Midwestern Lodestar

MotherReader: The Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

2009-05-28T19:59:00.000-05:00

MotherReader: The Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

Mother Reader's 4th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge!

2009-05-27T21:00:00.008-05:00

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEXT WEEKEND???

Love books? Looking for an excuse to blow off everything for 48 hours to indulge your reading jones?

Head on over to Mother Reader's place for the scoop on the 48 Hour Book Challenge! I've participated in the past three challenges and loved every gritty-eyed moment. This time, I'm out -- on a solo road trip during the designated challenge weekend - but I urge all you other book-devouring souls to get over to Mother Reader's blog NOW to sign up.

It's crazy fun, and this time around has new options for adult books, graphic novels, even reading book blogs - and an option to read for a terrifically worthy cause, too! There are cool winner prizes and random rockin' door prizes! (As if allowing yourself to read whatever you want for 2 full days isn't prize enough - sheesh!)

Go - what are you waiting for?!!! And hey, read 30 books for me!!!

Disconnecting From the Universal Umbilical Cord

2009-03-21T13:54:00.004-05:00

With so many things in life, focus waxes and wanes.

And it seems that we've got ever increasing means to fill up even the tiniest slice of our time thanks to all of those innumerable, ever-populating technological gadgets. Between the Blackberry, the cell phone, the computer, Facebook, Twitter, the Blogosphere, YouTube, Hulu, the missed episode of Gray's Anatomy on ABC.Com it's a wonder we can focus at all.

Where does real life get sandwiched in?

And where does it leave reading?

I've thought a lot this past week about books. I love them. Talking about books and their power to enlighten and empower and engage and entertain is the one subject that lights up my entire soul.

Yet after another 14 hour day of reading screen after screen of digital imagery, the stress of that jittery amalgam of information creates a desire to just close my eyes and my mind to try to find a real sense of peace.

In the six months that I've been away from Midwestern Lodestar (and most of the other book blogs) I have read - I couldn't really live without it - but I just couldn't seem to move forward with the act of engaging in one more "remote" interaction by chatting it up in the vacuum of cyberspace.

I don't think I'm alone. Why else would there be a move to have face-to-face Kidlitosphere events? We are all connected 24/7 - but remotely, abstractly, distantly.

There are many who bemoan what they see as the imminent demise of the hands-on daily newspaper. Magazines become more and more photo and sound-bite oriented every day. The digital book reading devices continue to proliferate. Movies are watched on a 3 inch I-Pod screen. Will the current generation, who have lived in this connected but disconnected world their whole lives be the ones to finally and firmly reject the traditional concept of the book? Why do bits of Fahrenheit 451 come to mind more and more often?

I used to make it a mission to see all of the nominees for Best Picture before the Oscar broadcast each year. This year, for the first time in nearly a decade, I decided to resume that quest. And I saw them - all five - in a single day, all in actual movie theaters. Sure, there were annoying talkers and sticky floors and exorbitant prices - but the visceral experience of sharing the film with other physically present human beings was a heady thing. I found myself seeing another "live" film the following weekend - just to savor the "being there" moment of it again.

I feel that same pulse in a bookstore sometimes and often in a used bookstore. It's the devotion to reading - and to books - that is the current that draws people together in these spaces. I do not feel that in many libraries anymore. Too often, they have become the technological way stations for those who do not have access to the 24/7 connectors at home -- and the vast areas once filled with books are now a sea of computers at which sit completely isolated individuals pursuing the new dream of communicating with the world without ever really connecting with anyone in it.

Reading a fabulous picture book still feeds the spirit, but not in the way that reading a fabulous picture book with a group of children does. The connection, the moment, the common experience - we are losing these moments every day and in our headlong rush to stay connected 24/7, I wonder if we will notice before it's too late?

Stepping out of the information stream is jarring. Some nights I still see the random electronic flashing of all the digital screens I've absorbed into my retinas playing against my closed eyelids.

Even so, I do step out as a gift to myself.

I give myself the gift of connection and I take that great picture book in and do an adult story time at coffee break. I give myself a gift of time away from the universal umbilical cord and spend a day at the movie theater. Or perhaps I give myself one of the most precious gifts of all - the stress free delight of unbroken focus - and do nothing at all but lose myself in a book.

And sometimes, I also choose not to dilute that experience by uploading it straight back into the collective consciousness here at Lodestar.

-- ZG

Day 36

2008-09-28T21:19:00.004-05:00

No, it's not a new YA series, it's the number of consecutive 10+ hour days I have spent at work. And sadly, I fear the the number will go nowhere but up.

Nonetheless, I still make attempts to read the books that beckon from my "renewed-three-times-and-then-reserved-at-another-library-and-renewed-from-there-three times" pile.

Yeah, completely lunatic levels of optimism....

Did I mention I just completed Day 36?

But I am driven to post quickly tonight about Suzanne Collins' THE HUNGER GAMES.

I did the agonizing "just one chapter" test of a bunch of my "for heaven's sake, just take it back - you owe money now!" titles and this one caught me.

Seriously - the last line of the first chapter? I dare you not to read on.

Even with my computer-screen addled eyes, I could not put it down until I finished last night.

It was just the thing for my mood: intrigue, cruel societal norms, plucky heroine, intriguing leading man, themes worth considering, death, survival, humor.... tons of good stuff!

And what's more - it quite obviously will spawn a sequel!

I know this is a really lousy review -- and this is a truly fine book that deserves a more fluent mind and pen than I can currently manage -- so look beyond all that to realize how seriously I am recommending it given my nearly out-of-body weariness.

Pick this one up - it's worth your time.

I've thought about it all day today.

-- ZG

Book of the Summer

2008-07-09T00:40:00.004-05:00

I've read quite a bit since the 48HBC - some good, some not so good. Have not been moved to share or comment on any of them until now, when I find myself honor-bound to throw a spotlight on my favorite book of Summer 2008:

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger.

This is one of those books that you read straight through and then wish like anything that you'd made yourself slow down so that it would have lasted longer.

It's also one of those books that are tough to describe succinctly.

It's about friendship and love and support and becoming what you were meant to be. It's about families and relationships and good humor and disappointment and sorrow. It's about opening your life to other hearts, other lives, other possibilities. It's about making a stand for something that matters, and for believing in something, and for doing whatever is within your power to make something better or make something whole and right again - even if it's for someone or something that does not directly affect you. It's about the flow of life between generations, nationalities, disabilities and sexual preferences. It's funny, heartwarming and stylistically entertaining. And yes, as promised on the cover, it is also about Love, Fenway Park and Mary Poppins --- but in wonderful twisty ways that are surprising, endearing and memorable.

I finished this at 3 AM Sunday morning and immediately ordered a copy for my bookshelf (it is definitely a keeper and a read-againer) and emailed Steve Kluger about my reaction to his novel. Cool soul that he is, he replied the same day.

Do not miss this one.

Seriously.

- ZG

Flood of Emotion

2008-06-22T20:29:00.005-05:00

It's been a rough couple of weeks here in the Midwest.

The water rose and rose and rose some more, erasing familiar landmarks in a murky swirl. That surreal environment was haunting and unsettling and nearly unimagineable.

Little did we know that as the water took its leave, the indelible marks left on those same landmarks would be infinitely more unsettling and heartbreaking.

Many tears have been shed for the loss of homes, schools, churches, businesses, and countless untold precious treasures --and among those precious treasures are the books that made up the heart of my hometown library's collection.

All of you who love books and the power of words will know the utter sadness engendered by these photos released by the Cedar Rapids Library staff this week....

Consider sending a prayer and a smile and maybe a book or two their way.

-- ZG

Finish Line

2008-06-08T15:23:00.006-05:00

27 books
6479 pages
31 hours

It's a weird thing to do this challenge.
One book after the next.
Liberating and indulgent, sure.
But also gluttonous and shallow.

There's not time to savor the story a while.
Or to recall a particular passage or phrase.
Or to wipe away a tear.
Or to seek out someone to read a piece aloud to.

I want to talk more about all of the books I read for the challenge -
but now is not the time,
as time is up.

48 hours goes by very quickly.

Too many books, too little time.

- ZG

Sunday Books

2008-06-08T14:30:00.002-05:00

Blue Like Friday
Siobhan Parkinson
154
A tender Irish tale about two pals on a crazy mission to break up a burgeoning relationship.
Go Big or Go Home
Will Hobbs
185
Ah, Will Hobbs, catapults, Crazy Horse, meteors, cave exploration, alien life forms, guard dogs, bison-leaping, coroner dreams - need I say more?
Hurricane: A Novel
Terry Trueman
137
Painful, poignant portrait of life in a small village after Hurricane Mitch. Hard and hopeful at once.
Jinx
Meg Cabot
262
Meg takes on romantic rivalry in NYC among two related teen witches in this wicked tale.
Juliet's Moon
Ann Rinaldi
256
A look at the Civil War from the Southern side through the eyes of a young girl. Lots of history and historical figures that I knew little to nothing about...
Season of Ice
Diane Les Becquets
281
Cold, sad story of a father gone missing in the frozen lakes of northern Maine.
The Comeback Season
Jennifer E. Smith
246
The Cubs endless quest for the pennant, a dead-too-soon father, and a romance with a cancer-riddled teen boy make for a teary tale of hope and loss.
When the Black Girl Sings
Bil Wright
266
Nice story of an adopted black girl finding her voice - literally - in a very white world.

8 books, 1787 pages, 7.5 hours

- ZG

Saturday Books

2008-06-08T00:10:00.005-05:00

Cheated
Patrick Jones
196
Jones knows his conflicted male teen audience. Compelling story. Heavy ending.
Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam
Cynthia Kadohata
312
Fascinating and heart-breaking. Enjoyed the end notes and photos that accompany the story.
Deep Down Popular
Phoebe Stone
280
Not in any way what I expected from this cover and title. So it took a bit to accept it.
Great Cape Rescue
Phyllis Shalant
244
I loved this tale of four misfits and a magical green towel. Really loved it.
Keeping Score
Linda Sue Park
202
This was my favorite of the three days' reading. Moving, inspiring and just a great read.
Me, the missing and the dead
Jenny Valentine
201
Love these imports and their odd phrases. Another surprise -- really liked this quirky tale of the missing and the dead. Great first scene.
Pretty Face
Mary Hogan
213
Every chubby girl's absolute wish-fulfillment book. Seriously. Dreamy stuff.
Smiles to Go
Jerry Spinelli
248
Family, friendships, danger, siblings, love and astronomy swirled in a satisfying mix.
Sweethearts: A Novel
Sara Zarr
217
Tender, sad, moving and heartbreaking tale of two hearts fused by the past.
The Chicken Dance
Jacques Couvillon
321
Not at all what I expected on this one, either. Afterward, I wasn't sure I liked it much.
Theodosia & the Serpents of Chaos
Robin La Fevers
344
Giddy fun with a curse-sensing girl protagonist, museums, ruins and ancient evils revived.
You Know Where to Find Me
Rachel Cohn
204
I was not in the right frame of mind for these moody, damaged characters.

12 books, 2982 pages, 14 hours and 10 minutes read

Might try for another before I stop -- but since I badly needed a cup of tea and it was already after midnight, it seemed like a good time to submit today's Books Read List.

