tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223445741456528172.post1515815695277374045..comments2023-09-21T06:34:11.543-07:00Comments on Treasure Chest for Tweens: The Underneath by Kathi AppeltTween Lit Crithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12024585899610614306noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223445741456528172.post-49557960481930760352010-02-18T20:34:22.971-08:002010-02-18T20:34:22.971-08:00Thanks, Carolyn; I'll add these to my list...
...Thanks, Carolyn; I'll add these to my list...<br /><br />It's been a couple years since I read Artemis and Holes, so I can't give them a thorough review. Artemis's character alarmed me at first. He's a boy genius, operating behind his parents' backs. He is manipulative, ego-driven, and completely comfortable with skirting law and order to achieve his goal. However... he ends up building relationships with the fairy he captures and over the courses of the books, he starts to gain in humility, morality, and develops real relationships with people he formerly treated with disregard. It's not a quick change, but that makes it more believeable, and you end up rooting for his transformation. There's lots of adventure and fun action. Quite engaging. <br /><br />It has magic in terms of faires, dwarves, and the fairies getting power through the full mooon. Its not occultish. Fairies and centaurs have re-located under the earth because they lost a war with the humans and wanted to make their own home.<br /><br /> I don't remember anything else questionable unless you count the crass dwarf that unhinges his jaw to eat through earth, and it comes out the other end. Yum. <br /><br />Holes... my caution would be that in Stanley's world, I remember there being a preponderance of bad adults. (He's sent to juvie camp when falsely accused of stealing a pair of shoes.) It's part of the plot device, but just a caution. The concurrent story is a love story between a white woman and a black man which upsets the town and ends badly for them. She becomes an outlaw, but I can't remember what crimes she committed in the book. I think in the movie she kisses people that she's killed and commits suicide via snakebite. I thought that was a bit much. That might be worth checking. If I remember correctly, the love-story didn't have too much information for tweens.<br /><br />My older tween read A Year Down Yonder and thought it was funny and a great read. I haven't read it, though. <br /><br />Neither of us have read Zachary Beaver! (yet)... <br />:)Tween Lit Crithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12024585899610614306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223445741456528172.post-71996923579500078182010-02-17T12:46:15.740-08:002010-02-17T12:46:15.740-08:00We are thinking of participating in a library book...We are thinking of participating in a library book club but have some reservations about some of them already. Can you tell us if you know about any of them? Artemis Fowl, A Year Down Yonder, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, and Holes. Thank you! CarolynAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com