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Between Two Ends
When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.
Praise for Between Two Ends
“A book about a book within a book. Ward presents just enough of an outline of the traditional Arabian Nights frame story to set the stage for modern readers, while creating his own fantasy within the fantasy to grab their attention.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A satisfying chapterbook fantasy.” – Booklist
“Both the fantastical and the real settings are well developed. The gruff and amusing bookend pirates are the perfect mix of heroism and pragmatism to complement Yeats.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.
Praise for Between Two Ends
“A book about a book within a book. Ward presents just enough of an outline of the traditional Arabian Nights frame story to set the stage for modern readers, while creating his own fantasy within the fantasy to grab their attention.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A satisfying chapterbook fantasy.” – Booklist
“Both the fantastical and the real settings are well developed. The gruff and amusing bookend pirates are the perfect mix of heroism and pragmatism to complement Yeats.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2010
8 people are currently reading
609 people want to read
About the author
David Ward
223 books20 followersDavid Ward was born in Montreal and grew up in Vancouver. He was an elementary school teacher for eleven years before completing his master's degree. He is the author of the Grassland trilogy and is a writer and university instructor in children's literature. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 9, 2013
'Between Two Ends' relies on childrens-book all time favourite premise of the characters being transported into the story they are reading. Nothing excites bookworm children more that the possibility of that happening. I should know I was one.
Yeats (yes, there is a lot references to poetry in the book) ends up inside '1001 Arabian Nights'. I really wouldn't want to reveal more of the plot because the 'exposition' is done so brilliantly I wouldn't want to spoil it. It's better to enter the mysterious house of Gran the same way that Yeats enters it - knowing nothing except that something is definitely off.
This book has all the expected components of adventure children's books and all little (and not so little) fans of Inkheart or Neverending Story should be satisfied.
I have found a few inconsistencies regarding the fantasy world created by the author and I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out. Let's just say, that Yeats has nothing on Harry Potter.
But other than that, it's an enjoyable book, so order some Middle-Eastern nibbles, sit down comfortably and let yourself be transported.
Yeats (yes, there is a lot references to poetry in the book) ends up inside '1001 Arabian Nights'. I really wouldn't want to reveal more of the plot because the 'exposition' is done so brilliantly I wouldn't want to spoil it. It's better to enter the mysterious house of Gran the same way that Yeats enters it - knowing nothing except that something is definitely off.
This book has all the expected components of adventure children's books and all little (and not so little) fans of Inkheart or Neverending Story should be satisfied.
I have found a few inconsistencies regarding the fantasy world created by the author and I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out. Let's just say, that Yeats has nothing on Harry Potter.
But other than that, it's an enjoyable book, so order some Middle-Eastern nibbles, sit down comfortably and let yourself be transported.
July 18, 2017
Between Two Ends by David Ward is a quick read, but still very good.
The story begins a boy named Yeats. When Yeats finds out the real reason why his father is depressed, he begins an adventure to bring a girl by the name of Shari Sutcliff back home. Why? Well, Shari is trapped in a book, and has been for 20 years. In his Gram's library he meets two bookends and jumps into the story of The Arabian Nights, in an effort to rescue Shari from her grief, and rescue his parents' marriage.
I enjoyed the book's plot line. I wish the book would have described the setting a bit more for visual purposes, and flowed a bit better. I personally felt that the story was told too quickly, and that it could've been developed a bit better. Between Two Ends demonstrated the power of a magical book as well as the power of loss. Overall, I liked the book.
The story begins a boy named Yeats. When Yeats finds out the real reason why his father is depressed, he begins an adventure to bring a girl by the name of Shari Sutcliff back home. Why? Well, Shari is trapped in a book, and has been for 20 years. In his Gram's library he meets two bookends and jumps into the story of The Arabian Nights, in an effort to rescue Shari from her grief, and rescue his parents' marriage.
I enjoyed the book's plot line. I wish the book would have described the setting a bit more for visual purposes, and flowed a bit better. I personally felt that the story was told too quickly, and that it could've been developed a bit better. Between Two Ends demonstrated the power of a magical book as well as the power of loss. Overall, I liked the book.
April 22, 2024
An magical, romantic, fast-paced, action adventure about a boy determined to fix his father's mistakes 20 years ago, and rescue the damsel in distress. Talking cats, pirates, and excerpts from Arabian Knights. This was fun.
January 4, 2014
Christmas Gift
This was an interesting reading experience. It was well-written and interesting, but it was paced somewhat oddly. I had planned to read only the beginning and then go to bed, but the story moved well and I found myself going ahead and continuing to the next chapter each time one ended. However, I kept glancing down at the Kindle notation that tells me how far into the book I've already gotten, and being surprised to see how much of it I'd already read. The first third of the book was entirely introductory, technically very little had happened. I'm not sure why the author structured that beginning the way that he did, as the plot synopsis and book description on all websites (GoodReads, Amazon, etc.) all explained what was being presented as a surprise. In the first 40% (approx) of the book, you meet 5 characters. Of these, two have no idea what's going on, one has had a blocked memory of what's going on for 2 decades, one appears crazy, and the other appears eccentric. The information that they're all struggling against is the info provided in the single paragraph of available book description. So why spend so many pages sneaking up on it? Then the actual action of the book takes place over less than 24 hours. The main challenge that Yeats has to worry about is actually resolved within just a few minutes when the time comes. Very strange. The book was good, I enjoyed it, the story kept moving right along and drawing me with it, but in reality there wasn't very much story here at all. I really expected to spend far more time in the book world, especially if the book they were in was a book about continuous ongoing story-telling. I'm giving it 4 stars entirely for the experience of reading it, because I enjoyed that. But quality-wise I'm not sure that it really deserves more than 3 because there's so little substance.
This was an interesting reading experience. It was well-written and interesting, but it was paced somewhat oddly. I had planned to read only the beginning and then go to bed, but the story moved well and I found myself going ahead and continuing to the next chapter each time one ended. However, I kept glancing down at the Kindle notation that tells me how far into the book I've already gotten, and being surprised to see how much of it I'd already read. The first third of the book was entirely introductory, technically very little had happened. I'm not sure why the author structured that beginning the way that he did, as the plot synopsis and book description on all websites (GoodReads, Amazon, etc.) all explained what was being presented as a surprise. In the first 40% (approx) of the book, you meet 5 characters. Of these, two have no idea what's going on, one has had a blocked memory of what's going on for 2 decades, one appears crazy, and the other appears eccentric. The information that they're all struggling against is the info provided in the single paragraph of available book description. So why spend so many pages sneaking up on it? Then the actual action of the book takes place over less than 24 hours. The main challenge that Yeats has to worry about is actually resolved within just a few minutes when the time comes. Very strange. The book was good, I enjoyed it, the story kept moving right along and drawing me with it, but in reality there wasn't very much story here at all. I really expected to spend far more time in the book world, especially if the book they were in was a book about continuous ongoing story-telling. I'm giving it 4 stars entirely for the experience of reading it, because I enjoyed that. But quality-wise I'm not sure that it really deserves more than 3 because there's so little substance.
July 27, 2012
Like the concept, but it started off a little slow and not sure it will grab students... Have finally got into the story... Liked the sea of words and the pirate insults... Will comment when done...
a high 3 stars but will kids make it past exposition?
a high 3 stars but will kids make it past exposition?
November 29, 2021
When two friends discover they can magically enter the world of a book they take off for an adventure in the Arabian Nights with dire consequences. Now the son of one of those adventurers who managed to return has to find a way to unravel the consequences of Dad’s earlier trip. Wasn’t bad- kept moving with reasonable logic and maybe a few lucky occurrences and saves to bring about success. The story ends on the promise of another adventure into books but, alas, my library system has none of this series. Found this one at Salvation Army store.