- ZG

Friday Books

2008-06-07T01:50:00.002-05:00

Bird Lake Moon
Kevin Henkes
179
I liked this book - particularly the way the protagonist had no idea how completely his plan really connected to the family next door. Unique.
Confessions of a Serial Kisser
Wendelin Van Draanen
294
I do so love Wendelin's books. This was no exception. A classic portrait of that very confusing time of adolescence and romantic obsession with no sense of boundaries....
Cornelia & the audacious escapades of the Somerset Sisters
Lesley MM Blume
264
Very Secret Garden this one -- lonely child who finds a soulmate -- love books that are stories within a story, too...
How I Saved My Father’s Life and Ruined Everything Else
Ann Hood
218
This little one was a surprise - had a lot more depth to the story than I had anticpated.
How To Build a House
Dana Reinhardt
227
Hmmm, really loved this one. Put me in mind of a female version of An Abundance of Katherines... good stuff.
Peeled
Joan Bauer
256
Vintage Bauer -- plucky girl protagonist and pals thwarting evil forces in a rural town. Fun.
What the Moon Saw
Laura Resau
272
I wanted to read it because I loved Red Glass -- sadly it was kind of like re-reading Red Glass...

7 books, 1710 pages, 9 hours and 20 minutes reading.

Must close the eyes for a bit now.... very gritty they are!

ZG

GAME ON!

2008-06-06T14:49:00.003-05:00

Okay, I took a half a vacation day and reading will commence at 3PM Central Time.

I have been like a giddy kid on Christmas Eve! Could barely sleep last night! Could barely work today! Kept imagining which book I'd open as soon as I could begin opening my gifts!

Yippee!

ZG

PS Thanks for always throwing such a stellar birthday party every year and inviting us all to join in the fun, Mother Reader!

48- HOUR BOOK CHALLENGE!!!!

2008-05-27T23:20:00.004-05:00

If you have ever wanted to INDULGE yourself in a glorious reading marathon but felt like you needed a solid excuse to justify such an endeavor -- well, friends, here's just the motivation and rock solid rationale you've been looking for - The Third Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge!

Mother Reader concocted this delightful (and diabolical) challenge two summers ago and is throwing down the gauntlet for a third time during the weekend of June 6-8, 2008!

Get all the details: CLICK HERE!

Come on, you know you want to -- just look at that stack of books by the bed -- and look at that list of titles you've been wishing to crack open -- click that link and get over to Mother Reader to sign up ASAP!!!!!!!!!!

Spring Has Sprung!

2008-05-17T16:23:00.003-05:00

At last, Spring has Sprung in the yearning Midwest.
The dark days and moods have begun to lift as well, and reading seems like a happy notion once again. (And if reading did not seem particularly appealing here at ML, you KNOW it was a long Winter, indeed.)

Look up from a page today and grin at the beauty of this blushing season!

- ZG

Still Reading. Still Silent. Still Snow on the Ground.

2008-03-28T00:11:00.001-05:00

Reading, reading and more reading. But not too much posting..... just have that restless, flighty, when-the-#@!&^-is winter ever going to leave angst. Here's what I've read lately, and maybe I will manage some commentary sometime? Like when the temperature gets above freezing? Or some daffodils brave the slushy ground? Sigh.

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems

My Friend, The Starfinder

Maybe A Bear Ate It!

Mr. Putter & Tabby Run the Race

Another Thing To Fall

Before, After & Somebody in Between

Waiting for Normal

Woolbur

The Jewel Box Ballerinas

The Snows

The Ever-Running Man

Bleeding Kansas

Falling

Fake Boyfriend

Lessons From a Dead Girl

Total Constant Order

Sight

Another Kind of Cowboy

The Chaos King

Book of a Thousand Days

First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover

Undercover

Big Boned

Anything But Ordinary

Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend

The Black Sheep

Fire From the Rock

Bone by Bone by Bone

Miss Spitfire

Beastly

Missing Girl

Three Little Words

Huge: A Novel

The Luxe

Carpe Diem

November Blues

A Tick Past the Ides of January....

2008-01-16T20:11:00.000-06:00

Well, the awards and notables are all out there now. As mentioned in every corner of the K-sphere - some likelies, some shockers, and some just rights. My thought about the matter? Thank heaven these are not the writers who are out on strike!! (Particularly since my wanna read list has bloated to nearly 200 titles in the wake of all the upcoming Spring & Summer release lists!)

I had an odd patch of being drawn to non-fiction after the first of the year - picked up the biography Can't Buy Me Love and enjoyed reading about the lives and the global effects of the Fab Four. I was particularly amused by the sections where Gould discusses the songs on an album in detail and I found I was hearing the tunes from memory as I read - an internal soundtrack of sorts! It was intriguing to think back about my own life and its touchpoints with various songs and events connected to the Beatles -- I had forgotten my strong visceral reaction to the car radio news of John Lennon's murder until I was reading that section -- as well as the jockeying for position at parties before the endless possibilities of slow-dancing to "Hey Jude." A packed and fascinating biography of four unlikely boys who turned the music world on its edge.

Unintentionally following an entertainment theme, I also got my hands on Steve Martin's biography Born Standing Up in which he chronicles his years as a stand-up comedian. Tagging along as he moved from a 10 year old guidebook salesman at Disneyland to an arena-filling solo act is quite exhilarating -- particularly because of his reticence to reveal much about himself publicly. I was intrigued by his decision to focus his introspection on just one aspect of his career - and it is clear the book was written as a personal quest rather than to satisfy fan curiosity. I will always remember the book's photo of him on stage at Knott's Berry Farm and now have King Tut in rotation on my I-Pod Shuffle....

The cover of Punching In caught my eye on the new non-fiction shelves, too. After getting over the "Why didn't I think about doing this book myself?" reaction, I enjoyed the infiltrating-the-enemy feel of the piece and the opinions the author formed of the various companies that unwittingly employed him. The online psychological testing for several of the companies was new to me and a fascinating method for winnowing an applicant pool. And the author's vehement dislike of Starbuck's false company culture is in fascinating contrast to his boundless regard for the rock solid company culture of UPS. An interesting peek inside American commerce.

A couple of the novels I read in this last batch brought similar books to mind -- Gone mines the same territory as Boy Toy, but without the detail and involving character studies; The Very Ordered Existence of Merliee Marvelous recalled other misfit friends books, but never completely won me over. Maybelle in the Soup was a hoot and continues the leading actor streak of cockroaches and their friends in recent films like Ratatouille and Enchanted.

A better time was had with Gordon Korman's Schooled - also reminiscent of Stargirl in its portrayal of a granola-hippie homeschooler being plunked down in the midst of the hell that is a suburban high school - but done with a winning eye and flair. Both Capricorn and the student body are changed by their interactions and the reader is also given some good food for thought, but in a totally entertaining wrapper. I really need to give a general shout-out to Gordon Korman here -- he writes very fine books with excellent male characters that never fail to deliver: Son of the Mob, No More Dead Dogs, and my personal favorite Born to Rock. Props to you, GK.

Traveling through time and across the world, I spent a year with Leela, who at twelve, is experiencing the pain and superstition that surround her as a child widow in Ghandi-era India in Kashmira Sheth's lovely book Keeping Corner. It brought to mind Koly in Homeless Bird - another book about a young widow who is abandoned by her mother-in-law - but somehow the traditional restraints and superstitions binding Leela in her own home felt more wrenching. The additional threads of Ghandi's nonviolent protest movement and the notion of education as a way out of the darkness of blind submission to tradition make this a rich and involving story.

And what of Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat? I could not put this one down once I started it and thoroughly enjoyed the sinister nanny and her evil scientist swain, the lonely orphan and her touchy rat friend, and the wonders of underground cities full of rodents and minuscule humans. With madcap moments, evil plots and laugh-out-loud touches, this is a great read and would be such fun to read aloud. The scenes in the underground community made me nostalgic for one of my childhood favorites, Evelyn Sibley Lampman's The City Under the Back Steps - I continue to hold out hope that someone will republish it someday. In the meantime, Emmy can keep the flame burning.

When I Crossed No-Bob is a wonderful gem of a book with a wonderful gem of a narrator in Addy O'Donnell. This slice of hard scrabble life in the post-Civil War South is beautifully rendered and thoughtfully written. Addy's struggle to stay true to her bad-reputation family history in the face of a growing sense of self worth, possibility and morality is fleshed out in scenes large and small. The growth and transformation of her character in the space of this slim book is inspiring and hopeful. McMullan's work in expressing Addy's inner dialogue is wonderful - and many of her musings strike either a chord of recognition or a funny bone. A true gem.

Veering off in a completely different direction is the wacky trip of The True Meaning of Smekday. A wild adventure across an alien-invaded United States with 11-year old Gratuity Tucci, her cat Pig, and a disgraced Boov named J. Lo manages to be wickedly entertaining (great plays with language barriers, smackdowns of popular culture, wonderful pencil drawings and cartoon panels interspersing the narrative) as well as a great message about intercultural cooperation, loyalty among friends and self-reliance. Vividly imagined travels visit Florida, Las Vegas and Roswell, and if you think you can predict the fashion in which Gratuity and J. Lo manage to save the Earth - I'm here to tell you there's no possible way -- but you'll love it when you read it!

And then there's Laura Resau's amazing Red Glass. A captivating, gorgeously written novel of cultural acceptance, fierce loyalty, compassion and personal bravery, this is a book that sticks with you long after the reading is done. Sophie's journey begins with a late night phone call about a young boy who is the sole survivor of a family attempting a border-crossing from Mexico. His addition to their family circle (which includes several cultures already) is the spark for all that comes after. When a family decision is made to arrange a visit for the boy with his relatives in a remote Mexican village, Sophie is determined to defy her usual feelings of insecurity and fearfulness in order to be a support to him. From this decision, and from the relationships she forms with the others on the journey and in the village, her life changes in both real and magical ways. Without question, my favorite recent read, and I have already bought a copy so that I can both re-read it and share this deeply satisfying story with others. A must-read.

New Year's Resolution Number One.......

2008-01-01T22:58:00.000-06:00

I read, therefore I am ... happy.
However I am unhappy not to have the extra time after I finish a book to post about it!
So, to begin the New Year, some quick takes on recent reads....

Before I Die - Young girl dying of cancer who wants, more than anything, to experience love and sex before she shakes off her mortal coil. A touching and wrenching book - it nonetheless has some of the most accepting parents in history as well as one of the most steadfast and tender boyfriends ever conceived in literature.

Chloe Doe - Young prostitutes in a group home setting attempt to make sense of their former lives and make decisions about their futures. Unsettling, and very sad.

Frannie in Pieces - Coping with the unexpected death of her adored father, Frannie discovers a hand-carved jigsaw puzzle he made that transports her to a time before she was born. Again, the sense of loss is palpable - and the surprise about the mystery of the puzzle a good one.

Spanking Shakespeare - Shakespeare Shapiro -- how can you not already be rooting for this book's main character with that moniker? And he lives up to the hope - a wry, social misfit who is penning a memoir of his high school days... hilarious and memorable.

13 Reasons Why - Great premise -- a girl who has committed suicide sends a box of audio tapes to those who she supposedly holds at fault for her decision. Happily, it is not as "I know Who You Are" as it sounds -- possibly because it is narrated by the only person mentioned on the tapes that she does not hold directly accountable. Painful, chilling and very sad.

