Angel's Heart

"Jangan jadi orang terkenal kalau tidak sanggup menghadapi risikonya!"

by Luna Torashyngu

4 of 5 stars

sumber gambar: Goodreads.com

Judul: Angel's Heart
Penulis: Luna Torashyngu
Genre: Teen fiction, romance
Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Tahun terbit: April 2013 (cetakan pertama tahun 2007)
Tebal buku: 256 halaman
ISBN: 9789792294927
Baca via Scoop

"Jangan jadi orang terkenal kalau tidak sanggup menghadapi risikonya.”

Ungkapan ini pas banget untuk Angel. Di saat kariernya sebagai penyanyi remaja mulai naik dan dia punya banyak fans, masalah mulai mendatanginya. Mulai dari kerepotannya mengatur waktu antara sekolah dan profesinya sebagai penyanyi, disirikin cewek lain yang merasa kalah populer, dimusuhin teman-teman satu sekolah gara-gara batal tampil di pensi sekolah, sampai kerepotan menghadapi wartawan gosip yang mencari tahu tentang kehidupan pribadi dan masa lalu keluarganya. Semua itu bikin dia stres!

Tapi masalah Angel yang terbesar adalah masalah “hati”. Dia penasaran banget sama Rivi, cowok misterius di sekolah yang gayanya kayak preman terminal tapi ternyata pintar main biola. Cowok itu kadang-kadang bersikap baik dan penuh perhatian pada Angel, tapi nggak jarang juga bikin Angel bete dan kesal setengah mati!

Info lebih lanjut:

Goodreads

Selalu ada alasan di balik mengapa aku kembali membaca teenlit. Apalagi, ini jatuhnya re-read. Aku punya alasan, karena aku merindukan novel ini. Kalau tidak salah ingat, Angel's Heart merupakan salah satu novel yang membuatku mulai menyukai membaca novel. Angel's Heart juga merupakan novel yang pertama kali membuatku menangis. Iya, aku merasa kok, in some way, aku receh banget karena bisa menangis karena novel teenlit.

Angel adalah penyanyi yang sedang naik daun. Albumnya terjual dengan sangat laris dan dia pun menjadi populer di kalangan para anak muda. Ia punya sahabat yang selalu mendukungnya, Vera. Akan tetapi, yang namanya selebriti, tidak mungkin hidupnya akan mudah. Berbagai macam rintangan dihadapi oleh Angel. Mulai dari percek-cokan dia dengan salah seorang penyanyi senior, ketidakhadiran Angel dalam acara pensi sekolah, hingga gosip mengenai masa lalu Angel. Yang pasti, hidup jadi orang terkenal itu nggak selamanya menyenangkan.

Nah, belum lagi, Angel pun juga harus terlibat dengan masalah percintaan remaja. Mulai dari Decky, teman Angel yang berusaha banget supaya bisa jalan sama Angel, hingga Rivi, cowok misterius yang bisa membuat Angel terbius karena permainan biolanya. Pokoknya, hidup Angel semakin penuh warna, deh. Mulai dari senang, hingga susah. 

sumber gambar: pinterest, disunting oleh saya

Baiklah. Aku sangat menyadari kalau novel ini tidaklah sesempurna novel Luna Torashyngu lainnya. Akan tetapi, aku jatuh cinta banget sama Angel's Heart. Aku juga heran kenapa aku masih bisa nangis waktu baca novel ini :( It was really silly. Mungkin, akunya aja yang memang lagi sensitif. Jadi, gampang banget nangis. Aku suka cara Luna mengaitkan berbagai peristiwa yang dialami oleh para tokohnya. Meskipun terkesan ada yang mengada-ada, I don't mind. Aku mencoba memaklumi :" Yaa, ini subjektif sebenarnya. Bagaimanapun, novel ini adalah novel yang sangat berkesan bagiku. 

Oh, ya. Selain itu, menurutku pesan yang ingin disampaikan pun cukup jelas. Bagaimanapun hidup kita nantinya, yang pasti, kejujuran dan juga usaha untuk meraih mimpi itu penting. Tidak akan ada yang bisa mengalahkan hal tersebut.

Baiklah, sepertinya singkat saja untuk resensiku kali ini.

4 bintang untuk nyanyian Sang Bidadari.

Sincerely,

Puji P. Rahayu

If My Moon was Your Sun

"You can't always see the moon, but you know it 's always there. Right?" -- Grandpa.

by Andreas Steinhofel

4 of 5 stars

Image source: goodreads.com

Title: If My Moon Was Your Sun
Author: Andreas Steinhofel
Illustrator: Nele Palmtag
Translator: Mathew A. Anderson
Genre: Children fiction, illustration book
Publisher: Plough Publishing House
Date of Publish: November, 1st 2017
Number of pages: 80 pages
ISBN: 9780874860795
I got this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Did you hear the story about Max, the boy who kidnapped his grandfather from a nursing home ? You didn't see it on the news? Well, let me tell you about it.

Max lives in a small town, much smaller than yours. His grandpa is losing his memory, but still remembers quite a bit. You can imagine how they hurried, Max and his grandpa, followed by old Miss Schneider, who insisted on coming along. Why were they in a hurry? Because everyone was after them. Max had skipped school to rescue his grandpa, and they were just starting out on what promised to be one of the best days of their entire lives.

A touching story about dementia and the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, with full-color illustrations and a read-along CD audiobook featuring twelve classical pieces for children by Georges Bizet and Sergei Prokofiev.

More info:

Goodreads

Well, in my opinion, If My Moon was Your Sun is quite different compared to another children's book that I've read before. But, it doesn't mean that I don't like this book. I really like it. The story and the illustrations are really heart-warming. 