March 27, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! Yeats' wish to be transported into the Arabian Nights story to find Shari after 20 years was filled with both wonder but also filled with perilous adventure. Also Shari was a great character and really bad ass! For being a middle grade read, there were a lot of layers to the characters and the story.
May 24, 2021
Well it took me 10 years before I finally decided to read the advanced readers edition of this book that I got in a free book bin in my old NYC apartment, and I'm glad I held onto it! It was so much fun! There were a few places where I misread a sentence or it just moved too subtly/quickly and I had to reread a detail, but it was a fun, fast paced adventure. So satisfying!
May 16, 2025
It was slow at the beginning but the rest was amazing I wish there was a sequel! 😔
May 19, 2011
Every reader has dreamed of entering the world portrayed in the books they read. This tale tells the story of one girl, Shari, that got her wish. Not only did she join the world of Arabian Nights that she loved reading about, but she played the role of one of her favorite characters, Shaharazad. The only problem with entering the book realm is that over time you lose yourself in the book, as every reader does, and forget where you came from to begin with. The only way to break the wish and return to reality is to truly want, with all your heart, to return home. Unfortunately for those that loved Shari, she was lost and didn’t remember that another reality existed outside the story she was in. Now, years later, the man that lost his childhood friend has returned to the point where everything started, the library of his mother. Back at the beginning, the man tries to put the story together in his head as the memories are clouded and nothing seems to make sense. However, his son, Yeats, puts the story together first. He finds a pirate bookend in the garden, and once reunited with his partner in the library, Yeats catches the pirates doing magic. His reward? A wish pertaining to the book world. It’s then that Yeats figures out what happened to his father’s friend, and chooses to enter the world of the Arabian Nights and bring Shari back to the ones that love her.
I received this book as an ARC on netgalley and was thrilled. However, my moving and changing jobs really put a damper on my reading, and I’m just now finishing, after release date (May 1st, 2011). However, once I started reading I couldn’t put the book down. The book is short and easy to read, so it made for a nice easy read with an enticing plot.
From the very beginning the author sets up question after question, unraveling the mysteries of Gran’s house and the secrets about the library. The reader simply rides along side Yeats on the journey to answers as he discovers the magic within the bookends and makes his wish to prove that his father is not crazy. The author uses the pretense that Yeats mother, Faith, will leave his father, William, because she feels that he’s going insane with all his nonsense stories of burly men stealing away his childhood friend. She doesn’t understand the story, and William doesn’t seem to have the important answers. If Yeats can somehow bring Shari back, he could prove that his father is not crazy and his family won’t fall apart. Personally, I felt that this motivation behind Yeats was a bit cheap. Yeats constantly whined about how his family would fall apart if Shari didn’t come back with him, and I would have liked to see a bit more substance behind his reasons for wanting Shari back. I’m not very creative, so I don’t know what that substance would be, but it just felt a little off how it was.
There were a couple other things that I would have liked to see flushed out a bit more in the story. For one, I’d like to know the significance of the wishing well. I feel that it played an important role in the story, but I don’t understand exactly how it ties into the magic of the bookends. The author never explains what the significance is of this particular wishing well. At first I thought it was because the house had magical properties, but the story explains that all the magic is in the book ends, not the house. Therefore, what’s so special about the well? I also don’t understand the significance of the cat, Odysseus, and his inability to die until Shari returned. Was it because he had taken the journey with her on her wish? I wish more had been explained about this as well.
Despite my questions, I felt the storyline was well explained and made sense. To me this was a simple light read with very little depth, which doesn’t make it bad. I enjoyed the story, beginning to end, but never truly immersed myself in the book. I feel that the author could have delved a bit deeper, answered a few more questions, made you feel for the characters a bit more. As it stands, I didn’t truly feel anything for the characters; no impending doom or happiness, or sadness. They were just there as mechanisms to make the story progress. I also felt that many of my questions went unanswered, as I’ve explained above. My verdict is that this book is a good book to cleanse your pallet with after a long or difficult read, or what you take with you on the train or plane where you don’t want to have to think too hard. However, I am glad the author left the storyline wide open for a sequel. Maybe he’ll write a second and some of my questions will be answered.
My rating? Good, but not amazing.
I received this book as an ARC on netgalley and was thrilled. However, my moving and changing jobs really put a damper on my reading, and I’m just now finishing, after release date (May 1st, 2011). However, once I started reading I couldn’t put the book down. The book is short and easy to read, so it made for a nice easy read with an enticing plot.
From the very beginning the author sets up question after question, unraveling the mysteries of Gran’s house and the secrets about the library. The reader simply rides along side Yeats on the journey to answers as he discovers the magic within the bookends and makes his wish to prove that his father is not crazy. The author uses the pretense that Yeats mother, Faith, will leave his father, William, because she feels that he’s going insane with all his nonsense stories of burly men stealing away his childhood friend. She doesn’t understand the story, and William doesn’t seem to have the important answers. If Yeats can somehow bring Shari back, he could prove that his father is not crazy and his family won’t fall apart. Personally, I felt that this motivation behind Yeats was a bit cheap. Yeats constantly whined about how his family would fall apart if Shari didn’t come back with him, and I would have liked to see a bit more substance behind his reasons for wanting Shari back. I’m not very creative, so I don’t know what that substance would be, but it just felt a little off how it was.
There were a couple other things that I would have liked to see flushed out a bit more in the story. For one, I’d like to know the significance of the wishing well. I feel that it played an important role in the story, but I don’t understand exactly how it ties into the magic of the bookends. The author never explains what the significance is of this particular wishing well. At first I thought it was because the house had magical properties, but the story explains that all the magic is in the book ends, not the house. Therefore, what’s so special about the well? I also don’t understand the significance of the cat, Odysseus, and his inability to die until Shari returned. Was it because he had taken the journey with her on her wish? I wish more had been explained about this as well.
Despite my questions, I felt the storyline was well explained and made sense. To me this was a simple light read with very little depth, which doesn’t make it bad. I enjoyed the story, beginning to end, but never truly immersed myself in the book. I feel that the author could have delved a bit deeper, answered a few more questions, made you feel for the characters a bit more. As it stands, I didn’t truly feel anything for the characters; no impending doom or happiness, or sadness. They were just there as mechanisms to make the story progress. I also felt that many of my questions went unanswered, as I’ve explained above. My verdict is that this book is a good book to cleanse your pallet with after a long or difficult read, or what you take with you on the train or plane where you don’t want to have to think too hard. However, I am glad the author left the storyline wide open for a sequel. Maybe he’ll write a second and some of my questions will be answered.
My rating? Good, but not amazing.
September 24, 2011
>>Original post: http://thereadersbookblog.blogspot.co...
Some books are so good that you want to get lost in them. You want to wander the streets of Revolution's France, smell the salty Sea Wolf's air, and wish upon Pinocchio's stars. What story would you choose to wake up in?
Yeats is a smart kid. He knows that his dad, William, has been depressed for a very long time and that his parents are on the verge of divorce. He also knows that for some reason, this trip to his grandmothers house is a last ditch effort to save his father's sanity and marriage. Gran's house is old and kind of creepy, filled with strange and timeless wonders. Gran has one house guest, Mr. Sutcliff, who is the grandfather of a girl that William knew when he was a kid. As children, Shari and William played together and read through the books in the magical library. When Shari disappeared, William was devastated. He couldn't remember anything about her disappearance, leading him to believe he had gone insane. Shortly after arriving at Gran's house, while the adults talk about magic and history, Yeats wanders into the garden where he finds a bronze pirate bookend. When he replaces the bronze pirate in the library, he unknowingly reunites a pair of magical bookends that make him an offer. The pirates, known as Skin and Bones, have the ability to take Yeats into any story he wants. Having heard that William and Shari once got lost in the story of 1001 Arabian Nights, Yeats decides to go into the story where he believes Shari has been living for the last twenty years. What seems like a simple plan to find Shari and bring her home turns into a wild adventure that threatens to cost Yeats his life.