Life on the Refrigerator Door - A mom and daughter who inhabit the same house, but never at the same time due to their busy lives, communicate via notes on the fridge. Be forewarned, this breezy sounding premise evolves into a study of how these two lives are transformed by terminal illness......

Zen & The Art of Faking It - Jordan Sonnenblick can do no wrong. In this thoroughly engaging tale, a young misfit decides to present himself as a Zen master. The ensuing complications, rewards and life alteration are pure Sonnenblick. Don't miss this one.

Deadline - Chris Crutcher's take on "what would I do with my life if I knew I had only a short time to live?" - In the case of Ben Wolf, it means telling no one (not family or friends), going out for football (even though he is a little guy), and making a play for the girl of his dreams. Along the way, he learns a lot about himself, his relationships, and the consequences of his decision to keep his imminent departure a secret. Good stuff.

Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume - A fascinating collection of essays by a variety of authors detailing the effect Blume's books have had on their lives and their own writing. I was taken aback by the number of titles referenced by the essayists. A warm tribute to a true trailblazer.

If A Tree Falls at Lunch Period - Two newbies at a prep school - one white female and the other a black male discover they have a shocking personal connection. I didn't dislike this book, but I came away thinking that I have not loved a Choldenko book as much as I loved "Al Capone". Maybe the next one?

Leap of Faith - I enjoyed this look at a young woman who decides to become Catholic. At first, her decision is mainly to needle her parents, but as the book goes on, she discovers a real desire to believe in something larger than herself - and despite her uncertainties, makes the proverbial leap of faith and joins the church. An interesting and insightful journey.

My Mother the Cheerleader - I really disliked this book. I found it housed in the children's room of the public library, which seems a dicey fit. I felt hopeless for the narrator, I saw no real reason to make the mother a tramp, and I cringed at the martyred Jewish writer. Send readers off to a book about Ruby Bridges instead.

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney - Born into a psychic family and living in Lily Dale (a real life town full of mediums), Sparrow Delaney refuses to acknowledge her own psychic gifts and experiences - until a young male ghost refuses to allow her to ignore him until she has helped him right a wrong. Clever, funny and honest about the ambivalent place spiritualism holds in an age of reason, this is an engaging read.

What-The-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy - I enjoyed this tale of a lost sprite who is grudgingly accepted into a band of tooth fairies. The bookend quality of the story-within-a-story is appealing and the collision of the seen and unseen realms is sketched out very nicely.

Glass - I did not read the first book in what I understand is to be a trilogy - but did not feel that I was at a loss for it. This is a stunning anguish of a tale - made more so by the author's note at the end revealing it to be based on the personal story of her daughter. The use of free verse is perfectly suited to this unfolding tale of addiction and its toll on a young life. Unforgettable.

Olivia Helps With Christmas - Ah, Olivia. The cover art alone on this one lights up the holiday season! Ever the resourceful and forceful presence, Olivia puts her very special stamp on Christmas in this wry picture book...

Delicious - I loved reading Pumpkin Soup back in my Story Time days, and so was powerless to resist picking up this new tale about the three cooking friends. I did not get the same kick from this new outing, however - though the illustrations are still a delight.

Duck & Goose - Illustrations to die for, but a story that fell flat for me. For much better stories in a similar vein try Zinnia & Dot or Guji Guji.....

Little Moon Dog - Again, I love the style of these illustrations, but they have never worked for me as well as my first encounter with this author-illustrator duo as in The Tin Forest. In that storyline, the tale and the visuals connect perfectly....

Lily Dale - Yep, the author's notes and research listings in Sparrow Delaney sent me straight out to find this book about the history of the spiritualist enclave that is the setting for Sparrow's tale. A fascinating and balanced look at the town of Lily Dale, it made me want to visit it myself to draw my own conclusions....

Boy Toy - Well, here's a book you'll not soon forget reading. The story of a young male student who begins a sexual relationship with his female teacher - this book paints a believable portrait of the psychological and physical progression of the connection between these two people and the relentless repercussions for the young man as he tries to get on with his life and his attempts to forge more age-appropriate male-female bonds. A book to ponder long after finishing the read.

Society of S - Another "what? we're vampires?" sort of tale - but with a fun twist: the family is in the clandestine business of providing a "blood substitute" to other vampire families around the globe. Not a must-read, but a fine way to spend a few hours.

Paint the Wind - Pam Munoz Ryan takes a spoiled, lonely rich girl and heals her heart and soul by plunking her down with her horse-raising relatives. A love letter to the beauty of horses and those that love them - particularly the wild ones - this is a great book to put into the hands of any horse fan.

Pieces of Georgia - Georgia is missing her mom and the life her family had before her mom's death. Tagged as at-risk at school, she begins writing a journal as a low-key mode of therapy, but what really opens her heart and mind to a possible path to the future is a mysterious gift membership to a local museum where her artistic abilities find inspiration. This is a small book with a lot of heart and Georgia is a heroine to root for....

Remembering Raquel - Young girl's meaning to the community only realized after her tragic death in an accident tale. Didn't really like this one - butterflies and all.

Billy Creekmore - Plucky young man faces all the misfortunes life can throw at him and still manages to inspire those who have even less than he does. From a horrific orphanage to the harsh conditions of a mining town to the rough and tumble work of a traveling circus, our hopes and dreams ride along with Billy as he keeps on doing his best in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds. A memorable tale.

The Castle Corona - Perhaps a bit too precious, it is still a fun twist on a tale within a tale plot lines. The odd characters, the outsider/insider intrigue, the expected (and unexpected) outcomes are all fine - just wasn't one of my favorites of late.

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything - This, on the other hand, I loved so much I immediately bought a copy for my bookshelf at home. One of those delightful books that marry humor, plot and illustration to create something delectable that is even more than the sum of its parts! I long to read it aloud -- and to share the wonderful illustrations -- but as I have no Wednesday Story Hours in my current life -- I will implore you to get a copy and experience it for yourselves as soon as possible!!

No Talking - Another Clements school story - this time with the guys against the girls in a no-talking contest. The two main characters get the lion's share of the attention and the plot twist that ends the contest keeps this from becoming too predictable.

Taken - When a wealthy young girl is kidnapped, she believes she has only to fall back on the training she has received in how to survive such an ordeal - as it is almost an expected occurrence among her set of friends. But nothing about this kidnapping is by the book, and by the time it reaches its conclusion, her life will have been changed irrevocably. I followed this through to the end, but found myself longing to read "The Ear, The Eye & The Arm" again instead.....

The Breakup Bible - After being devastated when her beau wants to see other people, Jen's grandmother gives her a bright pink self-help book called The Breakup Bible. Despite her initial revulsion, Jen finds herself taking some advice from the book, and indeed moves on to see that her hero worship of her former flame was truly unjustified when she and another reporter on the school paper stand up for a story about racism in the community. A solid story lurks beneath this Pepto-Bismol colored cover....

What I Call Life - Placed in a group home when her mother has a psychotic break at the public library, Cal and the other girls are brought together by the serialized story told by the old woman who runs the home. Tough truths and slowly developing camaraderie help these broken girls to see hope in the face of their devastated lives. The finale of the old woman's tale is a perfect finishing touch to her ministrations and we long for happy family lives for each of the residents we've come to know.

The Rules for Hearts - Battle decides to move out to live in a rooming house full of eccentric theater folk before her freshman year of college - not to get a feel for the place as she tells her folks, but to live in the same house as her brother, who ran away from home years before. During the span of the summer, Battle falls for one of the other women in the house, stars in a play, and learns a great deal about herself - and a few unpleasant truths about her brother, as well. I want to read this book again, but I want to read her brother's story. He remained a mystery throughout the novel and that is the tale I was left wishing had been told.

The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It - Oh, this fabulous tale from Australia is a hoot and a half - I laughed out loud frequently - but was also moved to tears in sections. Gemma's sister is marrying into a family of military nuts and the families do not seem destined to mix well. And when Gemma is thrown together for a class project with Raven, a mysterious boy with a violent home life - she finds her world changing in ways she never anticipated. The experiences and growth that all of the characters manage in the course of this novel are hilarious, gut-wrenching and sometimes heartbreaking - but altogether quite satisfying. One of my favorite recent reads, to be sure.

The Entertainer & the Dybbuk - A mysterious Holocaust title in which the spirit of a murdered child overtakes the body of a ventriloquist to hunt down his Nazi assassin. An odd and disturbing book, it was nevertheless impossible to put down until I had finished. It was shelved in the children's room of our library -- not sure that is the spot for it....

The Aurora County All-Stars - Deborah Wiles always manages to take a small town tale and turn it into a little jewel. From the spooky opening scene where a young boy sits by the bedside of a dying man, to the moment when an unlikely hero emerges to save the day in a do-or-die baseball game, this charmer is full of heart, ideas and ideals that resonate long after the book has been devoured. An added bit of fun is had when a couple of the characters from other of Wiles' novels put in an appearance: Ruby Lavender and Comfort Snowberger to name two! Another home run for this author...

The Mailbox - Working from the shaky premise that a young boy would continue to live in a remote cabin with the dead body of his uncle, this novel turns out to have a memorable point to make about the sometimes haunted and mistrustful lives led by returning veterans of war. I probably would not recommend this book - but wasn't sorry I stuck it out myself.

Breathe My Name - A taut tale of a yong girl who narrowly escaped death when her mother methodically smothered her three siblings. Adopted by another family, she learns that her mother has been released from jail and is now living in an unsecured halfway house - news that sends her (and her adoptive parents) into a tailspin of worry. With one of the most (unbelievably?) supportive boyfriends ever to grace a page, Frances goes on an unsanctioned road trip to find and confront her mother. Though the plot goes into an unnecessary and unwelcome twist near the end, it is still a can't-look-away-story of the bogeyman living inside the house....

Epic - Though I am not a role-playing gamer, this book was nontheless fascinating. Well-written and intriguing, it posits a society that rewards and punishes its citizenry not through mortal combat, but through role-playing a computer game. A wonderful tale of misfit teens from the lower class taking a new tack toward playing the game of Epic and succeeding in vanquishing the crooked leaders, this is a satisfying fantasy with a promised sequel in the works.

General Winston's Daughter - I truly enjoyed this book. A privileged young girl and her companion travel to a distant outpost where her General father and her soldier fiance are stationed. On the journey she befriends a soldier onboard ship who is a native of the area they are traveling to reach. On the surface, this is a classic old-school romance novel, but it evolves into a very thoughtful musing about the reasons for war, for conquering a distant nation, the clash of cultures and the qualities that truly matter in a life partner. I found Averie a complicated and realistic heroine and found much to discuss and ponder in her adventures abroad.

Kissing the Bee - A slim tome about falling for a friend's boyfriend. Three can be a dangerous number for a triangle of compatriots and this is one of those slippery slopes. The best scenes in the novel are those at the bee farm. Every second of those scenes are written in a way that takes you there body and spirit. Those scenes alone make this worth reading.

Slam - A young skateboarder who worships Tony Hawk and has a mom who is young enough to be his older sister falls into a relationship with a girl and soon finds himself facing fatherhood. An unsentimental look at teen fatherhood, Sam's thoughts and feelings are revealed in interesting "time shifts" in which Sam sees glimpses of his future. Not heartwarming and redemptive, nor preachy and condemning, this is a frank and quirky book about teen pregnancy and its aftermath.