The nursery house

One day, Max woke up from his sleep. He felt something missing. After he thought for a sec, he realized about something and decided to make some crazy plan. So, he started to prepare everything. Then, he went out to go to nursery house. Well, long story short, Max missed his grandfather. No wonder if he want to do something. Some plant that wouldn't please his mom if she knew. Do you know what Max would do? Yeah, Max would kidnap his grandfather along with Miss Schneider. What will happen next? Just read the story, guys!

Max and Miss Schneider

First of all, I would like to say, good job for the story! Maybe, you will think that this book is only about Max's adventure with his grandfather, but, there's something behind it. There is some moral value that Steinhofel want to share with. It's about family, and in some way is about the knowledge of moon. Second, I really like the illustrations. It's really good and very impressive. In my opinion, it's more like painting--and in some way, it remind me with Naela Ali's work at Story for Rainy Days. I like the color combination and the drawing itself. Nele palmtag has done her job nicely! Thumbs up for her.

Max and his grandfather

So, if you wanna know more about the story, just buy this book and feel the excitement when you read it.

4 stars for the nice painting.

Sincerely,

Puji P. Rahayu

The Girl Who Said Sorry

All I can do is be myself. Without apology!

by Hayoung Yim

5 of 5 stars

Image credit: goodreads.com

Title: The Girl Who Said Sorry
Author: Hayoung Yim
Genre: Children fiction, illustration book
Publisher: Rhyming Reason Books
Date of publish: October 5th 2017
Number of pages: 16 pages
ISBN: 9780993717499
I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Too girly or too boyish. Too thin or too fat. Too quiet, too loud. Be ambitious, but don't hurt feelings. Be inquisitive, but don't interrupt. Be outspoken, but don't be bossy. Most of all, be yourself--but be a lady.

What's a girl to do in a world filled with contradicting gender expectations, aside from saying sorry?

The way we teach politeness norms to children is often confusing, changing based on gender--and can have lasting effects. And while everyone should be courteous and accountable for their actions, apologetic language out of context can undermine confidence and perceived capability.

Within the subtle yet beautiful illustrations and powerful rhyme of "The Girl Who Said Sorry," developing girls will learn that self-expression and personal choices can be made without apology, and with confidence.

50% of profits from this book is donated to Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation campaign dedicated to empowering young girls to take action on global issues

More info:

Goodreads

Sorry. I am sorry for can't being perfect. I am sorry for everything I did. I know that everyone don't want me to do that. I am really sorry.

As a girl, you must be realize that the society ask you too much. They want you to be the girl that they want to. They never ask your opinion. They never give you a chance to speak up by your own voice. When we think about this deeply, we should know that everything in this world still into patriarchal system. When woman or girl should act and behave according the traditions. In the end, woman or girl still get the limit to express themshelves.

The excerpt

First, I thought that this The Girl Who Said Sorry was just like another children's book. But, the author, Hayoung Yim, tried to make this book different. She tried to include many moral value about a girl in society. Honestly, I really like the way Yim did what she did. I could relate with the story. The illustrations itself was really simple. But, the meaning behind it was so complicated and of course relate with the real condition in my society.

In essence, one important thing that Yim would to tell to the reader is, no matter what society want to, you should be your own self if you wanna be happy and no need apology for everything that you do.

5 stars for the discourse behind the story. 

Sincerely,
Puji P. Rahayu

Polar Bear Postman

This is Milk, the post master at Polar Bear Post Office. He delivers happiness when he delivers the mail.

by Seigo Kijima

4 of 5 stars

image source: goodreads.com

Title: Polar Bear Postman
Author: Seigo Kijima
Genre: Children's fiction, illustration book
Publisher: Museyon
Date of publish: November, 1st 2017
Number of pages: 32 pages
ISBN: 9781940842219
I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Milk is the polar bear postmaster of the forest. One day he receives a card that says “Please help!” It is from a red-crested crane couple whose chick has gone missing. Spring gives way to summer and Milk receives another post card—this time from a red-crested crane couple who live in another district telling him that they have been taking care of a lost crane chick and asking for help in finding its family. Milk is modeled on an actual polar bear living in the Kushiro Zoo in Hokkaido, who is so adept at walking erect on his two hind legs that visitors say he looks like a person in a bear suit. The bear is joined in this amusing story by a variety of animal species native to Hokkaido

More info:

Goodreads

Like I said before, I really like to read children's book. Why? Because, the book itself is cute and heartwarming. So does this book. Polar Bear Postman is an illustration book by Seigo Kijima. When I read this book, I started to fall in love with the illustrations. In my opinion, it looks like oil painting and of course, it was really good.

First excerpt.

Mr. Milk is a postman at Polar Bear Post Office. He usually works at his office to stamp all of the mail that received by the post office. Then, he would deliver it to every creature in the forest. One day, he got some letter that addressed to him. In that letter, a couple of red-crown crane told him that their baby was missing. Mir Milk knew that this problem was serious. So, he decided to ask every creature in the forest about that little-baby. He was brave enough to ask the fox and the eagle. After that, he asked help from his friend to look for the baby. Finally, some good news came and Mr. Milk succeed help the red-crown crane couple. 

Second excerpt

The story from this book is really simple. That's why I like reading children's book. I don't have to use much effort to finish it. I like the way Seigo Kijima write his work. The bear, Mr Milk, is really cute. Maybe, if I can meet him, I will hug him instantly. Then, the story won't make the reader confuse. The important thing from children's book is the moral value, and I think Kijima could deliver his value through this simple story.

Ahh, I wanna read another children's book again. It really made my day :D

4 stars for the cute bear.

Sincerely,
Puji P. Rahayu