Yeats is kind of an average kid. There's nothing spectacular about him, which might be his appeal. However, he does seem incredibly courageous, which is kind of a necessary quality for a young hero. I really enjoyed the characters of Skin and Bones but I had a hard time finding the differences between them--I guess pirates are all one and the same. I was okay with that, though, because after all, they're only bookends so they don't have to be multi-dimensional characters. Shari was the weakest character in my opinion. Her transition from the role of Shaharazad back to her Shari self was a little too tidy for me. She strikes me as a somewhat typical ingénue, showing sparks of bravery and gumption, but never really filling out her character. Also, I would have liked to see more of Gran. She seems like a spunky old lady who could have so much more to say. The way the book left off, I can't help but think that there's another one (or two) in the works, so maybe we'll see the characters evolve a bit in the future.
It seems like magic is a common theme in young adult books these days. I suppose that's because magic offers so many limitless possibilities. I admit that I enjoy a good magical story, but I especially love the combination of magic and books. The magic that I see in real life can always be explained in some way, but in a story magic doesn't have to have logic. No science required. David Ward has created a delightfully magical story in which characters boat through the sea of words to get to the living lands of a book, and fight for their life to return to reality.
ARC received courtesy of Abrams Books
Rating: $$
Some books are so good that you want to get lost in them. You want to wander the streets of Revolution's France, smell the salty Sea Wolf's air, and wish upon Pinocchio's stars. What story would you choose to wake up in?
Yeats is a smart kid. He knows that his dad, William, has been depressed for a very long time and that his parents are on the verge of divorce. He also knows that for some reason, this trip to his grandmothers house is a last ditch effort to save his father's sanity and marriage. Gran's house is old and kind of creepy, filled with strange and timeless wonders. Gran has one house guest, Mr. Sutcliff, who is the grandfather of a girl that William knew when he was a kid. As children, Shari and William played together and read through the books in the magical library. When Shari disappeared, William was devastated. He couldn't remember anything about her disappearance, leading him to believe he had gone insane. Shortly after arriving at Gran's house, while the adults talk about magic and history, Yeats wanders into the garden where he finds a bronze pirate bookend. When he replaces the bronze pirate in the library, he unknowingly reunites a pair of magical bookends that make him an offer. The pirates, known as Skin and Bones, have the ability to take Yeats into any story he wants. Having heard that William and Shari once got lost in the story of 1001 Arabian Nights, Yeats decides to go into the story where he believes Shari has been living for the last twenty years. What seems like a simple plan to find Shari and bring her home turns into a wild adventure that threatens to cost Yeats his life.
Yeats is kind of an average kid. There's nothing spectacular about him, which might be his appeal. However, he does seem incredibly courageous, which is kind of a necessary quality for a young hero. I really enjoyed the characters of Skin and Bones but I had a hard time finding the differences between them--I guess pirates are all one and the same. I was okay with that, though, because after all, they're only bookends so they don't have to be multi-dimensional characters. Shari was the weakest character in my opinion. Her transition from the role of Shaharazad back to her Shari self was a little too tidy for me. She strikes me as a somewhat typical ingénue, showing sparks of bravery and gumption, but never really filling out her character. Also, I would have liked to see more of Gran. She seems like a spunky old lady who could have so much more to say. The way the book left off, I can't help but think that there's another one (or two) in the works, so maybe we'll see the characters evolve a bit in the future.
It seems like magic is a common theme in young adult books these days. I suppose that's because magic offers so many limitless possibilities. I admit that I enjoy a good magical story, but I especially love the combination of magic and books. The magic that I see in real life can always be explained in some way, but in a story magic doesn't have to have logic. No science required. David Ward has created a delightfully magical story in which characters boat through the sea of words to get to the living lands of a book, and fight for their life to return to reality.
ARC received courtesy of Abrams Books
Rating: $$
April 19, 2011
Description:
When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.
David Ward was born in Montreal and grew up in Vancouver. He was an elementary school teacher for eleven years before completing his master's degree. He is the author of the Grassland trilogy and is a writer and university instructor in children's literature. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their three children.
My thoughts...
I really enjoyed reading this book...it was definitely my guilty pleasure every night after everyone went to dream land - I stayed up for an hour or more, not wanting to put my NookColor down!
The story was very unique and took you on a journey that as a reader you will never forget. As a lover of many books, young and old, I am now wanting to go read "Arabian Nights"...and another classic book listed at the end of the story (you will have to read this book to find out!). The ending sets the reader and author up for a sequel, which I cannot wait to read!
I loved everything about this book! I loved the adventure and the humour, I loved the courage and the self-sacrifice of the young hero of the book, I loved the realism of his grandmother and the moodiness of his father. I loved the magic and the use of poetry throughout the book as well - it really kept you yearning for more.
I was so scared for Yeats (a 12 year old boy) who just wants to help his distressed family. I couldn't wait to see what would happen to him, Shari and her grandfather in the story...what an amazing adventure they all went through and for Shari it lasted 20 years. Could you imagine being stuck inside of a story for 20 years??? Thinking and believing that you were the main character? Everything in this book was very real - the descriptions, the characters. It made me feel along with them, the danger, the anguish, the sorrow, the redemption.
Thank You so much Net Galley and Abrams Books (Amulet Books) for allowing me to read this book! I cannot wait to read more books from you in the future!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these books free from the publisher through the Net Galley review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.
David Ward was born in Montreal and grew up in Vancouver. He was an elementary school teacher for eleven years before completing his master's degree. He is the author of the Grassland trilogy and is a writer and university instructor in children's literature. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their three children.
My thoughts...
I really enjoyed reading this book...it was definitely my guilty pleasure every night after everyone went to dream land - I stayed up for an hour or more, not wanting to put my NookColor down!
The story was very unique and took you on a journey that as a reader you will never forget. As a lover of many books, young and old, I am now wanting to go read "Arabian Nights"...and another classic book listed at the end of the story (you will have to read this book to find out!). The ending sets the reader and author up for a sequel, which I cannot wait to read!
I loved everything about this book! I loved the adventure and the humour, I loved the courage and the self-sacrifice of the young hero of the book, I loved the realism of his grandmother and the moodiness of his father. I loved the magic and the use of poetry throughout the book as well - it really kept you yearning for more.
I was so scared for Yeats (a 12 year old boy) who just wants to help his distressed family. I couldn't wait to see what would happen to him, Shari and her grandfather in the story...what an amazing adventure they all went through and for Shari it lasted 20 years. Could you imagine being stuck inside of a story for 20 years??? Thinking and believing that you were the main character? Everything in this book was very real - the descriptions, the characters. It made me feel along with them, the danger, the anguish, the sorrow, the redemption.
Thank You so much Net Galley and Abrams Books (Amulet Books) for allowing me to read this book! I cannot wait to read more books from you in the future!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these books free from the publisher through the Net Galley review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
May 21, 2011
Yeats Trafford, age 12, visits his grandmother, who lives in a creepy house which has more than the usual creeks and moans. The garden seems able to sense Yeats presence, especially near the old wishing well. From that weird experience, Yeats uncovers an old pirate bookend that was “kicked out” of the library 20 years earlier. Yeats cleans the old guy and takes him to gran’s library, reuniting him with his matching bookend. From there, a strange yet believable world opens up to Yeats. He has heard the story of his father’s own journey with the pirate bookends and is determined to make the same trip. Yeat’s wants to finish his father’s journey hoping it will keep his parents together. Yeats must bring home the girl left behind 20 years ago when she and Yeat’s father went on their own journey. Where does Yeats and the pirate bookends (named Skin and Bones), journey? Into the pages of The Arabian Nights.