The Poison Apples - First off, this book LOOKS great -- with its poison apple red page edging - lovely! A tale of three disparate young women all sent off to the same boarding school by scheming stepmothers/stepfathers and their plots for revenge. I was tired of it before I finished, but it did have a few good moments with unexpected character development - especially in the evil stepmonsters.

The World Without Us - Just what would happen to the Earth if we were all spirited away tomorrow? Would it ever recover from the abuse we've heaped upon it? This fascinating non-fiction tome sets out to explore those very questions and the result is both sobering and hopeful. In time (a LOT of time in some cases) the Earth would likely be able to repair much of the damage we've wrought - which is heartening even as your heart is breaking at the litany of horrors we've perpetrated. The part of the book that really stuck with me, though, is the final section that discusses what tangible proof of our accomplishments would survive us. The notion of our collective human hubris eroded into dust still echoes inside my head weeks after finishing the book.

T is for Trespass - I love a good Kinsey. This time she is out to save a crotchety old neighbor from being swindled and/or murdered by an unscrupulous hired nurse. Another good addition to the series.

The Legend of Zoey - An odd time travel adventure set during the New Madrid earthquakes, this tale does have a satisfying twist at the end that makes it come together - but as with all such plot lines, a willing suspension of disbelief is imperative. Living in the Midwest, it did make me want to learn more about the current state of the New Madrid faultline - not sure I have any interest in seeing the Mississippi run backwards for myself!

Hurt Go Happy - The cover doesn't really work for this book, and I am not sure about the choice of title. Nonetheless, it is an intriguing and moving book about hearing loss, societal norms and animal abuse. How is that possible? A young girl who lost her hearing at a young age (the cause is mysteriously kept shrouded until late in the novel) has a mother who refuses to let her learn to communicate in sign language for fear she will be an outcast in "normal" society. A chance meeting with an old man who is raising a chimpanzee that communicates through sign language opens Joey's world in unimagined ways - and forms the catalyst for the remainder of the novel. Unsparing in its condemnation of using animals for testing (I defy any reader not to wince in this section of the novel) and unwavering in its support for ASL as a means to open the world to the hearing impaired and to communication between species - this is an unlikely but winning tale.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - I am always afraid of a book that has too much high praise heaped up before I read it -- but this one lived up to its advance press. Absolutely devastating in its depiction of reservation life and the internal and external struggles faced by modern Native Americans, it is not hopeless or self-pitying. Instead, in his honest telling of his life's story, Arnold Spirit is an inspiring soul. Determined to find a better life for himself, he chooses to attend a school outside the reservation - winning a few new friends along the way, but alienating many of his reservation neighbors - particularly his best friend, Rowdy. Scenes of harsh violence are told in a matter-of-fact voice or through insightful comic book style panels that speak more eloquently than a thousand words. Through it all, I felt connected to Arnold and his quest. I still do. A must-read.

Quaking - An incorrigible teen girl is sent to live with distant relatives who are Quakers. The expected clash of ideas and behaviors ensue, but along the way, an appreciation for their quiet simplicity and commitment to peaceful values alters Matilda's world view. An interesting look at lives that are focused on peace and willing to take action to make that view known to others - particularly in these days of war and terrorism.

Boot Camp - I just barely managed to get through this. I believe that such horrific places exist, but I had experienced enough sadism by the fifth chapter to last a lifetime.

Freak Show - It took a while for me to get with the groove of Billy Bloom's speech patterns, but once in, I was unable to look away as he works to find a place for his drag queen self in the most redneck of southern high schools. Flamboyant, creative and big-hearted, it is not easy to watch the torture and degradation heaped upon Billy - but as in all great fish-out-of-water tales, all's well that ends well and the guy gets his dream boy.

Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall - A quirky little last-look-around-before-death tale in which Tessa falls into a coma after being smacked in the head with a dodgeball in gym class and then wanders a heavenly version of the mall where both her parents work - discovering life lessons from memories associated with the various stores in the mall. Ultimately redemptive, this is, however, a journey of a young woman discovering that she has not always made the right or the decent choices in her life - but still deserves to believe in herself as a good person capable of making better choices in the future. I was so-so about the novel - the free verse is fun style choice and I enjoyed the keying of memories to the different mall locations, but it is not a book that I expect will stay with me.

Whew! Nearly an hour to go on January One and my first New Year's Resolution is completed - catching up on posts for the books I've read in the past 7 weeks! Yay!

Here's to 2008 and a whole new batch of amazing books to savor! Hurrah!

Elijah of Buxton

2007-10-13T11:42:00.000-05:00

Elijah From Buxton is one of those books that makes me declare aloud as I finish it, "Now that's why I read!" I appreciate books that take me out of my time period, my knowledge base and my comfort level. I enjoy learning about a place or time or people that I never knew existed before cracking open the covers. I like a historical novel that is human, with true emotions, a balance of life experiences - good and bad - that allows me to connect to the story on a human level, even if it is very far removed from my own life's journey.

Christopher Paul Curtis' new novel does all those things and more. Telling the tale of Buxton Settlement in Ontario, Canada, the first community of former slaves, through the eyes of the first boy child born there as a free man, is an inspired choice. Elijah, though black, is as innocent of the horrors of slavery as many readers will be - making his journey of discovery our journey as well.

There are wonderful moments of grace and moments of complete despair in this novel and Curtis handles them all with equal aplomb. A truly wonderful novel.

Go Directly to Jail, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200

2007-10-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

Okay, so maybe not to jail, but going back to work after my 7 weeks off post-surgery feels like the same thing - even at part time for the first week! The upside is feeling much better physically - the downside is not having the time or energy after work to read. I did get a few things in last weekend though.....

Mississippi Jack - I slurp these Jacky Faber books down like a root beer float on a hot summer day. I love her spunk, her voice and the way Meyer manages to keep it fresh and interesting while being true to his heroine's character - but while still keeping her apart from her true love. Having the watery tale move out to the Wild West in this episode was a hoot. Can't wait for the next adventure!

Love, Stargirl - I probably should have read the original again first but it is still entombed in the garage boxes that I am still enjoined from lifting. I remember liking it a lot - and being intensely curious about what prompted the writing of another book about Stargirl Caraway these long years later... I still found her charming in her home schooled, out-of-step way, and thought the connection between her old and new lives worked all right, too. It was an interesting choice not to have Leo appear in the flesh in any way. Like the heroine of Winn-Dixie, it's a tale of an "outsider" who brings together (and heals) a slew of people who also feel disconnected. Nothing wrong with that notion....

Ricochet - Though I had trouble with the hero's inability to extricate himself from the seminal point in the plot line, this was a fast read about the repercussions of an idle game of Russian Roulette. Dogged by a bad rep and the guilt of having been involved - however tangentially - in the death of a friend, Connor struggles to keep going forward in his life with the help of his music and his new friends. A fast read with definite cover appeal.

The Off-Season - I don't think I ever blogged about reading this one, though it's been a bit since I read it. I was surprised by my total involvement in the first story of the dairy farming, football playing Midwestern gal that is the unique heroine of this book and I was certainly not disappointed in this second installment of D. J.'s tale. A tense family crisis results when one of her older brothers suffers a serious spinal injury in a college football game and as in the first book, much of the burden falls on her shoulders. Her romance with the opposing team's star player is still a large part of the story, but it is D.J.'s strength of character that makes this a great and satisfying read.

Diary of a Fly - Now and again, I have to indulge my picture-book jones. I loved the Worm's tale, and the Spider's tale, and now I loved the Fly's tale. Funny, irreverent and yet educational (!) - this little insect series is a delight!

Mr. Putter & Tabby See the Stars - I adore Mr. Putter and Tabby. Their homey adventures, their obvious affection for one another and their ongoing friendship with Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke make these my grown-up choice to put alongside my childhood easy reader favorites about Little Bear. This outing concerns an upset tummy and a late night walk. Lovely. (My favorite is probably still the one about picking the pears. Or maybe baking a cake. Or painting the porch. Or getting the fish....)

Lean Mean Thirteen - No need to explain, right? Sometimes a gal just wants to live vicariously through Stephanie Plum while she chases down bail jumpers and agonizes about being loved by Ranger and Morelli....

The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World - There are shades of Mrs. Frankenweiler here and bits of Framed and echoes of Zazoo. And I liked every one of those books more than I liked this one. It is one of those books that has its moments, but also seems a bit too stuffed, a bit too precocious, a bit too eccentric, a bit too much. Frankenweiler is one of my favorite books from childhood (and even rereading it is good for me) and I really liked Silent to the Bone - but other recent books by Konigsburg have not been easy reads. When I got to the section in this book that suddenly started referencing character connections between this novel and Schuyler Place I shuddered - having not particularly cared for that one either. So, I guess my advice is to approach with caution...

The Noah Confessions - A young woman receives letters from her dead mother on her 16th birthday that submerge her into an old family secret involving a murder. An interesting combination of several narrators - the heroine, her father, her mother - and several time periods, this is a dense tale of evil and redemption.

The Lemonade War - This book could go right on the business bestseller list! A feud between a sister and her brother to see who can sell the most lemonade at their respective lemonade stands is more than the tired and true plot of sibling rivalry. Along the way, young entrepreneurs will glean lots of hints at marketing, motivating employees, attracting customers, added value options, and a fair amount of math! Although the ending comes up a bit too quickly and neatly after the explosive culmination of the "war", it is a good middle reader choice.

Return to Real Life Countdown Has Begun

2007-09-26T14:57:00.001-05:00

I see my surgeon tomorrow, so assume that my "return to real life pass" is about to be issued. In reaction to this possibility, I got one last big old stack of books to read yesterday. A final booster-sized dose of biblioserum....

Chasing Tail Lights - Patrick Jones. Again I say - in your job working with teens, you must be a hell of a listener. You create a true voice for Christy and you smack down one napalm bomb of an ending. Whew!

A Book A Day Keeps Cabin Fever Away

2007-09-19T13:27:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe not entirely, but it does help......

The Historian - Well-written, gripping, possibly even haunting. Yet it took me FOREVER to read it. I am awed by the research and time that went into the novel - and glad I'm done reading it.

Anatomy of a Boyfriend - Well, I see why Judy Blume gets a shout-out on the dedication page. A new millennium version of Forever complete with pretty graphic sex and language. How is this being received? With the same "every teen has read it, but it's banned everywhere" as Blume's original take on the subject?

Shark Girl - I didn't expect much from this and was completely taken by surprise. The format - with letters, emails, dialogue, journal entries - is refreshing and well-suited to the tale. This is a deep and involving look at moving on from sudden and unexpected tragedy. A real find!

The Wall - First off, I adore Peter Sis. This "picture book" of his life growing up behind the Iron Curtain is astonishing for its ability to convey so much about history and the human condition in this format. For me, it was shocking to realize that at the same time that I was dancing around to the Beatles, teens in Prague were being beaten after a Beach Boys concert! An incredible accomplishment by a talented artist.

How To Get Suspended & Influence People - A so-so look at the creative and miscreant behavior of a group of 8th grade TAG students. Occasionally funny, but not a great read overall.

Going Nowhere Faster - And then a book about a misfit genius high schooler from a nutty family that is a thorough delight from start to finish. I really liked Stan and his story. Thumbs up.

