Saturday, January 22, 2011

"The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival" by John Vaillant

A tiger crouches in the stillness of the Siberian taiga. His breaths are ragged from effort. He's spent days stalking around the cabin, his eyes trained on the man's every motion. There's a saying in the taiga--a tiger sees you one hundred times before you see it once. The man, with his sawed-off shotgun and sloppily homemade bullets, doesn't stand a chance against this four-hundred pound monster.

Vaillant uncovers this attack (and the ones that followed) piece by piece, only to discover that the tiger seemingly had a plan. Tigers are vengeful creatures--they don't hunt indiscriminately, but rather stalk and murder in premeditated attacks which sometimes last days. There are some books that take you far, far beyond any experience you've ever had in your life--The Tiger is one of those stories. Vaillant does a great job describing the poverty-struck village where townspeople are all but forced to poach for food or money. The tiger, of course, is worth an exorbitant amount of money--if he doesn't get you first. Thus, the Soviet government appointed a team of men to enforce strict anti-poaching laws. The team leader, Yuri Trush, becomes wrapped up in the mystery of the tiger and is determined to stop its reign of terror.

While telling the story, Vaillant goes on many tangents--all of which are informative, relevant, and interesting. He weaves in scientific studies about tigers as well as humans, how their behaviors have changed and evolved, and historical accounts of tigers.

This book is, quite frankly, all that is man--I can't imagine any father, brother, boyfriend, etc., not being completely wrapped up in this hunter vs. hunted tale. However, Vaillant's impeccable writing and research makes this a great read for anyone interested in nature, conservation, history, behavioral psychology, and, of course, survival.

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to buy The Tiger at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

"The Allegra Biscotti Collection" by Olivia Bennet


As an avid fan of the television show Project Runway, I was very excited when this book fell into my lap! Emma Rose is your average seventh grade girl with a flair for fashion. When a famous fashion magazine editor discovers her designs in the backroom of her father's lace shop and offers her a feature in her magazine, Emma panics and a secret identity is born: Allegra Biscotti. Allegra is everything Emma is not: cosmopolitan, sophisticated, and fearless. But when Emma has to start juggling a secret identity along with homework, a new crush, and friends, she finds out that a double life is not as glamorous as she thought.

While this book is meant for readers ages 10 and up, I still found this book to be a real treat as a college freshmen. Bennet's descriptions of the clothes and the process of making them are so precise and elaborate that the reader can picture themselves in Emma's design studio watching her work. The two-color illustrations of her sketches and doodles in the margins really bring the clothes to life and give the book a feeling of a designer's journal. This book is perfect for the tween girl with a passion for fashion!

Grace gives this book five out of five carrots!

Click here to purchase The Allegra Biscotti Collection from The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

Be sure to watch for the second book in this new series coming out in June 2011: Who, What, Wear!: The Allegra Biscotti Collection