Yeats must find a way to bring Shari, Shaharazad in the story, home without actually rescuing her. Shari/Shaharazad must want to return on her own before the spell she is under will break – a spell only Shaharazad remembering another reality can break. Yeats cannot force her to return. Yeat’s father could not get Shari, now living as Shaharazad, to return. She has been inside the story for 20 years. Yeats has an impossible task before him. Funny guys Skin and Bones refuse to help. Maybe it’s of a pirate’s code (of dishonor)? Skin and Bones transport Yeats, leaving him on his own, inside the shore of The Arabian Nights
I really liked this story. It was difficult to put the book down. There is adventure, romance, harrowing action and lots of humor, especially from Skin and Bones. Shari has been in the story as Shaharazad, the king’s storyteller and the one person who can get the king to sleep. Shaharazad might be telling the king boring stories, but in Between Two Ends, not one boring word can be found. The author, David Ward, does a masterful job creating the world of The Arabian Nights, capturing the lost souls, the resident’s desperation, and the danger Yeats encounters, brilliantly.
The “original” Arabian Nights, known in the US as A Thousand-and- One Arabian Nights, has more than 1000 pages in some older versions. A currently available version has 912 pages. David Ward’s Between Two Ends could easily be part of an Arabian Nights tale for the twenty-first century. Plus, with less than 300 pages, it is a faster read.
Note: received from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher.
Yeats must find a way to bring Shari, Shaharazad in the story, home without actually rescuing her. Shari/Shaharazad must want to return on her own before the spell she is under will break – a spell only Shaharazad remembering another reality can break. Yeats cannot force her to return. Yeat’s father could not get Shari, now living as Shaharazad, to return. She has been inside the story for 20 years. Yeats has an impossible task before him. Funny guys Skin and Bones refuse to help. Maybe it’s of a pirate’s code (of dishonor)? Skin and Bones transport Yeats, leaving him on his own, inside the shore of The Arabian Nights
I really liked this story. It was difficult to put the book down. There is adventure, romance, harrowing action and lots of humor, especially from Skin and Bones. Shari has been in the story as Shaharazad, the king’s storyteller and the one person who can get the king to sleep. Shaharazad might be telling the king boring stories, but in Between Two Ends, not one boring word can be found. The author, David Ward, does a masterful job creating the world of The Arabian Nights, capturing the lost souls, the resident’s desperation, and the danger Yeats encounters, brilliantly.
The “original” Arabian Nights, known in the US as A Thousand-and- One Arabian Nights, has more than 1000 pages in some older versions. A currently available version has 912 pages. David Ward’s Between Two Ends could easily be part of an Arabian Nights tale for the twenty-first century. Plus, with less than 300 pages, it is a faster read.
Note: received from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher.
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April 21, 2012In a sentence or so: Yeats must save a childhood friend of his father who is trapped inside of a classic story before she gets stuck there forever.
Things haven't been great between Yeats's parents. His mother tries to be patient with his father's moods and the family frequently moves to try and help the situation. Nothing is working. Yeats knows, even as a pre-teen, that his parents are headed for a split. He just wishes there was something, ANYTHING, he could do to break his father's gloom once and for all.
Yeats and fam arrive at his Gran's house as a last ditch effort to save their family. The house seems an odd choice, however, given that the whole place has a creepy vibe and is home to an ageless cat named Odysseus. Upon investigating his surroundings, Yeats discovers the core of his father's sadness is within the pages of a book and finds there just might be a way he can set things right for everyone. He will have to be brave, he will have to be clever, and he will have to survive by entering a The Arabian Nights and saving a girl all by himself.
Between Two Ends by David Ward is one of those reads that gives many nods to other classic works of literature. I loved that! Grandma makes reference to The Hobbit, Yeats is named after a poet so of course we get all sorts of poetry dropped on us, and the brave adventure Yeats must undertake is to save a girl from within the pages of The Arabian Nights. All of the literature shout-outs definitely made my bookish heart go pitter-pat!
I will always and forever have a soft spot for middle grade books. There is something that is unabashedly hopeful and whimsical and fun about them that I can't resist. Between Two Ends is no different! Sure, we all know how it ends. But it is the journey that we want anyway! We want to see how it is Yeats saves the girl, how he remains brave in a foreign land all by himself, and we want to see the love and commitment for his family in his heart.
For a light middle grade fantasy with literary shout outs and a shot of silly characters to keep you entertained, read Between Two Ends by David Ward.
Fave quote: "A plan?" Mr. Sutcliff raised an eyebrow. "Well, we are in a story. Something will present itself. Have you forgotten? We will have action. There is no story unless things happen." (217-218)
Fix er up: I worry about the message that Yeats is able to cure his father's depression and that it minimizes the disease. I don't think that's what the author is trying to do, but I could definitely see that message being portrayed anyway.
Things haven't been great between Yeats's parents. His mother tries to be patient with his father's moods and the family frequently moves to try and help the situation. Nothing is working. Yeats knows, even as a pre-teen, that his parents are headed for a split. He just wishes there was something, ANYTHING, he could do to break his father's gloom once and for all.
Yeats and fam arrive at his Gran's house as a last ditch effort to save their family. The house seems an odd choice, however, given that the whole place has a creepy vibe and is home to an ageless cat named Odysseus. Upon investigating his surroundings, Yeats discovers the core of his father's sadness is within the pages of a book and finds there just might be a way he can set things right for everyone. He will have to be brave, he will have to be clever, and he will have to survive by entering a The Arabian Nights and saving a girl all by himself.
Between Two Ends by David Ward is one of those reads that gives many nods to other classic works of literature. I loved that! Grandma makes reference to The Hobbit, Yeats is named after a poet so of course we get all sorts of poetry dropped on us, and the brave adventure Yeats must undertake is to save a girl from within the pages of The Arabian Nights. All of the literature shout-outs definitely made my bookish heart go pitter-pat!
I will always and forever have a soft spot for middle grade books. There is something that is unabashedly hopeful and whimsical and fun about them that I can't resist. Between Two Ends is no different! Sure, we all know how it ends. But it is the journey that we want anyway! We want to see how it is Yeats saves the girl, how he remains brave in a foreign land all by himself, and we want to see the love and commitment for his family in his heart.
For a light middle grade fantasy with literary shout outs and a shot of silly characters to keep you entertained, read Between Two Ends by David Ward.
Fave quote: "A plan?" Mr. Sutcliff raised an eyebrow. "Well, we are in a story. Something will present itself. Have you forgotten? We will have action. There is no story unless things happen." (217-218)
Fix er up: I worry about the message that Yeats is able to cure his father's depression and that it minimizes the disease. I don't think that's what the author is trying to do, but I could definitely see that message being portrayed anyway.
February 22, 2013
As seen on my blog:
I picked up this book from the shelves at the library based solely on it's cover-do you SEE..that cover!? The artwork is INSANELY beautiful. I LOVE middle-grade cover art, like, to the point of obsession. When I finally got around to tearing my eyes away from the front of the book, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I read the synopsis. A musty library..pirates..transport directly INTO books!? Are you kidding me!? Yes..PLEASE.
I wasn't completely blown away by magic and fantastical feelings by the time I finished it, but this book made me nostalgic in so many warm ways. I loved the idea of the story line, and the author created a back story that transitioned very nicely into the adventurous part of the tale. There were definitely influences from InkHeart, and Aladdin, and I couldn't get enough of of the beautiful and vivid imagery that sprung to the front of my mind as I read and compared-Middle Eastern countries provide such extraordinary backdrops for fiction. Even the descriptions of Yeat's grandmother's house at the beginning were the exact right amount of creepy-I wish the story lingered there just a liiittle longer.