Pretty Is - Younger sister of a dorky older sister worries about how she will be perceived when they are both in the same junior high school. Can't really even think of something to say about it.

Parrotfish - Ostensibly about transgender youth, this is just a good story about adolescence, self-discovery, and acceptance. I would wish this kind of acceptance and courage for all teens.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac - I was a huge fan of Elsewhere, and I enjoyed this Zevin outing, too. Best? The examination of what is left of yourself without memories - and what is kept and what is discarded when those memories return. Lots to mull and reread.

Healing With Books Part 2

2007-09-15T14:43:00.001-05:00

Well, recovery continues. It's too slow for my taste, but I do have time to read!

Wow - Four good books in a row today:

A Crooked Kind of Perfect - I just adored this book. Loved every character, loved the heroine, loved the writing. It's a sunny Newbery kind of book. I recommend it.

Guyaholic - Surprisingly involving story of a teen learning to let go of past hurt and reach out for a loving future. Certainly not what the title or the cover would have suggested would be waiting inside.....

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature - Finally, a local library added this to their collection so I could see what everyone in the KL-osphere has been chatting about! And it's all true! This is a terrific book about a difficult subject (religion & evolution) without cheap stereotypes. The heroine is endearing and believably conflicted - the other characters intriguing. This is just a really great book! Again - I'm jumping on the bandwagon and recommending this one!

Peter and the Starcatchers - I had resisted reading this (Dave Barry??), but a friend gave it to me with stern instructions to read it during my recovery and I admit I did enjoy it. The "new" take on a classic story is always a good ride (when well-done) and I closed the book aching to have an upper elementary school class to read it aloud to in thrilling installments!!!

And some others that were okay.....

Number Eight - A "boy with OCD gets involved in a mob mystery" book. Nuff said.

The Invisible - One of those "nearly-dead character hangs around to see his murderers caught" tales. Interestingly written (a translated offering) and with a sadly moving ending. I understand it has already been optioned as a movie....

The Girl Who Lived

2007-08-25T13:08:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to be able to make that statement in connection to my surgery last week. Didn't have the motivation or energy to do anything when I first got home, but have managed to get the bibliotherapy going in the past few days -- much nicer than the utter wasteland of satellite TV and a great comfort when - despite a longing I can taste - I cannot sleep.

The list so far:

Take This Bread - An interesting story of family legacies, the spiritual power of food, and faith.

Queen of Babble - Oh, Meg Cabot, the perfect fluff for the flagging soul and healing body!

The Omnivore's Dilemma - Completely fascinating - especially for a Midwestern girl from butcher stock - but I admit to skipping the chapters on animal cruelty & slaughter. Not up for images of blood or any other nausea-inducing stuff at present.

Rebel Heart - Imagined this as a guilty pleasure like the Des Barres groupie book - but instead got a portrait of a very lonely, sad, wasted life. Poor Liv - what a life.

Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit - Learned a bit about Audrey, but mainly read treacle from her son's analysis of her life. Great photos, though.

The Nanny Diaries - Didn't know if I could get past the first chapter - so much name and brand name dropping made me dizzy. Looks like the film is hyping the love angle. Most fun: right after finishing this I happened upon the Simpsons episode parodying Mary Poppins. Priceless.

The Burnt House - Always enjoy these. Serious police work (ie slow and methodical), real emotions, believable villains (ie no psychotic cannibals) and the infusion of Judaism all work.

Stuck in the 70's - Not what I expected. The sexual content was a surprise. But I enjoyed the denouement and did laugh at some of the anachronisms.

In Search of Mockingbird - A solid little book about a search for meaning and connection. The peripheral characters are charming and the heroine's "discovery" believable.

Resurrection Men - Wow. What a dark, disturbing book. Sheesh!

World of Pies - Flaky crust with lots of familiar ingredients. Tasty anyhow.

Call Me Hope - A bit didactic, but still a compelling heroine.

How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life - right up there with Meg Cabot for perfect post-surgery fluff.

First Light - An icy version of City of Ember.

Monkey Town - I love reading historical fiction about events of which I have precious little knowledge....

Finding Stinko - A mute street kid survives with the help of ventriloquism.

Way Down Deep - Orphan girl finds a new home, an old home and a new home again with the help of a cast of colorful mountain town residents.

Someone Like Summer - Romeo & Juliet in the Hamptons: flour face gal & Colombian illegal boy.

Invisible Lives - Luscious cross-cultural romance in a Seattle sari shop.

Does My Head Look Big in This? - Really great novel about Muslim teens in Australia.

Eclipse - Nothing like a giant vampire romance on a night without sleep.....

Size 12 Is Not Fat - Oh, Ms. Cabot - a series of girl detective mysteries? Delicous.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Heartbreaking and horrifying - but ultimately life-affirming.

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree - Quirky heroine attempts to solve the problems of 7th grade using cool logic and keen powers of observation - with interesting results.

Bibliotherapy

2007-08-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

A long, long month since last I wrote.
Having some major surgery in 6 days' time.
Looking forward to the euphoric effects of bibliotherapy
during my many weeks of recovery.
Perhaps there will be some posts as a result.

-ML

Restless Reading

2007-07-07T14:23:00.000-05:00

I've been a restless reader since the 48HBC. Life's been complicated lately and I got through so many of the things that had been languishing on my TBR pile for the challenge. I feel like I've started and rejected a lot of what I've picked up since then, but looking back, I guess I have managed to finish a few....

I did read Penny From Heaven last weekend. What a great book about family and secrets and love. I had no idea that Italian-Americans were persecuted (though why that surprises me, I don't know) but that revelation is not the core of this fine book. Having had Italian in-laws myself, so much of the portrait of Penny's father's family rang true and familiar to me. The notions of the differences between families and cultures and the realization that love is really the bottom line carries a strong and resonant message here. I really enjoyed this novel.

I also read Each Little Bird That Sings. Wow. I was one of those who lauded Cures for Heartbreak for its handling of the topic of grief and recovery, but I must offer this one right up alongside it. What a quirky, heartfelt and redemptive book!!!! I sobbed when I finished reading - it just opened up bits of my heart and soul. Comfort Snowberger is a character to keep inside forever from this fabulous, fabulous novel. Ms. Wiles, thanks for taking a painful part of your life and creating from it such a tribute to living and believing.

Going along with the death and dying theme, I also read the non-fiction book, Exit Strategy, a short-chapters style offering that proffers non-traditional concepts for funerals. It really is astonishing what options are out there -- ecological, adventure, artistic, historical. I found a lot of these notions quite appealing: becoming part of a fireworks display, becoming a lab-made gemstone, feeding a new forest. I was a bit skittish about the mummification center chapter and pretty seriously creeped out by the cryogenics lab. (Though you have to give the director credit for stating that the process "will either work or it won't.") Definitely food for thought.

In a continuing CSI vein, I read The Christopher Killer. The 17-year-old daughter of a local coroner becomes his assistant at a series of gruesome crime scenes in this first of a series of "forensic mysteries." I did enjoy this outing with Cameryn, with its odd mix of gore, humor, teen romance, detective work and musings on death and the afterlife. There's a second book out now, and I may have to check it out....

I rectified an oversight in my reading history and picked up The Westing Game. I am somewhat afraid to say it, but I really did not care for it. The odd mix of characters, the easily figured out word clues, the red herring double ending.... just didn't do it for me. Plus, I found it unlikely that a middle-grade reader would enjoy it either. It seemed to be written in a more adult style. Call me crazy, but I really did not see the "classic read" here.

I love Grace Lin's picture book The Ugly Vegetables. Its warm and loving depiction of the beauty of sharing cultures makes it a wonderful choice for children. So, I was delighted to find the back story to its creation included in Lin's novel, The Year of the Dog. Like the picture book, this novel allows us a view of a year in Grace's life as the only Taiwanese girl in her class. Lin's deft hand creates a memorable character who grows into a fuller soul by the end of the Year of the Dog. Both a window on her multicultural experiences (good and bad) and a warm view of the traditions of different culture, this, too, is a perfect choice for young readers.

Since The Great Whale of Kansas, I have been unable to pass up a book by Richard Jennings. Though I seldom had any luck interesting any young readers to enjoy them with me, there's something about them that appeals to me. I read Stink City and again, enjoyed myself and I think it might lure some of those younger readers, too. Beginning with a family fortune made from the manufacture of the world's most foul-smelling but effective catfish bait, its idealistic youngest member, his olfactorily-challenged best gal pal and ending with an over-the-top villainess and the destruction of Midwest's biggest fishing tourney, this is a wild romp and a heck of a lot of fun.

Read another title that explores the topic of school shootings and peer pressure, Quad. I appreciated the fact that there are many more than the usual suspects fingered here - it is not just the black duster-coated outcasts who are portrayed as victims of pressures beyond bearing. As a reader, I found my guess as to who the shooter would turn out to be wavering as another likely candidate would be fleshed out. When the bullets finally begin to fly (there's no doubt that the book is heading that way - the cover's not too subtle tagline of "every action triggers a reaction" being the first clue) my guess was completely wrong. That is the reason this is a worthwhile look at high school life - not because I was fooled, but because the book refuses to lay blame stereotypically.

Rosemary Wells is really something. How can the mind who has delighted millions of children (and adults!) with the antics of Max & Ruby also create a hard-hitting Civil War novel like Red Moon at Sharpsburg? Most assuredly an anti-war message, this novel also presents notions of what it is to be humane, the value of education, the potential of women's intellectual pursuits, and the real roots of lasting love. The images presented here of the carnage and senseless cruelties of a nation fighting itself are not soon forgotten - this is not an easy or gentle look at the topics at hand. But India's courage, tenacity and loyalty are inspiring and memorable. Like a nation coming back from a nightmare of its own making, the closing moments of this novel do give hope for a better future. An incredible accomplishment.

I also read How To Steal A Dog. It's amazing that this slim novel is created from the idea of stealing a dog and returning it for the reward money. That's really the entire crux of the plot. But on that plot line, O'Connor hangs so much more: homelessness, the random hits life hands out without notice, the struggle to survive, the spirit of imagination, the fallacy of appearances, and a whole cast of wonderful characters. Georgina and her desperate planning to do something she knows is wrong in order to recover a portion of the life she has lost is portrayed honestly, touchingly and with humor. It would be a great read-aloud.

I was taken by the cover of Runaround. The juxtaposition of the young girl and the classic pulp romance cover art was intriguing and once I cracked the book open, it was Sassy's lovelorn voice that kept me reading. Motherless, absent-fatherful, wicked older-sisterful, Sassy has questions about what it feels like to be in love that no one can answer. Buoyed by the "advice" she gleans from her trashy romance magazines, she sets out to learn the answers by forging a relationship with cute bad-boy, Boon. The results of which reverberate like an earthquake through her entire family. Not without a bit of ish-factor (Sassy is only 11) and not without a lot of anti-feminism (which being set in the hills of 60's Kentucky mitigates to a degree) I do think it is likely to be a book without a country on the shelves -- too old for the children's room (where I found it) and too young a protagonist for the teen room....

