She explains how these woman were acting within societies norms, but them came to something that they could not abide. This prior history gave the women more credibility when they finally chose to speak and act out to change. I had a bit of an issue with the information presented about Joan of Arc. I have read other scholarship that downplays the historical tales of her actions. I think what I would have preferred was explaining how the tales affected readers and listeners with out making Joan of Arc's actions coming across as having actually happened. Untrue events can have a concrete affect on behaviors. Overall it came off as a bit dry, but I do like reading about women who are willing to stand up for what they deem as right.
This biography has the feel of a rambling chat with a wizened grandmother. Mrs. Ella Mae Cheeks Johnson is a woman willing to admit mistakes and to have a dialogue with anyone with which she might have a disagreement. This attitude, I felt, was the most endearing and enduring message of her life's story. She has genuine compassion for others that was displayed by her career as a social worker. She wants people to take responsibility and be treated with dignity. The story is not told chronologically, so the out of sequence events can get a little muddled in the presentation. The author may have improved the presentation with a tighter narrative, but the book is an informational read. I appreciated getting Mrs. Johnson's perspective over her eventful life.
The tripods rule over the humans by using a metal cap placed on the head at the 14th birthday. Sometimes the capping doesn't go well and creates deranged behavior causing the person to be called a vagrant. Will and his cousin Henry are reluctant companions on an escape to The White Mountains were there are humans struggling to remain free from tripod control. Along the way they meet "Beanpole" who is their logical "Spock-like" friend who saves them from jail. The writing is rather halting and was a bit awkward for reading aloud, but the story is engaging and my 10 year-old remained eager throughout. I too wanted to know what would happen and I look forward to the sequels.
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