The main characters were, sadly, a little one-dimensional to me, especially Yeats. I know his family situation called for his character to be a little bit wise beyond his years, but with this being middle-grade fiction, I expected him to break out of the chains that held him down at home, and become a more carefree, adventurous 12-year old once he entered an unknown world. I also found it a little unrealistic how quickly he picked up on the speech patterns of that time, it was almost instantaneous. Two characters I absolutely ADORED however, were Skins and Bones, the pirate book ends. They were ENDLESSLY entertaining, and had me laughing out loud whenever they had dialogue-pirates, how can you NOT love they're blunt humour?
Overall, this story was cute, and gained major points for bringing me back to my childhood Disney years, but unfortunately, it fell short of fantastic. I'm fairly new to Middle Grade, well, as an adult anyways, so Between Two Ends was a short and sweet introduction into the genre.
I picked up this book from the shelves at the library based solely on it's cover-do you SEE..that cover!? The artwork is INSANELY beautiful. I LOVE middle-grade cover art, like, to the point of obsession. When I finally got around to tearing my eyes away from the front of the book, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I read the synopsis. A musty library..pirates..transport directly INTO books!? Are you kidding me!? Yes..PLEASE.
I wasn't completely blown away by magic and fantastical feelings by the time I finished it, but this book made me nostalgic in so many warm ways. I loved the idea of the story line, and the author created a back story that transitioned very nicely into the adventurous part of the tale. There were definitely influences from InkHeart, and Aladdin, and I couldn't get enough of of the beautiful and vivid imagery that sprung to the front of my mind as I read and compared-Middle Eastern countries provide such extraordinary backdrops for fiction. Even the descriptions of Yeat's grandmother's house at the beginning were the exact right amount of creepy-I wish the story lingered there just a liiittle longer.
The main characters were, sadly, a little one-dimensional to me, especially Yeats. I know his family situation called for his character to be a little bit wise beyond his years, but with this being middle-grade fiction, I expected him to break out of the chains that held him down at home, and become a more carefree, adventurous 12-year old once he entered an unknown world. I also found it a little unrealistic how quickly he picked up on the speech patterns of that time, it was almost instantaneous. Two characters I absolutely ADORED however, were Skins and Bones, the pirate book ends. They were ENDLESSLY entertaining, and had me laughing out loud whenever they had dialogue-pirates, how can you NOT love they're blunt humour?
Overall, this story was cute, and gained major points for bringing me back to my childhood Disney years, but unfortunately, it fell short of fantastic. I'm fairly new to Middle Grade, well, as an adult anyways, so Between Two Ends was a short and sweet introduction into the genre.
April 6, 2011
Between Two Ends is a fun, rollicking adventure set in an old Maine house surrounded by literature and the dusky landscape of the classic One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. Yeats, a boy of 12, has the weight of the world on his shoulders – or more like the pressure to keep his family together. He’s young, but intelligent. His father seems to be falling into insanity and all Yeats can do is try to hold him up. This makes him wise beyond his years and quite the courageous boy.
Yeats instantly grabbed hold of my heart. He’s such a sweet boy and he’s ready to throw caution to the wind in an attempt to salvage his parent’s marriage and his father’s sanity. In the process, he learns of the secrets that have been tearing his father apart for past twenty years and discovers that he might be able to save more than one person one his journey.
I don’t want to give anything away, but you have to know that this book is wonderful. It’s surprising and magical and full of adventure. This is a story that boys, girls, adults, and anyone in between will enjoy. It starts off a bit slow, but once Yeats ventures into – yes, into – One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, things really take off. Ward mixes the classic story of Shaharazad with Yeats’ poetry-obsessed family and the result is an adventure with swash-buckling bookends, dutiful daughters, sword-fighting, and the bond of family.
Between Two Ends was a delight to read. The Arabian village jumps off the page and the references to poetry, which could easily seem out of place, aid the story by giving the characters quirks that older readers will appreciate, but younger readers won’t dismiss. Yeats’ journey is heartfelt and sweet, but holds deeper themes that all readers will enjoy. The ending is satisfying, but leaves the reader hopeful for some more magic; especially when they find out where that magic may lead to.
Yeats instantly grabbed hold of my heart. He’s such a sweet boy and he’s ready to throw caution to the wind in an attempt to salvage his parent’s marriage and his father’s sanity. In the process, he learns of the secrets that have been tearing his father apart for past twenty years and discovers that he might be able to save more than one person one his journey.
I don’t want to give anything away, but you have to know that this book is wonderful. It’s surprising and magical and full of adventure. This is a story that boys, girls, adults, and anyone in between will enjoy. It starts off a bit slow, but once Yeats ventures into – yes, into – One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, things really take off. Ward mixes the classic story of Shaharazad with Yeats’ poetry-obsessed family and the result is an adventure with swash-buckling bookends, dutiful daughters, sword-fighting, and the bond of family.
Between Two Ends was a delight to read. The Arabian village jumps off the page and the references to poetry, which could easily seem out of place, aid the story by giving the characters quirks that older readers will appreciate, but younger readers won’t dismiss. Yeats’ journey is heartfelt and sweet, but holds deeper themes that all readers will enjoy. The ending is satisfying, but leaves the reader hopeful for some more magic; especially when they find out where that magic may lead to.
May 25, 2011
I loved the idea behind this story. Young Yeats must venture into a book to save a friend of his father's who has been trapped there for many years. When the story starts, Yeats has no idea of what happened to his father when he was younger, nor does his mother. Yeats' grandmother and the young girl in question's father, though, know a lot about magic and travelling into books and such. SO WHY DO THEY NEVER SAY ANYTHING?? Nowhere is it implied that all of this is a big secret and that people who know about it cannot talk about it, so why would Yeats' father feel like he was crazy and like he had to forget what happened all those years ago? It makes no sense.
Again, this was a great story. I had a few problems, though. First, the writing was choppy in places and while I am not a big reader of scenic passages, the action sequences here were so short and discombobulated that I had a lot of trouble following what was happening, who was where and who was fighting whom. Second, I really disliked the characters of the bookends. I know the author put them there as a necessity to entering the book world, so they can't be taken out completely, but I felt they were silly and poorly characterized and written. I wish they could have been more seamlessly put into the world. Finally, the side story of the other bookend and the boy really felt disconnected. I thought there would be a reason for their existence, but I there didn't seem to be one.
Overall, middle school students will enjoy this story, and not notice some of the problems I did. It's a great way to get students interested in other fantasy stories and to help them imagine what would happen of they entered some of their favorite stories.
I received this as an ARC from Net Galley and no money was exchanged.
Again, this was a great story. I had a few problems, though. First, the writing was choppy in places and while I am not a big reader of scenic passages, the action sequences here were so short and discombobulated that I had a lot of trouble following what was happening, who was where and who was fighting whom. Second, I really disliked the characters of the bookends. I know the author put them there as a necessity to entering the book world, so they can't be taken out completely, but I felt they were silly and poorly characterized and written. I wish they could have been more seamlessly put into the world. Finally, the side story of the other bookend and the boy really felt disconnected. I thought there would be a reason for their existence, but I there didn't seem to be one.
Overall, middle school students will enjoy this story, and not notice some of the problems I did. It's a great way to get students interested in other fantasy stories and to help them imagine what would happen of they entered some of their favorite stories.
I received this as an ARC from Net Galley and no money was exchanged.
May 30, 2011
A middle grade fantasy, Between Two Ends takes readers on a trip into 1001 Nights as the young protagonist, Yeats, attempts to save Shari who has been lost in the story for twenty years.
The concept of going into books is one I (and probably most readers) very much appreciate. The thought of actually entering our favorite stories, of interacting with the characters, smelling the air, touching the objects, tasting the food, tantalizes. I am not sure if it was my first experience with this conceit, but the most memorable for me is Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair, the first book in the Thursday Next series. While in Fforde's series, the ability to enter books, multiple books, is central to world building, in Between Two Ends, it is merely a conceit to tell an adventure tale.