I managed to get through Touching Snow, but only just barely. The story of Karina and her family, new immigrants from Haiti to New York state, this is a tale of family violence that is brutal to the point of making this reader physically queasy. One of those "how much more can one young person have to deal with" novels, it is impossible not to feel for Karina and to hope for a release from those burdens -- particularly from the continual beatings. That the release comes in such an unexpected and shocking way fits right in with the rest of this difficult and wrenching tale of family evil. Gird your loins before wading in to this one.

The title of Nancy Pickard's mystery, The Virgin of Small Plains, caught my eye. Following the interwoven lives of a small Kansas town through the course of about 20 years, this novel opens with the horrifying discovery of the frozen naked body of a young woman in a snow-covered field. From that moment, lives are changed and secrets are sworn that will ripple out for years to come. Eventually the dead girl's grave site comes to be known as the sit of miracles, but two of the original players are determined to provide the "virgin" with the ultimate miracle - determining who she really was and how she died. Intricately plotted and full of surprises, this is a tight involving mystery.

Sometimes, a bit of fluff is just what the doctor ordered. The little snippets of small town life in Bill Geist's Way Off the Road seemed to fit that prescription, and they are quite enjoyable. Some are recognizable as the written form of some his humorous bits on CBS Sunday Morning, while others are brand new. Criss-crossing the country from small town to tinier town, Geist uncovers such delights as a parade that stands still while the crowd walks around it, a festival on the longest day of the year when the sun sets in the exact center of the railroad tracks, and a town that has banded together to preserve a frozen corpse on ice. As wacky as it all sounds, and as humorous as the writing is, the thing that makes this worth reading is Geist's obvious admiration for the subjects of his essays. The wonder and value of the moments he spends in these locations comes through clearly and makes this a warm blessing rather than a condescending condemnation.

Between library runs, and still not having unpacked all of our books from the move, I rummaged for something to read last week and pulled out Hughes: The Private Diaries, Memos & Letters which I'd had since I originally watched The Aviator. I enjoy biographies, and this was no exception. Having only known the end-of-days stories of Hughes growing up, I was fascinated by the vital, inventive spirit DeCaprio portrayed in the film. I was amazed by the tale of the poor little rich boy who eventually (at 19!) makes a conscious decision to set three bold goals and achieve them at all cost. Socially twisted, personally driven, and doomed to a completely devastating death by the same things that made him such a unique visionary, Hughes was a fascinating person. While cringing at his callous use of very young women, I had to admire his ability to rally to fight for his empire even while in the grips of nervous collapse. By isolating himself and making privacy his most valued commodity, he sealed his own fate - and yet, I was haunted afterward by the sense of potential wasted, of a soul abandoned, a human being used by the very people employed to safeguard him. A fascinating life.

And now of course, there's the big question of how to prepare for the upcoming finale of the Boy Wizard Saga. Read all the previous six in order? Read the last two to get ready for the movie and the 7th book? Oy. Just can't decide. Started Book Six last night, but I felt like a slacker. We'll see what transpires in the next two weeks, I guess! One good thing about no longer living in Library Land - at least now I run a very slim chance of someone ruining the plot before I finish it -- I'm sure no on else in my current business will even know the publication date! :)

Long Time No Thanks

2007-07-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

It's been a good long while, I know. Sometimes that is just life.

I do want to say thanks to a bunch of folks for the ultra-cool stuff in my 48HBC prize box. I know they weren't chosen especially for me (to quote the old game show hosts) but I am enjoying them so, I do want to say thanks:

Journey-Woman -- your Starbucks card has kept me in much needed morning caffeine!
Wrung Sponge -- your iris photo is completely gorgeous and inspiring.
Barry Dennenberg - delighted to have your autographed book!
Beth - what a gorgeous necklace and bracelet!!!
Celise Downs - an autographed book and two cool key finders!
Bonny Becker - love the autographed book and LOVE "The Christmas Crocodile"!!!!!!!!
J & M Holm: An autographed Baby Mouse book and a (now framed) personalized drawing!
Threadless - ah, my emo poems are known by Shakespeare, huh? Nice hoodie!
Mother Reader - for all the other assorted treats and goodies - especially the paper bead jewelry!

The fun of reading for all those hours is still the best part of it all - but getting a box of such varied and amazing booty was also pretty dang cool, too! So thanks everyone!!!!

Final Thoughts About the Challenge

2007-06-10T20:01:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Mother Reader, I have spent a completely blissful and glorious weekend doing something that I adore: reading. I hope she knows how much I appreciate her giving me an excuse to be so self-indulgent. The past 48 hours curled up in my chair with a teetering pile of books beside me are the real prize of the contest.

As I wrote my dashed-off summaries to get in under the 48-hour wire tonight, I kept swirling that old chestnut around in my head - "books can take you anywhere." Yep, they surely can. In the twenty books I read this weekend, I met a girl in ancient Persia, a Vietnam veteran, and Dale the Chipmunk. I traveled through time, stopping off at various cities, countries and stars in the universe. I experienced the pain of love, the power of family, the brutality of dishonesty, the promise of friendship, the exhilaration of self-discovery, the electric jangle of a first kiss. I solved mysteries, flew with dragons, talked to potatoes, hoped for equality, and prayed against a killing frost in a peach orchard. Every book was something to be grateful for.

Yet every one of those adventures is the work of an author. Their spark of imagination, their long hours writing and revising, their hopes and struggles for the birth of what began as a single idea and was crafted into one of the amazing books I read this weekend.

So, I thank each of the authors who granted me such a wonderful prize this weekend: the joy of living with and through the characters you created. Your talent and creative tenacity is more appreciated and treasured than you will ever know. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And please, keep writing......

Challenge Book Commentaries

2007-06-10T18:52:00.000-05:00

Dream Factory: How could I resist this tale of imperfection beneath the shiny motto of "the Happiest Place on Earth"? Sure, it was a "summer romance between unlikely souls" tale, but with the added snark of revealing an underbelly of a dream. In the end, though, it is a tale for true believers and lovers of fairy tales....
Exploits of a Reluctant... : I admit to having more trouble reading this one - set as it is in a slang and time not my own. Also was not much in the mood for a novel told in scattered paragraphs. But did admire the growth of the hero and his realization that one person can make a difference - if only in the life of one other person.
Bad Tickets: Oy. Why did all of us believe as 15-year-old women that we were invincible? Why was everything so new. So fraught with possibility that we never saw the dangers? This tale of two friends testing those new avenues for self-expression and independence brought back a lot of bittersweet memories....
Inexcusable: Raw and disjointed, this is a disturbing tale whose hero believes himself not to be a villain - despite all indications to the contrary. The pain of family dynamics and self-doubt twist a young man's soul - and self-perceptions - leaving his true self uncertain for himself and the reader.
Beauty Shop For Rent: A feel-good tale on the order of Fried Green Tomatoes or Steel Magnolias. Our young heroine finds herself and her future in a blend of old friends' love and new friends' dreams. Happy, tear-jerky, satisfying.
Hold-Up: Told in a style I often find maddening - the tiny mini-chapters told from every character's individual point of view - this tale of a fast-food robbery gone bad was not a favorite from the reading pile this weekend. The voice of the the "mastermind" was particularly annoying - a sort of Hannibal Lecterish highbrow tone. Ish.
Far From Normal: A family of free spirits is caught in the ugly grip of corporate greed after speaking too freely and not paying their taxes. An interesting look at consumerism and the strength of a family that pulls together to save themselves.
Peaches: A book in the tradition of the Pants books, this follows the summer of three very dissimilar girls whose lives intertwine at a downtrodden peach orchard. Fights, boy trouble, betrayal, heartbreak, true love and undying friendship -- it's totally classic chick lit.
Alphabet of Dreams: This is why I read. A book takes me to ancient Persia to travel with a young girl and her dream-oracle brother and the Magi on their quest to follow the Star of Christ. A wondrous book full of amazing images and ideas.
Sammy Keyes & the Wild Things: If you ever read my blog, you know my childhood love of Nancy Drew is now fed by my favorite girl detective, Sammy Keyes. I love her spunk, her brains, he honesty and her ever-deepening relationship with Casey. (Who is much cooler than Ned ever was.) Condors, taxidermy, boar-hunters.... another great ride.
Getting It: At first, I was afraid this was going to be a one-note book hung on the thin thread of mimicking an episode of Queer Eye. I'm happy to report that it deepened into something better - a real look at friendship, hooking up, relationships, friendship, sex, and honoring a promise.
Come Juneteenth: Never knew the history of Juneteenth. Did not know that it was a Texas thing. Surely did not know that slaves in the Lone Star state had no idea they were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation for more than two years. A hard story of war, tradition, lies and consequences. I cannot begin to say how completely I hated the end of the story -- (I'll say no more specifically in case others may it read, too) -- but learned some things I did not know.
Rat Life: Well. Tedd Arnold. You have written an amazing, memorable book. And not a goofy, bug-eyed child or critter anywhere. I was stunned by this tale of family, unusual friendship and the birth of a writer. Find a copy. Discovery it for yourself.
Dragon's Keep: Irresistible cover. Merlin. Dragons. A young girl destined to fulfill a 600-year-old prophecy. An evil mother. True love. Oh, and the small problem of being part dragon herself as the result of a pact her mother made with an evil sorceress. It rips along to a very satisfying conclusion and has a very strong girl protagonist - always a plus for me.
Beige: I kept waiting for the characters from Gordon Korman's Born to Rock to show up in the crowds in this book. The set-up of a non-musical kid being thrust into the punk rock lifestyle of their long-absent fathers was just too similar not to. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book, but I felt like I had read it before. (Plus, I really liked the Korman book a lot.)
Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes: I hung in till the end of this quest, but had a lot of trouble with it. This girl was 17? Taking off with no phone, money or guidebooks? Forbidden to contact anyone at home? Did she have parents? I found the whole thing a challenge to to my willing suspension of disbelief. Plus, I never got the sense that the character grew much. Not a fave.
Vote For Larry: I always wondered about the sequel to the first Larry novel - which was the all-time favorite of my teen book club back in Library Land. And, I have to say, I liked it just as much. A great book to get into the hands of teens now that we are revving up for a new election.
Waves: A spooky sort of murder mystery with mind messages sent between a brother and his coma-suffering sister, this has odd twists into incest, abuse, care of family, tradition, surfing... I was happy when the end came - both to get some plot closure and to be done with the twists.
Secret Order of the .... This was a wild ride into the Oz stories via four young girls from Sherbet. Yep, just as strange as it sounds, but also fun. Ancient piano teachers, talking potatoes, ruby slippers -- not to mention jealousy, friendship and personal bravery. Tween girls unite.
Tanglewreck: My favorite book of the challenge. A young girl thrust into a prophecy as old as time itself, this is well-written, full of intriguing imagery and characters, and shot through with a million interesting theories about the meaning and measure of time. A great read.

My 48 Hour Book Challenge "read" List

2007-06-10T18:48:00.000-05:00

Friday, June 8th - 7PM - 4AM (9 hours, 1598 pages, 7 books)
Dream Factory
Exploits of a Reluctant (But Extremely Good-Looking) Hero
Bad Tickets
Inexcusable
Beauty Shop for Rent
Hold-Up
Far From Normal

Saturday, June 9th - 1PM - 3AM ( 14 hours, 2432 pages, 9 books)
Peaches
Alphabet of Dreams
Sammy Keyes & the Wild Things
Getting It
Come Juneteenth
Rat Life
Dragon's Keep
Beige
13 Little Blue Envelopes

Sunday, June 10th - 12 PM - 6:30 PM ( 6.5 hours, 1403 pages, 4 books)
Vote for Larry
Waves
The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls
Tanglewreck

Overall Totals:
20 books read
29.5 hours spent reading
5433 pages read

It Is So On!

