Gecko Girl Reads: Aussie Readers

Showing posts with label Aussie Readers. Show all posts

Saturday, 3 May 2014

To read or to watch... that is the question!

	When I got back to work this year (at a high school library) we were immediately swamped by requests of "do you have the blue book?". "Sure" I said - then asked - "What blue book???" (Picture from http://www.pinterest.com/librarydoctor/) Of course the book everyone was asking for was The Fault in our Stars by John Green. Thankfully we did have 1 copy, and we quickly obtained an extra copy (along with 3 other John Green books and This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl by Esther Earl, Lori Earl, Wayne Earl - Esther was the real life inspiration for John in writing The Fault in our Stars). So I decided to jump the reserve line (perks of the job!) and read this book. I immediately expected this book to be very sad given that it starts in a cancer support group for young people but having read books like My Sisters Keeper I have to say it wasn't as sad as I was expecting which was a nice changed. I found this an easy book to read (despite the topic) and it flowed quickly. The topic of childhood cancer and death was dealt with in a matter of fact way. This book is written from a teenagers point of view and I felt it was true to that voice. The debate at school is now - do we want to go see the movie when it comes out - or wait for the DVD so we can watch it while crying in the privacy of home???? If you want a sneak peek at the movie here is the Trailer on YouTube There are so many YA books that are being made into movies right now and there is always a debate between readers and movie lovers as to what is better - the movie or the book - and if you have read the book was the movie true to the book or just 'very loosely' based on the book. Also did the actors they picked match what you envisaged in your head that the character's look like. I would have to say that there are very few movies which have lived up to their books in my opinion but a few I thought did well were Jessica by Bryce Courtenay, The Help by Kathryn Stockett (I will admit I actually saw the movie first, but in this case it helped because I had that Southern African-American voice in my head as I read), and most Nicholas Sparks books. There have been some I really hated - the one that comes up most often in these discussions is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult the ending in the movie was totally ruined (one 'explanation' I read was that this polled better with the test audience but obviously they hadn't read the book!) One TV Series which isn't 100% true to the Book Series, but that I don't mind is the Heartland Series by Lauren Brooke. Among some changes the Books are set in Virginia, America and the TV series is set in Canada but its such a great series and the main points of the book are kept that I really don't mind. Plus the senery in Canada is just AMAZING! Scholastic published the book series and you can buy the DVD series from ABC. I think they are up to Series 7 or 8 in Canada but while they have stopped showing it on TV over here ABC is thankfully still releasing the DVDs, I just picked up Series 6 part 1 today and Series 6 part 2 is due next week! So how about you - do you have a favourite adaption or do you prefer books to films?? (As a side note - this was also my Aussie Readers - March Challenge "Coming of Age Books"

When I got back to work this year (at a high school library) we were immediately swamped by requests of "do you have the blue book?". "Sure" I said - then asked - "What blue book???"

(Picture from http://www.pinterest.com/librarydoctor/)

Of course the book everyone was asking for was The Fault in our Stars by John Green. Thankfully we did have 1 copy, and we quickly obtained an extra copy (along with 3 other John Green books and This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl by Esther Earl, Lori Earl, Wayne Earl - Esther was the real life inspiration for John in writing The Fault in our Stars). So I decided to jump the reserve line (perks of the job!) and read this book. I immediately expected this book to be very sad given that it starts in a cancer support group for young people but having read books like My Sisters Keeper I have to say it wasn't as sad as I was expecting which was a nice changed.

I found this an easy book to read (despite the topic) and it flowed quickly. The topic of childhood cancer and death was dealt with in a matter of fact way. This book is written from a teenagers point of view and I felt it was true to that voice.

The debate at school is now - do we want to go see the movie when it comes out - or wait for the DVD so we can watch it while crying in the privacy of home???? If you want a sneak peek at the movie here is the Trailer on YouTube

There are so many YA books that are being made into movies right now and there is always a debate between readers and movie lovers as to what is better - the movie or the book - and if you have read the book was the movie true to the book or just 'very loosely' based on the book. Also did the actors they picked match what you envisaged in your head that the character's look like.