Yeats accompanies his father and mother on a "revitalization" trip, one of his father's sporadic attempts to break free from a depression (and a confusion) which has been plaguing him for most of his life. This trip is the big one, a return to the house where it all started, a last ditch effort to save himself and his marriage. Yeats understands the importance of the trip and wishes for nothing more than to keep his family together. When he gets the opportunity to help by bringing back the girl lost to his father twenty years ago, he winds up in Arabia searching for Shaharazad (Shari).
From that point on, the book is pure adventure with swashbuckling pirates, scimitar wielding palace guards, talking panthers, and daring escapes. All of this action seems fitting and effective for a middle grade novel, and I believe that the intended audience will enjoy the fast-pace and the unique adventures. And I must say, I quite enjoyed it too.
The concept of going into books is one I (and probably most readers) very much appreciate. The thought of actually entering our favorite stories, of interacting with the characters, smelling the air, touching the objects, tasting the food, tantalizes. I am not sure if it was my first experience with this conceit, but the most memorable for me is Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair, the first book in the Thursday Next series. While in Fforde's series, the ability to enter books, multiple books, is central to world building, in Between Two Ends, it is merely a conceit to tell an adventure tale.
Yeats accompanies his father and mother on a "revitalization" trip, one of his father's sporadic attempts to break free from a depression (and a confusion) which has been plaguing him for most of his life. This trip is the big one, a return to the house where it all started, a last ditch effort to save himself and his marriage. Yeats understands the importance of the trip and wishes for nothing more than to keep his family together. When he gets the opportunity to help by bringing back the girl lost to his father twenty years ago, he winds up in Arabia searching for Shaharazad (Shari).
From that point on, the book is pure adventure with swashbuckling pirates, scimitar wielding palace guards, talking panthers, and daring escapes. All of this action seems fitting and effective for a middle grade novel, and I believe that the intended audience will enjoy the fast-pace and the unique adventures. And I must say, I quite enjoyed it too.
April 17, 2011
I don't often review middle-grade books. I have nothing against them, I just tend to enjoy the more complex characters and plots that I find in older YA books. When I read the summary for this book, however, I knew that this was going to be one of the exceptions.
This book was comforting. That's the best way to describe it. Reading this book was like watching a movie from childhood. The main character is a child who is trying to hold his family together. In spite of being faced with a depressed father and parents on the brink of divorce, the main character moves through the story with innocence and determination. In true middle-grade fashion, he doesn't get upset or morose about it. He goes forth and tries to fix the situation in a way only a child can-- he goes on a magical quest to fix everything.
My favorite part of this book was definitely the pacing. The set up takes about fifty pages (which go by very quickly), and the plot progresses at good pace from there. My mother is a fourth grade teacher, and one of the things she requires of a book she reads to her students is that it moves quickly and that each ten pages or so has a "hook." This book fulfilled that in my mind, but I wasn't meticulously counting pages. Instead, I looked down at the page number and realized I had read a hundred pages without thinking that the books was dragging at all.
Rating: 4 stars-- I don't think I'll be making middle-grade books a regular occurrence, but this book was a nice change of pace for me, and I will definitely be recommending it to my mother.
Other Tangential Thoughts: I received this book for review from Netgalley (Thank you!).
This book was comforting. That's the best way to describe it. Reading this book was like watching a movie from childhood. The main character is a child who is trying to hold his family together. In spite of being faced with a depressed father and parents on the brink of divorce, the main character moves through the story with innocence and determination. In true middle-grade fashion, he doesn't get upset or morose about it. He goes forth and tries to fix the situation in a way only a child can-- he goes on a magical quest to fix everything.
My favorite part of this book was definitely the pacing. The set up takes about fifty pages (which go by very quickly), and the plot progresses at good pace from there. My mother is a fourth grade teacher, and one of the things she requires of a book she reads to her students is that it moves quickly and that each ten pages or so has a "hook." This book fulfilled that in my mind, but I wasn't meticulously counting pages. Instead, I looked down at the page number and realized I had read a hundred pages without thinking that the books was dragging at all.
Rating: 4 stars-- I don't think I'll be making middle-grade books a regular occurrence, but this book was a nice change of pace for me, and I will definitely be recommending it to my mother.
Other Tangential Thoughts: I received this book for review from Netgalley (Thank you!).
April 15, 2011
Between Two Ends tells the adventurous story of Yeats (and the equally adventurous story of his father, William) while visiting his grandmother's house in Maine. His father is fighting depression leaving his parents at odds with each other after so many years of trying to find treatment. Yeats desperately wants to keep his family together and risks it all to save them - and also help repair his father's image.
This was a really clever book. One of the downsides to a lot of children's literature is that some books are written with a smaller vocabulary and at times I believe that's doing a large disservice to the kids who read them. Being that this is a book that touches heavily on literature and poetry (Yeats and William Yeats, among others) it is very believable that Yeats, even at his age, is an incredibly smart boy. He is very much aware of the issue between his parents and does everything he can to mend it, even if it means going on an incredible adventure to save someone he doesn't even know.
Although the story has references to poetry, they're mentioned in such an easy way as to mesh in well with the overall plot and are not at all out of place. After Yeats meets a pair of half witty, all swashbuckling pirates he begins on an adventure he barely knew he'd be taking. Once he reaches The Arabian Nights the story comes alive with such vivd and intelligent descriptions that it's very easy to lose yourself (no pun intended!) to it without realising you're turning the page. Sword fights, vegetables, escaping, prisons and cats abounds. This is a book everyone can love.
This was a really clever book. One of the downsides to a lot of children's literature is that some books are written with a smaller vocabulary and at times I believe that's doing a large disservice to the kids who read them. Being that this is a book that touches heavily on literature and poetry (Yeats and William Yeats, among others) it is very believable that Yeats, even at his age, is an incredibly smart boy. He is very much aware of the issue between his parents and does everything he can to mend it, even if it means going on an incredible adventure to save someone he doesn't even know.
Although the story has references to poetry, they're mentioned in such an easy way as to mesh in well with the overall plot and are not at all out of place. After Yeats meets a pair of half witty, all swashbuckling pirates he begins on an adventure he barely knew he'd be taking. Once he reaches The Arabian Nights the story comes alive with such vivd and intelligent descriptions that it's very easy to lose yourself (no pun intended!) to it without realising you're turning the page. Sword fights, vegetables, escaping, prisons and cats abounds. This is a book everyone can love.
July 20, 2011
The aspiration of every storyteller is to make the reader believe that they are part of the story. But what if the story is so real, so wonderful, that the reader forgets and instead believes the fiction? And what if you had to get that reader to remember that it’s not real, because by doing so you might help someone you love? What if by even attempting it, you might also become caught in the story’s grasp and become lost to reality forever?
That’s the dilemma facing twelve-year-old Yeats Trafford, whose father entered the world of the Arabian Nights as a child and almost became trapped. He wished himself back, but the girl he accompanied, Shari, did not. Now, twenty years later, the father’s depression threatens Yeats’s family. Yeats must enter the story and bring Shari (now Shaharazad) back by her own free will and, in doing so, rescue his father.
But the storyworld won’t let her go so easily.
Transported to the shores of the Arabian Peninsula by no less than a recalcitrant pair of magical bookends (naturally), named Skin and Bones, Yeats faces considerable challenges. Things don’t go so well. In fact, we begin to question whether Yeats will even survive the experience long enough to get himself out, much less convince Shari to come with him.
“Between Two Ends,” a reference to Skin and Bones and an allusion to being within the story itself, satisfies without overcomplicating. Well paced, well plotted and enthralling from first page to last, David Wards achieves the storyteller’s goal on several levels while reintroducing us to a world at once familiar and strange. A perfect read for hesitant readers and well recommended for any boy or girl.