2007-06-08T18:49:00.000-05:00

The 48-Hour Book Challenge is so ON!

I am starting at 7PM (can I wait another 9 minutes? It's like waiting for parents to get up on Christmas morning!) and will do my best to defeat my old record of 14 books/3155 pages/26 hours.

Let the games begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and I am just going to plunge my hand into the toppled over stack by the reading chair and start there. Oooh, this is just such delight I am giddy!

Thanks for the inviting me to your way cool birthday party, Mother Reader!!!!!!!!!

Oh, No! I've Been WEBbed...

2007-05-30T22:33:00.000-05:00

WEB tagged me for the 8 Things Meme. Hmmm. I'll see what I can come up with this late in the day......
_____________________________________________________________________
MEME RULES:

Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
____________________________________________________________________

I was born in a place that no longer exists. A very unsettling thing, actually.

I am a reunion-goer. I love hearing about people's life travels.

I've been reunited with my old teenaged notion of music as a soundtrack for my days - thanks to winning a delicious little IPod Shuffle. Now if I could win a mint-condition Wurlitzer jukebox to go with it......

I have traveled to the middle of the Irish Sea to watch a full eclipse of the sun on my birthday.

I just unpacked all of the boxes that have been sealed through our past two moves. It seems I am extremely sentimental, fond of odd hats, and own a staggering number of books.

I once convinced my husband to go to Paris for the weekend. (It was heavenly - even in cold & rainy November.)

I truly enjoy an ocean cruise. If I had unlimited funds, I might consider purchasing a suite on the ResidenSea.

I am an animal person, but particularly a cat person. I have long wanted a Scottish Fold kitten.

I miss reading to kids. I daydream about ways to create a fabulous new way to make a living doing that. And doing booktalks. And reviewing books. And talking about books. And....

Given the opportunity, I would have delivered to my house on a weekly basis a large bouquet of freshly picked flowers and a large box of freshly published books.

____________________________________________________________________

I'm woefully remiss in visiting the kidlitosphere of late -- so I will take a stab and tag:
1. Library Stew
2. Katie's Book Blog
3. A Patchwork of Books
4. Welcome to My Tweendom
5. TangognaT
6. Sara's Holds Shelf
7. The Pink-Haired Librarian
8. Miss Erin

Sorry if I'm snagging someone who has already bared eight facts/foibles for the cause!

Coming Soon to This Blog....more complete commentary?

2007-05-06T22:06:00.000-05:00

A tough week with too much work, rain and stress.
I did seek out down time to read - but had NO time to blog.
So, quick bites tonight and hopes to make good on the title above:

Summer of Kings: Liked it's slice of history feel, but not the characters. Could not believe the age-definition provided for the two sisters -- not even close. Had a sort of Mockingbird-esque thing going at times -- but mainly made me want to re-read Francie.

Buried: Wanted to check out the new YA Edgar Winner. Twisted. Mind-gamey. Didn't guess the ending.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: A fun, if profanity-laced, ride. (Not a candidate for the Clean Reads List.)

Firegirl: A tiny book with an interesting premise and protagonist. A bit heartbreaking. Nice shaking off childhood the hard way story.

In the Belly of the Bloodhound: I'm caught up with Bloody Jack now and anxious for the next installment. This series never fails to deliver.

Now You See Her: Ah, interent ploys and big names aside, I did not care for this one at all. Really. Not at all.

Harmless: Another one I did not really like much. Secrets kept by threes. Oy. Disappointing, really. For a better "fake secrets kept by threes" I'd re-read What Mr. Mattero Did.

Tantalize: Go vampire fiction, go. This had me guessing and there were some perfect bits: the two menus and what they contained.... excellent. I have to say, I still put The Silver Kiss and Twilight at the top of my neck-biter's list.

What the Dead Know: I like Lippmann, but sorely missed Crow & Tess.

BEST ADULT FICTION BET: Water for Elephants. Loved this -- especially reading it close on the heels of Freaks Alive on the Inside. Worthy of all the buzz it's gotten. And oh, such an ending, such an ending...... glad I read it. You will be, too.

BEST MIDDLE GRADE LIT BET: The Mysterious Benedict Society. Wow. Part City of Ember, part The Ear the Eye and the Arm and part Wrinkle in Time, this is a marvelous book! Smart, clever, thrilling, funny, brave -- my favorite middle-range read of the past couple of months, actually! A definite recommendation on this one!

BEST YA LIT BET: Ysabel. A totally original and enthralling journey through centuries of war and devotion. Could not put this one down until I saw how it played out. Really good stuff!!!!! Another serious recommendation.

Visual DNA Profile

2007-04-29T11:06:00.000-05:00

I finally managed to get over to this link and it is WAY cool!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

A book to make me wish I was not a fast reader....

2007-04-28T15:48:00.000-05:00

Do you know that feeling? As a general rule, I love being someone who reads quickly. It's a great skill to employ in the face of "so many books, so little time." But today, I read a book I loved so much that I actually forced myself to lay it down periodically because I could not bear to finish the experience too quickly.

I did finish, though, despite my self-imposed stalling tactics, and just let it sink into my head and heart for a bit. (I had big plans to cut a major swath through the 30-odd books on my to-read shelf today, but was loathe to dilute this novel by taking in any more words for a while.) After I had a nice bit of basking in it, I got up and ordered my own permanent copy from Amazon. Now, I find myself wanting to convince everyone to share the pleasure of reading it for themselves.

Yet as I sit here at the keyboard, I realize how much more difficult it can be to write about a book that has "hit the spot" so deftly. A book that's made you laugh and cry and read portions aloud (to yourself, if no one is around with an open ear) and seemed to be speaking directly to you. It's such a personal and all-encompassing experience that it is (a) hard to dissect the feelings to get them down on paper and (b) scary to imagine others having a reaction less positive than you've had with the book. Easier to be light and breezy and just like a book than to have had this sort of bonding with one..... know what I mean?

But I am compelled to try to share it anyway, because of my reaction. And so, I will do my best to persuade you to also read and connect with Deb Caletti's newest novel The Nature of Jade.

Jade De Luna is a high school senior. Her life is complicated by panic disorder, for which she takes medication and sees a therapist. Her friends are all starting the journey to "after high school" by making choices about what parts of themselves and what dreams they've tried on to keep for that rite of passage. Her family's dynamic is also in flux - making it a less safe zone than in the past. Her anxiety makes her afraid to try new - or even old - things and places. She combats the jitters and nightmares with a variety of tools: a box of various Saints candles, a ritual of knocking three times on the doorjamb of her bedroom before entering it, and by leaving the webcam site in the elephant enclosure at the Seattle zoo up on her computer screen. The gentle beasts give her a sense of calm and wonder - a perfect antidote to her frayed edges. But it is a chance sighting of a zoo visitor on the webcam that alters her life - inevitably connecting her to new lives and new experiences that she would never have thought herself strong or brave enough to manage.

I seldom quote lines in a book chat, but this novel begs me to do so. (I stuck post-it flags in what I felt were just a few spots and now see there are more than thirty sticking out of the pages!) But a few will give a flavor of what so appeals to me in Caletti's style:

"But the one thing my illness did make me realize is how necessary it is to ignore the dangers of living in order to live. We all have to get up every morning and go outside and pretend we aren't going to die. We've got to get totally involved in what we're going to wear that day, and how pissed we are that another car cut us off, and how we wish we were in better shape, so we don't have to think about how little any of that really matters."

"Everyone is quiet on the way home. It is the edgy silence of unmet expectations. I can see everyone's reflections in the car windows. Mom with her hair that has gone from inappropriately frivolous to somehow ashamed; Dad, with his disappointed profile; Oliver, with his faraway face, lost in another place where children fought beasts way bigger than themselves and where potions fixed the worst evils."

"Mom has made a bowl of peanut butter cookie dough and is eating it off the tip of her finger. Cookie making is never simply cookie making. It is a direct result of an elevated mood, good or bad. It is either joy inspired (see the related French Toast Incident previously described), or depression inspired - PMS, broken heart, listless boredom, agitation that can only be cured by the near inhalation of fat and sugar. The clues - no baking sheets out yet, the oven still cold - means this is not about joy."

" I realize that there is a stretch of freeway, a few miles between the airport and town, that is so laden with sadness and bittersweet joy, hundreds and thousands of comings and goings and the loss of change and moving on, so much emotion seeped into the pavement and surrounding earth on those trips of dropping off departing loved ones, that it should be called the Zone of Heartbreak."

" I hold up the moments with Sebastian, gaze at them again with a gentle eye, with careful hope. I do the necessary work of falling in love, that time spent alone with your imagination. "

I felt this strongly about Deb Caletti's book Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, too. I admire the interior of the young women she creates. They are a true blend of vulnerability and bravado, on the cusp of life shifts that they both long for and fear. The others peopling the novels are well-drawn and crisp in their own right -- down to the most minor. (Even Jade's dog Milo is a wonderful soul.) Caletti infuses the narrative with a litany of things: philosophy, teen parenthood, Narnia, sports culture, the wonders of Seattle, therapy speak, selected quotes from a scholarly text on animal behavior - and it works. Beautifully.

So, please, treat your reader's soul to this wonderful novel.

Just remember to make it last by reading very, very slowly.

MotherReader: The Second Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

2007-04-27T23:43:00.000-05:00

MotherReader: The Second Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

I urge and implore all of you to join in this somewhat insane but wholly delightful affair!
It is, quite seriously, what got me to start this blog. Until MR laid down the gauntlet, I had been a sad lurker in the Kidlitosphere. Reading posts by those still connected to kids and books and feeling quite sorry for myself. But MR's 48 Hour Book Challenge was like a good "Coulda Had a V8" smack upside the head for me -- I could stop lurking and dive right back into the pool of words, words, wonderful words. Fabulous pool it was, too, as I am still here and much the better for it all -- so do not hesitate another minute! Click the link and get signed up for one of the most indulgent and rewarding 48 hours of your summer! Do it!!!

All right, need further inspiration? Click here to see the amazing list of the books all of the participants racked up last year during the Inaugural Challenge! Or pop over to Chasing Ray for an incredible list of coming of age books to pursue. Or hop over to Jen's for a list of cool girls in literature. Or her list of 175 cool guys. Or check out the Cybils List. Or track down the new list of "Thump" books. Go to the public library and load up on everything that looks good to you. It's a feast for heaven's sake - go a little wild!

Wonder if I can manage to renew the 30 currently on my shelf until June 8th.......???

Nineteen Minutes in Virginia

2007-04-16T22:20:00.000-05:00

Am having one of those eerie days -- started reading Jodi Picoult's new novel after midnight last night and then with this new day comes the horrible news from Virginia Tech. My heart breaks for all those families whose children were lost so instantly and senselessly. I keep thinking about the 1991 shootings on the U of Iowa campus when I was working there and how terrifying that day was for everyone --- today's tragedy encompasses so many more victims.... lost so instantly and so senselessly. Don't know if I can read any more tonight. Then again, maybe it will allow me to think about it differently. Maybe I am calling on the power of the written word to help me translate the meaning of such brutality......

