it is a cold and foggy morning...

i'm sure i have my books-to-read list around here somewhere, sigh. it is winter break. meanwhile, i do have a short pile of books available, but i would hate to edge out a long-awaited-read. i know that i put ursula leguin's dispossessed on there.

just this afternoon i finished the graveyard book by neil gaiman. an enjoyable read...the premise is enough for me, but the man is a good story teller. the early chapters feel like a chronological collection of short tales (featuring the protagonist) with the thread that connects the opening occurences (the impetus of the story) to the final chapters' resolution--this effect allows one to lay down the book after a chapter, but for the continuous read it is a bit of an adjustment. the character development is wonderful--one of the reasons i enjoy gaiman... and i feel he must love silas as he does dream from his sandman stories.

the story is aimed at the juvenile crowd, and is heavily influenced by kipling's the jungle book (which makes me want to revisit that story--and not disney's). i was a little hesitant to read the graveyard book yet, but i had requested it from the library and it came in. my hesitancy follows my attempt to read two other books aimed at the young adult/juvenile crowd... gilda joyce, psychic investigator, and cabinet of wonders (first in a "kronos trilogy"). i thought my criticism of the writing style was heavily influenced by the fact that i have been reading such phenominal writers/story tellers like italo calvino and jorges luis borges. i may revise that excuse. and maybe i will revisit those books. i would hate to lose the joy of a good story with the influence of schooling; however, the story telling could just be not that enjoyable regardless.
gilda joyce was a bit mature and i found her annoying. i say mature in that nate will probably want to wait on reading this one, but by the time she approaches an age or a care for the protagonist, she will probably be well past the writing's level--natalya is, at this moment, reading alice in wonderland for the umpteenth time.
i really wanted to like the cabinet book. the premise sounds really good. i will give this one a chance again later. i have read good reviews on the book from those in the young adult books industry, so the writing must be appropriate (right?) i just found it difficult to engage in. the first sentence of the book was a bit much, as did the feel of the first few chapters. the author was obliging an editor, or laboriously throwing down the groundwork to get the story, the adventure she really wants to tell--speculation by me, i hope to revise this opinion. i hope the caliber of the writing can meet the imagination the story promises.

well, i am going to read some poetry, and read to natalya esperanza rising so i might soon introduce her to a potentially more difficult book (due to subject matter) becoming naomi leon. meanwhile, sean is reading nate order of the phoenix (harry potter bk 5).

my stack of books in the library basket? juvenile, every one. [so i am also going to read some kafka, i think, and some philip k. dick, and ursula leguin.--oh and job boards for me, sigh]

right, the stack:
love that dog by sharon creech
the edge chronicles 3 and 4 by paul stewart & chris riddell (i've read the first, have yet to request the 2nd, but saw 3 and 4 and decided to go ahead).
chasing vermeer, the wright 3, and the calder game by blue balliet
fiendish deeds (book one) the joy of spooking by p.j. bracegirdle (awesome last name).
honeysuckle house by andrea cheng
the life and crimes of bernetta wallflower by lisa graff
the tapestry: the second siege by henry h. neff (read and enjoyed the 1st and this if finally out).

of course, willing to take recommendations, or even provide a few..

reading anything interesting?