That’s the dilemma facing twelve-year-old Yeats Trafford, whose father entered the world of the Arabian Nights as a child and almost became trapped. He wished himself back, but the girl he accompanied, Shari, did not. Now, twenty years later, the father’s depression threatens Yeats’s family. Yeats must enter the story and bring Shari (now Shaharazad) back by her own free will and, in doing so, rescue his father.
But the storyworld won’t let her go so easily.
Transported to the shores of the Arabian Peninsula by no less than a recalcitrant pair of magical bookends (naturally), named Skin and Bones, Yeats faces considerable challenges. Things don’t go so well. In fact, we begin to question whether Yeats will even survive the experience long enough to get himself out, much less convince Shari to come with him.
“Between Two Ends,” a reference to Skin and Bones and an allusion to being within the story itself, satisfies without overcomplicating. Well paced, well plotted and enthralling from first page to last, David Wards achieves the storyteller’s goal on several levels while reintroducing us to a world at once familiar and strange. A perfect read for hesitant readers and well recommended for any boy or girl.
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December 28, 2015Book: Between Two Ends (2011)
Author: David Ward
My Story with: The book was released May 2011 and I got a copy from Amulet Books via NetGalley a long time before that. This is the first galley I finished reading using my new and addictive Kindle, but I started reading it using Aldiko on my Android device.
My View: The book was not what I was expecting. I was thinking the story was a more adult orientated one, but I was gladly surprised when I started reading it. Other than the constant mention of the psychological problems by one of the characters, the rest of the content is suitable for kids 10 yrs. or older with some mild violence.
The story flows logically and with turns and twists in the right places. Some of the descriptive pages were too long as well as some scenes. It took a minute to build up the plot and the climax of the story, but from that point on it was a great read. The characters are well developed and the book is written in a cohesive manner.
I can see many other adventures for these characters from here on. The story is inviting and interesting. It allows for the imagination to flourish and it does a great job transporting the reader into the story with the characters. I can visualize myself inside many other books.
What I like the most: was the idea of going into the books and taking part in the story.
I wanted more: action and less descriptions. The book can be shorten a couple of pages.
Who should read it: anyone looking for a family friendly read.
Author: David Ward
My Story with: The book was released May 2011 and I got a copy from Amulet Books via NetGalley a long time before that. This is the first galley I finished reading using my new and addictive Kindle, but I started reading it using Aldiko on my Android device.
My View: The book was not what I was expecting. I was thinking the story was a more adult orientated one, but I was gladly surprised when I started reading it. Other than the constant mention of the psychological problems by one of the characters, the rest of the content is suitable for kids 10 yrs. or older with some mild violence.
The story flows logically and with turns and twists in the right places. Some of the descriptive pages were too long as well as some scenes. It took a minute to build up the plot and the climax of the story, but from that point on it was a great read. The characters are well developed and the book is written in a cohesive manner.
I can see many other adventures for these characters from here on. The story is inviting and interesting. It allows for the imagination to flourish and it does a great job transporting the reader into the story with the characters. I can visualize myself inside many other books.
What I like the most: was the idea of going into the books and taking part in the story.
I wanted more: action and less descriptions. The book can be shorten a couple of pages.
Who should read it: anyone looking for a family friendly read.
April 14, 2011
I picked this book because I thought it sounded really interesting and because the main characters name was Yeats. However, I wasn't sure that I was going to like this book. I couldn't have been more wrong.
The grandmother's house is the kind of house I would love. It's mysterious, there are tons of places to explore, there's even a wishing well on the grounds. The most mysterious place in the house is the library, it comes complete with a cat that doesn't appear to age, and pirate bookends that not only come to live, but can grant wishes. Not just any wishes though, the wishes must pertain to books.
I thought that this was such a creative plot. I love that the family is intelligent and bookish, as evidenced by naming the son Yeats. The idea that someone could wish themselves into a book, which they access via a sea of words is incredible to me. The author's choosing The Arabian Nights was so unique. It is a classic, but to use that specific book as the backdrop for a modern YA novel was a brave choice that is used beautifully.
It opens up the world of classic literature to a new audience and the action will draw in anyone who picks up the book. The characters are engaging. I don't know whom to love more, the grandmother, the cat Odysseus or the pirate bookends. Yes, the family is a little dysfunctional, but you can't help but love the wonderful blend of literature, magic and eccentricity.
March 3, 2014
Yeats' father has had issues with depression for just about as long as he can remember. Yeats is starting to worry because it seems to be getting worse and he can tell his mom is about ready to give up on his dad. His dad says he is making one more attempt to conquer this by going to visit his mother for a weekend, and the rest of the family comes with him. It soon becomes clear that the depression was brought on by an event that happened twenty years ago in that house, and it somehow involved a copy of the Arabian Nights. Yeats isn't too clear on all the details, but his Dad seems to think that his friend Shari disappeared into the Arabian Nights tale and somehow he is to blame. Yeats fears his father is actually crazy, but when two magical bookends inform him he gets a wish which involves going into a book, Yeats soon realizes his dad isn't crazy and it is up to him to rescue Shari out of the tale. Which isn't going to be easy because Shari actually thinks she is Shaharazad.
While I like the concept of traveling into a story, I think it has been done better elsewhere. I had a hard time getting into this story and didn't feel like it ever had much momentum. I never felt like I really connected much with the characters and often felt rushed from one thing to the next once in Arabia. I did like the pirate bookends and how they provide the magic (and comic relief). But overall, just feel like it's a mediocre middle grade offering.
While I like the concept of traveling into a story, I think it has been done better elsewhere. I had a hard time getting into this story and didn't feel like it ever had much momentum. I never felt like I really connected much with the characters and often felt rushed from one thing to the next once in Arabia. I did like the pirate bookends and how they provide the magic (and comic relief). But overall, just feel like it's a mediocre middle grade offering.
July 11, 2011
Every child who loves stories wishes at least once in their lifetime the ability to be a part of the story. In the book "Between Two Ends" we find this is exactly what has happened. Yeats Trafford has returned to his grandmother's house with his mother and father. His parent's marriage is falling apart because of his father' depression. Yeats learns that his father and a young girl had entered the story of The Arabian Nights when they were children. Her father wished himself out of the story but Shari stayed. This has been the source of his father's depression. Twenty years have passed. Yeats finds a missing pirate bookend in the garden and reunites it with its mate in the library. From here his adventures begin. He wishes to be taken to Shari so he can convince her to wish herself home. Once in the story things don't go as smoothly as he hopes and he finds danger everywhere. This was a very quick read for me. I read it in under 2 hours and sat on the edge of my seat the entire time. I wondered if he would be successful, how he would get out, how he would convince someone who didn't remember the past he told her about. Would he be killed? The ending was quite satisfying and the action non-stop. I received this book from net-galley. I will however need to purchase a copy for my school shelves because this was a wonderful book.
August 10, 2016
The book is told entirely from Yeats's perspective, which works because he's a pretty great character. Resourceful and (for the most part) smart, he has a lot at stake and as a reader you honestly want him to succeed.
The story runs at a slower pace than I'm used to for a YA novel, although that's not a bad thing. It takes its time, but the journey is an enjoyable one and it doesn't meander. There's nothing dragging it down, it runs at the pace it's meant to and does such a wonderful job building up tension I couldn't put it down... well, until we got to the ending.
I thought the buildup was far better than the payoff. Things start slowly and come together piece by piece, every bit adding to the tension of the situation, and it's just too well done for the quick and easy resolution. When I realized there were only 50 pages left to the story, I was disappointed on two levels. One, because I'd been enjoying the book enough I wanted it to last longer, but also because I knew it meant I'd be looking at an anti-climactic ending. And if it's not clear already, anti-climactic endings make me cranky.