I would have to say that there are very few movies which have lived up to their books in my opinion but a few I thought did well were Jessica by Bryce Courtenay, The Help by Kathryn Stockett (I will admit I actually saw the movie first, but in this case it helped because I had that Southern African-American voice in my head as I read), and most Nicholas Sparks books. There have been some I really hated - the one that comes up most often in these discussions is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult the ending in the movie was totally ruined (one 'explanation' I read was that this polled better with the test audience but obviously they hadn't read the book!)

One TV Series which isn't 100% true to the Book Series, but that I don't mind is the Heartland Series by Lauren Brooke. Among some changes the Books are set in Virginia, America and the TV series is set in Canada but its such a great series and the main points of the book are kept that I really don't mind. Plus the senery in Canada is just AMAZING! Scholastic published the book series and you can buy the DVD series from ABC. I think they are up to Series 7 or 8 in Canada but while they have stopped showing it on TV over here ABC is thankfully still releasing the DVDs, I just picked up Series 6 part 1 today and Series 6 part 2 is due next week!

So how about you - do you have a favourite adaption or do you prefer books to films??

(As a side note - this was also my Aussie Readers - March Challenge "Coming of Age Books"

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Review of Don't Fence Me In - Grassroots Wisdom From a Country Girl

Don't Fence Me In: Grassroots Wisdom From a Country Girl
by Rachael Treasure

	This is truly a 'treasure' of a book (pun intended!) Rachael Treasure who, to quote an incident from this book is the 'godmother' of Aussie Rural Authors, has branched out from her usual brilliant Rural Novels to impart us with some home grown, grassroots Aussie Cowgirl wisdom. Even if your not a farm girl (or even one at heart) this little gem of a book has something for everyone. I have to admit when I finally got a copy of this book my mum actually borrowed (stole) it off me and read it first, I had to keep telling her to stop 'spoiling' it for me by reading out tasty titbits but its just that kind of book. With everything from sustainable farming to hugging your kids (something we practice in my family!) this is the kind of book you will go back to time and again. This book will make a perfect present for your daughter, your mother, sister, your best friend.... yourself. Just do yourself a favour and get a copy! This was also number to on my list for the Aussie Readers Challenge 2014!

This is truly a 'treasure' of a book (pun intended!)

Rachael Treasure who, to quote an incident from this book is the 'godmother' of Aussie Rural Authors, has branched out from her usual brilliant Rural Novels to impart us with some home grown, grassroots Aussie Cowgirl wisdom. Even if your not a farm girl (or even one at heart) this little gem of a book has something for everyone.

I have to admit when I finally got a copy of this book my mum actually borrowed (stole) it off me and read it first, I had to keep telling her to stop 'spoiling' it for me by reading out tasty titbits but its just that kind of book. With everything from sustainable farming to hugging your kids (something we practice in my family!) this is the kind of book you will go back to time and again.

This book will make a perfect present for your daughter, your mother, sister, your best friend.... yourself. Just do yourself a favour and get a copy!

This was also number to on my list for the Aussie Readers Challenge 2014!

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

1st Book for the Aussie Reading Challenge

The Rabbits

by John Marsden, Shaun Tan (Illustrator)

I chose this book as part of the Aussie Author Challenge 2014 (Fantasy Book) as Fantasy really isn't my genre to read and I knew we had this in our school library. I had seen it before I actually never read it.

This was an 'alternative' telling of the immigration of Australia, with the 'Rabbits' invading the territory of the native animals. Not only do they come, but the ruin the land and leave it barren.

With amazingly detailed drawings by Shaun Tan this is a great retelling of what happened to Australia, even if hopefully we don't ruin Australia as bad as the Rabbits did