Corriander Jones Saves the World - Kim English

Publisher:  Cricket Cottage Publishing

Pages: 270

Source: I purchased this

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

From Amazon:

The Old Ones are out there, waiting, and trying to get back into our dimension. All that separates us from them is a barrier known as the sieve. 

Thirteen-year-old Coriander Jones, her best friend Sam and little sister Autumn are expecting another summer as usual at Camp Happy Haven, a rundown summer camp subsidized for “lower income children.” But after the bus ride to camp turns into a battle for their very lives, Coriander discovers she is part of a mysterious, centuries-old organization that defends our world against the return of the “Old Ones,” deities that pre date written or even spoken history. Angry at being forgotten and replaced over the eons, they want to breach the sieve and re-establish their control over humanity. Along with Sam and Autumn, Coriander must work with her arch nemesis, the formerly wealthy Olivia, and the mysterious teenager, Cole, to save the world from being thrown into chaos and despair.

In between discovering her own unique powers and trying to uncover Cole’s secret agenda, Coriander must also juggle endless bureaucratic paperwork, nosy counselors, homicidal maintenance men, and the first annual Camp Happy Haven Color War.

If she survives all that, maybe she’ll have time to save the world.

My Thoughts

It is not very often my mom recommends a children's book to me.  She came home from church a couple of weeks ago with a book her friend had given her.  Her friend's daughter had written i,t and it had just been published.  My mom recommended it.  I immediately downloaded it to my Kindle.  Half way through the book I ordered a print copy for my classroom.  I knew this was a book I wanted on my shelves.

Corriander Jones is exactly the type of book I look for when purchasing books for my shelves at school.  This book made me think of several things.  We have a protagonist who fits the age group I teach.  That means the kids will be able to relate to her.  The book deals with battling different gods.  Kids who love the Percy Jackson series will love this book.  It has something that a lot of books similar to this topic does not have, a female protagonist.  A lot of my students would be able to relate to Corriander Jones because she is from a poorer neighborhood.  She and her sister, along with a couple of other friends attend the same camp every year because it is set up for disadvantaged kids.  This book teaches kids that they can accomplish what they set out to accomplish no matter what their financial circumstances.  It shows that smart kids aren't always rich kids.

The characters are very relatable.  They show the beginnings of crushes, dealing with annoying people, and most importantly not judging people until you have walked in their shoes.  The author used Florida as her character's playground.  Although some well known cities were mentioned, the setting could have been any number of places in Florida.  She did an excellent job of creating a place that anyone in Florida could identify with.

If you are looking for an adventure to read or recommend to your middle grader then I would say look no more. Corriander Jones is just sarcastic and lovable enough to entice your child into this story. There is plenty of action for both boys and girls to be interested in this series.

I definitely recommend this to teachers, librarians, parents and especially middle grade age kids.

Kim English is an author to watch for.  I don't know what she has up her sleeve next but I hope it comes soon.

Lessons Learned on the Way to the Top: A Q&A with Christopher Cloud and Book Giveaway

Christopher Cloud is the author of the YA novel “Voices of the Locusts.” The Musing of a Book Addict caught up Cloud and he shares his lessons learned on the way to the top. 

About Voices of the Locusts

Sixteen-year old Jack O’Brien has never known the bittersweet stint of love, and romance is the farthest thing from his mind as he and his family arrives at a remote U.S. Air Force outpost in Japan where Jack’s father is base commander. The year is 1948. Jack’s life changes after a chance encounter with Fujiko Kobaysi, a beautiful and enchanting 17-year-old Japanese girl. Jack is immediately smitten.

Fujiko’s traditional parents are overly protective and monitor her every move, and Jack and Fujiko meet secretly at her garden, located some distance from her village. There is a good reason why Fujiko’s parents are so protective and Jack is devastated when Fujiko tells him that her parents have promised her in marriage to an older man, a practice common throughout Asia at the time. The marriage is only a months away. Jack devises a cunning plan, one that will overshadow her arranged marriage and bring Fujiko and him together.

Playing against a backdrop of swirling post-War social change, Voices of the Locusts tells the story of three families – one black, one white, one Asian. Told in Jack’s voice in vivid and sometimes haunting detail, Jack and Fujiko are frustrated in their romantic quest by story characters coming to terms (often violently) with the emotional scars of World War II.

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Book Excerpt

            A flutter of panic races through my body. It is instantly replaced by a sweep of joy, and a strange, unnatural lucidity overcomes me.

            Fujiko and I hesitate for what seems a small eternity, our eyes locked in a moment of mutual understanding. Finally, I lean in toward Fujiko and she leans in toward me. Our eyes close and our mouths touch in a whisper-soft kiss, a brief, gentle brush of lips.

            I pull back slowly, my heart racing, my head alive with all manner of strange, warm images. This must all be a dream. A wonderful, glorious dream. I don’t want to ever wake up.

On Writing:

Q:  What motivated you to write the book?

I have carried this story in my head for 30 years. It was not until I reached my mid-60s did I have the discipline to sit down and piece the story together. Writing requires Himalayan dedication, but I was never able to demonstrate this personal commitment until late in my life. Much of my story is based upon personal experience.   

Q:  What is the single most useful thing you have learned and how has it helped you as a writer.

I am constantly amazed at the volume of copy I can produce if I dedicate three or four hours each day to writing. Working seven days a week, I wrote the first draft of “Voices of the Locusts” in about two months.

Q:  What would you say are your main literary influences?

All of my novels are multi-cultural: Native Americans, Latinos, and Asians assume pivotal roles in each of my novels. I would hope that each novel provides the reader with the knowledge that although we are all different—our language is different, as are our looks and cultures—there is a common thread of humanity that runs through all of us.

About Christopher Cloud

            Christopher Cloud began writing fiction full time after a long career in journalism and public relations. “Voices of the Locusts” is his fourth novel. A multi-genre author, Cloud’s  choice of novels to write is determined not by genre, but by the weight of the story. Cloud graduated from the University of Missouri in 1967 with a degree in journalism. He has worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist at newspapers in Texas, California, and Missouri. He was employed by a Fortune 100 company as a public relations executive, and later operated his own public relations agency. Cloud attended high school in Japan, and much of his “Voices of the Locusts” is based on personal experience. Cloud lives in Joplin, Missouri

Student Saturday: Umbrella Summer - Lisa Graff

Student Reviewer: Olivia G.

Umbrella Summer is a great book.  It's sad but good! After her brother has been struck in the heart at a hockey game, Annie Richards becomes afraid of everything, and she does not even want to walk out her door! She freaks out over some bug bites! Her friends want her to try out for cheer leading! There is no way she was doing that! Her friends will not give up! Thy know she can do it, but she refuses to try. I would be the same, trying  to do a back handspring with no experience! I can't imagine her brother dying, it made a huge impact on her life. But, with a friend at the end of the street she can change. I would say most people that love non-fiction or realistic fiction would enjoy this book. The back of the book is a great grabber. I love this book. It really relates to someone who is trying to be a risk-taker, but it's taking a while. This is a book that everyone would love.