In all fairness, though, I doubt the quick and easy ending would bother the younger readers this book is actually aimed at. There are some fun actiony bits to be had after an intriguing adventure, so it's only grumpy-pants like me who will do any grumbling.
The story runs at a slower pace than I'm used to for a YA novel, although that's not a bad thing. It takes its time, but the journey is an enjoyable one and it doesn't meander. There's nothing dragging it down, it runs at the pace it's meant to and does such a wonderful job building up tension I couldn't put it down... well, until we got to the ending.
I thought the buildup was far better than the payoff. Things start slowly and come together piece by piece, every bit adding to the tension of the situation, and it's just too well done for the quick and easy resolution. When I realized there were only 50 pages left to the story, I was disappointed on two levels. One, because I'd been enjoying the book enough I wanted it to last longer, but also because I knew it meant I'd be looking at an anti-climactic ending. And if it's not clear already, anti-climactic endings make me cranky.
In all fairness, though, I doubt the quick and easy ending would bother the younger readers this book is actually aimed at. There are some fun actiony bits to be had after an intriguing adventure, so it's only grumpy-pants like me who will do any grumbling.
August 1, 2011
I have, like, 17 book reviews in my queue, but I HAD to bump this one up to the front. I started this book yesterday morning...and finished last night.
What a fantastic book! I loved it. The adventure was intriguing, the story was interesting, the details about magic, books and wishes were brilliant. It was clean, it was entertaining, it was awesome. I was not disappointed at all. The ending was a lead in to a sequel, and I can't wait to read it.
I was, however, a little confused by some things. I had a hard time understanding exactly where Gran's house is. It sounded like this was all set in Europe, but then Yeats mentions his Gran's address is in the US. Also, Yeats is not really described. His father (as a boy) is vaguely described, and we know he looks just like his father. Other than that, I guess the rest is up to the imagination.
Again, this was a fantastic book. It reminded me a lot of Inkheart, but not in an annoying way. It didn't feel like the author copied the Inkheart story, it just had the same adventure feeling, and they both happen to involve traveling into books. The reading level is middle grade, but I think YA readers will also enjoy this story.
Highly, highly recommended.
What a fantastic book! I loved it. The adventure was intriguing, the story was interesting, the details about magic, books and wishes were brilliant. It was clean, it was entertaining, it was awesome. I was not disappointed at all. The ending was a lead in to a sequel, and I can't wait to read it.
I was, however, a little confused by some things. I had a hard time understanding exactly where Gran's house is. It sounded like this was all set in Europe, but then Yeats mentions his Gran's address is in the US. Also, Yeats is not really described. His father (as a boy) is vaguely described, and we know he looks just like his father. Other than that, I guess the rest is up to the imagination.
Again, this was a fantastic book. It reminded me a lot of Inkheart, but not in an annoying way. It didn't feel like the author copied the Inkheart story, it just had the same adventure feeling, and they both happen to involve traveling into books. The reading level is middle grade, but I think YA readers will also enjoy this story.
Highly, highly recommended.
April 26, 2011
The idea of being lost in a story is familiar to almost any avid reader. It's a reason many of us read. To escape the world and become part of a new one. This is what happens to young Yeats in Between Two Ends. He goes into a story to rescue someone who has become lost in the book. Literally.
I loved this book! There was a beautiful mix of poetry and drama. Of course, what would you expect of a book with the main character named for a famous poet. It was a quick read, but it never felt rushed. Things moved at a steady pace until the end. There was a wonderful absurdity to the dialogue. The author painted such a vivid picture that it was easy for me to become lost in the worlds of this book. Both of them. You can almost hear some Rimsky-Korsakov in your head as events in Shererazade's world unfold.
I've always loved the story of Scheherazade. I almost wish we could have seen a bit more of what it was like to live the part. However, I can see how it wasn't relevant to the plot at hand. I would highly recommend this book to children and adults. It's a fun read, and it left me wanting more adventures with Yeats and his crew.
Galley for review provided by publisher
I loved this book! There was a beautiful mix of poetry and drama. Of course, what would you expect of a book with the main character named for a famous poet. It was a quick read, but it never felt rushed. Things moved at a steady pace until the end. There was a wonderful absurdity to the dialogue. The author painted such a vivid picture that it was easy for me to become lost in the worlds of this book. Both of them. You can almost hear some Rimsky-Korsakov in your head as events in Shererazade's world unfold.
I've always loved the story of Scheherazade. I almost wish we could have seen a bit more of what it was like to live the part. However, I can see how it wasn't relevant to the plot at hand. I would highly recommend this book to children and adults. It's a fun read, and it left me wanting more adventures with Yeats and his crew.
Galley for review provided by publisher
April 18, 2011
Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Date reviewed: 18 April 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5176
Between Two Ends by David Ward is one fantastic, satisfying read. It’s all I ever want in an adventure-fairy tale kind of fiction. You see, I’ve always adored the Arabian Nights… and the story of Scheherezade, the legendary Persian Queen who spin stories night after night for her beloved husband who only marries a virgin and sends them to the gallow the day after their wedding because of the betrayal of his first wife.
And now, reading Between Two Ends, I was hurled into the world of One Thousand Nights where her world became alive. I feel like a child again when I read this book. It has such a positive effect on me.
This is a very interesting and wonderful read, and I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves a good fairy tale adventure.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this ARC in exchange of an honest review from Abrams Books via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this.
Date reviewed: 18 April 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5176
Between Two Ends by David Ward is one fantastic, satisfying read. It’s all I ever want in an adventure-fairy tale kind of fiction. You see, I’ve always adored the Arabian Nights… and the story of Scheherezade, the legendary Persian Queen who spin stories night after night for her beloved husband who only marries a virgin and sends them to the gallow the day after their wedding because of the betrayal of his first wife.
And now, reading Between Two Ends, I was hurled into the world of One Thousand Nights where her world became alive. I feel like a child again when I read this book. It has such a positive effect on me.
This is a very interesting and wonderful read, and I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves a good fairy tale adventure.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this ARC in exchange of an honest review from Abrams Books via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this.
July 21, 2011
This tale of fantasy and adventure contains a story within a story. 12-year-old Yeats finds himself in the dangerous land of the Thousand and One Arabian Nights, a book of folk & fairy tales set in long-ago Arabia. He is transported over a sea of words by two pirates, Skin and Bones.
It all started when Yeats, along with his dad and mom, decided to visit Gran in her eerie house. After the weird cat Odysseus leads Yeats to the pirate bookends and to the ancient book, true adventure begins. Yeats needs to find Shaharazad, who is really his dad's childhood friend, Shari. Shari has been in the Arabian Nights story so long that she thinks she really is Shaharazad and Yeats faces great dangers in trying to convince her to come back to the world she left behind as a young girl. The guards who keep Shaharazad safe carry swords and they are very good at using them. Yeats has to use his wits and trust the pirates to help him, in order to keep his head from "joining the cabbages".
Between Two Ends is a story offering adventure, danger, heroes, and humor - just right for summer reading or a family read-aloud.
It all started when Yeats, along with his dad and mom, decided to visit Gran in her eerie house. After the weird cat Odysseus leads Yeats to the pirate bookends and to the ancient book, true adventure begins. Yeats needs to find Shaharazad, who is really his dad's childhood friend, Shari. Shari has been in the Arabian Nights story so long that she thinks she really is Shaharazad and Yeats faces great dangers in trying to convince her to come back to the world she left behind as a young girl. The guards who keep Shaharazad safe carry swords and they are very good at using them. Yeats has to use his wits and trust the pirates to help him, in order to keep his head from "joining the cabbages".
Between Two Ends is a story offering adventure, danger, heroes, and humor - just right for summer reading or a family read-aloud.
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