POST SCRIPT 4/29/07: I did manage to finish up Nineteen Minutes. Like Picoult's other novels, it tries to see an issue from as many sides as possible, and then sneaks in a twist at the end to force the reader to reevaluate everything they thought all the way through the book. I do have to take the events at V-Tech into account when I think about my reaction to this book, as it does mirror much of what we read that week. (And in any other school shooting coverage for that matter.) Reading about bullying and adolescence and popularity and fitting in -- there would hardly be YA or middle grade fiction without those topics. We all knew it at that age and we know it now. The stunning number of "copycat" (or are they just others liberated by knowing someone did something about it?) threats in the ensuing weeks speaks to the breadth of the problem. Has life changed? Has the world changed? Are we - and our kids - so completely filled with pain? I don't know -- this book did not really help me process the V-Tech shootings. Neither did the news items. I came away from the photos of those lost in the fray (teenagers conjugating French verbs, for heaven's sake!)and from the gunman's menacing videos and from his family's anguished public statement in much the same way I came away from this novel.... I just felt completely and immeasurably sad.

Goodbye, Mr. Vonnegut

2007-04-12T08:31:00.000-05:00

This morning brings with it more April snow and the sad news of Kurt Vonnegut's passing. Though it has been a good long while since I read any of his work, I can vividly recall the feelings evoked by them as a teenager. Their mix of horror, humor and absurdity was both eye-opening and somehow familiar to my adolescent pysche. I will be looking for one of his novels today in homage to the effect he had on this reader. You might like to do the same......

Catch-Up Sunday (4/15/07)

2007-04-06T22:23:00.000-05:00

It has been a crazy couple of weeks here - so the things I've read have just not gotten put "on paper" as it were. I have a tiny sliver of time this morning before heading in - again - to work and am going to try to at least get some quick comments down about these books....

Read this last night. I don't know what it is about these Bloody Jack books, but I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. I love Jacky Faber's spunk and smarts and sass. I love that there can be a rollicking adventure tale where - for once - the girl is the focus and the star of the story! From shore to shore, from deck to brig, from cannon battles to tavern singing ... these tales are jam-packed with one memorable scene after another. The minor characters are great foils for the heroine - the backdrop of history and geography illuminating - the way the true meaning of sailing terms (keelhaul, son of a gun) and techniques are woven into the story fascinating. Though fairly long, these books read like a ship with the wind in her sails -- and I was delighted to note the guaranteed set-up for book four and to discover that it is already out! (and the 5th and 6th adventures in progress!) Can't wait to see what Jacky gets into next!!

After having so recently read Drowned Maiden's Hair, it was intriguing to read How it Happened in Peach Hill last week. Not quite as melodramatic as Maiden, this does have a similar plot: mother and daughter con artist team travels through small town America fleecing the lonely by pretending to read palms and communicate with the dead. The mother is a vain beauty who cares nothing for her daughter Annie's happiness - not even registering the pain of making her child pretend to be mentally challenged to further their latest scheme. Annie eventually begins to determine her own fate by tweaking the scheme to her advantage - which sets up a dangerous power struggle with her mother. The ending is quite satisfying, as Annie releases herself from bondage without destroying her mother. A quick read, this is an intriguing look at the mechanics of a "family business".

This was an odd little read. It was sort of a quest tale without a clear quest to me -- or perhaps an escape story? Or maybe just a retelling of a tale from long ago that I am not at all familiar with - that of Tom Thumb. It made me sad, actually -- the tiny child leading his equally unfortunate siblings on a journey to the ocean to escape the impending brutality of their parents... which turns out to be a miscommunication? (Or deliberate deception on the part of the tiny brother in order to get assistance in his desire to travel to the sea?) I did enjoy the railway scenes with the tiny hand coming out from the luggage to grab a bit of food... but mainly, this one reads much like the take on a fairy tale from another land that it is ...

I am happy to be able to laud Adrien Fogelin again after being a bit harsh about the last book of hers I read. This is a really good novel about Fisher Brown - a uber-smart 16-year-old geek who lives alone with his father and longs for a break from the relentless academic expectations that shape his every moment. When an unlikely opportunity presents itself to break away and do something completely out of character, Fisher jumps at it. The road trip that ensues includes a wild cast of characters and experiences - and through it all, Fisher learns that there is much more to himself - and to life - than academics. This is a fine book with lots of heart.

This book was a surprise to me. I expected something sort of tabloidesque and instead got a thoughtful look at one young girl's slow self-redemption from shame and despair. Caught by her own father at 13 while having sex in a car with an older boy, Deanna's life seems to be caught forever in a freeze-frame of that moment. Seared into her father's brain, the moment completely alters his view of her - and his judgmental attitude seeps into the rest of the family dynamic. Her former lover's response - making the tale into a "legendary slut" tale at school, sears a similar picture into the minds of schoolmates and townspeople. Deanna begins to see herself in the same light -- only revealing a sense of hope and possibility in the journal she keeps. I liked the small moves of this novel. Deanna's climb up from darkness is all her own doing - no kindly therapist or teacher intervenes. Her confrontation of her feelings, her plans for a different future, and especially her showdown with her former lover are all painfully truthful in their telling. An insightful read.

And last, but definitely not least, I must add my kudos for Cures for Heartbreak. Mia's life is irrevocably changed with her mother's sudden and unexpected death from cancer and her father's ensuing heart attack. Her attempts to reconcile her present life to her old one are poignant, heartbreaking and at times hilarious. Her worries over her own health are so well-wrought and touched a nerve in me - I recall having many of the same feelings after my own dad's heart attack. (Though my hypochondriac side did not need to learn about calf pain as a silent precursor to sudden illness!) The writing is wonderful and the twists and turns of Mia's journey are felt in the reader's soul. I enjoyed it very much - and would have sat right down to read it straight through again had it not been on reserve for someone else at the library. Particular favorite bits: Mia and her dad on vacation at the heart health camp, Mia's attack on the figurines, and of course, Mia's budding relationship with "Cancer Guy". This is a must-read.
So what are you waiting for? Go find a copy!

Otherness

2007-03-24T20:16:00.000-05:00

After reading this week, I find myself seeing a lot of characters who are steeped in a sense of "otherness". They have a view of themselves as being unlike anyone else. As outsiders. As misfits. As having home lives and families and dreams and insecurities that are unique in the universe.

In some cases, they discover that it's true -- they are quite different and must find a way to blaze a new trail or withdraw from the world that they are so disconnected from.

In other cases, they connect with at least one other person willing to share their own "otherness" in a way that begins a new friendship, a new world of possibilities.

In other cases, it is revealed that everyone has the same fear of being different and odd and the sun sets on everyone holding hands and singing a happy song of oneness.

In reading this past week, there seemed to be a lot of otherness happening. Sometimes the telling of the story translates to "oh, I've read this tale many times before" and sometimes it translates to "I've read this before, or have I?"

Know what I mean?

Ron Koertge seduced me with the book Confess-O-Rama. That was a familiar tale with two very "other" characters finding each other in a complex and satisfying way. It remains a favorite of mine and I recommend it to you. Boy Girl Boy is another story. Maybe three's a crowd? Maybe three "others" is also a crowd?Maybe none of the three felt "other" enough? Maybe the ending was too cliche? I don't know, but this one did not reach me. I read it through, but never was involved in the lives of any of the three characters. Their eventual detachment from one another seemed too easy and inevitable - and not in a way that's felt in the reader's heart, but in his "plots of the ages" mind. I'm therefore, doing what I've done before in this blog -- reviewing one book by an author and begging you to read another instead. Find a copy of Confess-O-Rama. You won't be sorry.

Sorry, this might be part two in this week's quasi-recommendations. I felt about this book as I did when I read Wendelin Van Draanen's Runaway - I thought I was getting a new book by an author whose work I had enjoyed in the past -- but I was really getting a spin-off. Joey instead of Friends. In The Big Nothing, Adrian Fogelin revisits the setting of Crossing Jordan - which was a novel about families and racial prejudice and friendship that I again, highly recommend. This expansion of the tales of the neighborhood focuses on Justin Riggs - a self-proclaimed nothing with a shattered home life (cheating traveling salesman dad, depressed mom, big brother in Iraq) and no social prospects. He is saved by the friendship and support of Jemmie and her grandmother - the black family first introduced in Crossing Jordan. I was glad this "other" found a way out, but just didn't get involved in the story.

And then comes The Invention of Hugo Cabret. At first glance, a behemoth of a book to get through - until one realizes how much space is absorbed by Selznick's illustrations. Reading it is actually a pretty quick business, but many of the illustrations require some perusal and flat-out admiration which slows one down a bit. Again, the novel features a main character who feels so "other" that he scurries about inside walls to avoid a world in which he can see no place for himself. The mystery, the suspense, the cinematic quality of the narrative (isn't it rumored to have been optioned by Scorcese already?) are all grand. I completely adore the bookending of the story by the introduction and conclusion. (I'll not elaborate in case you've not read it.) But above all, I am besotted by the fact that Selznick tells me what got him interested in writing the story to begin with. I loved the idea of the automata and Selznick's quest to learn more about them. I loved his discovery of the connection to Georges Melies as a result of this quest. I was delighted to be able to search and find the Melies film he references online and watch it myself. For me, the knowledge of the reality from whence an author's fantasy comes is the sweetest treat of all. I can thrill to the tale as it unfolds and then learn more about the realities afterward, if I am sufficiently drawn to it. This book did just that for me - excellent stuff.

It doesn't get too much more "other" than to be the only son of a survivalist living in the wilderness underground to avoid "the government". But Moon is just such a boy and when his father dies rather than reveal himself to the world that might save him, Moon is about as "other" from the world he must now make his way in as is humanly possible. In some ways, he is like a boy in a tale that suddenly appears in the village after being raised by wolves. ... he has no social graces, a distrustful mental landscape and way too much experience with "whipping up" on someone to survive. Betrayed by a stranger and targeted by a psychotic lawman, Moon escapes from the boy's home with two new pals and manages to keep everyone alive in the wild. I rooted for Moon, and felt all right about where he lights at the end of the novel - though it was a bit tidy and slick. It was very difficult for me to accept Moon as a 10 -year-old, though. Yeah, he had to be tougher than his years, but I would have bought it more readily if he'd been 4 or 5 years older.... nonetheless, Alabama Moon is a rough and tumble tale that does hold a reader's attention.

In Side Effects, Izzy finds herself set apart by the discovery that she has cancer. The book traces her journey from the shock of the diagnosis, through the complete horrors of her treatments, to her re-entry into a world that will never feel the same. This story is unique in allowing Izzy to both deal with the disease in a smart-mouthed manner (not as a saint, or a defeated dishrag) and to survive. The alternative is well-presented in the reactions of classmates and strangers - schoomates send cards that refer to her in the past tense, a soccer mom wants to bring by a group of young girls to witness her bravery - but Izzy is destined to win the fight. At one point near the end of the novel she realizes that it never occurred to her that she would die -- and that is a poignant moment to share. This is a small book, but it pulls no punches. The descriptions of the chemo treatments are wrenching to read and the toll they take on Izzy are made quite clear. But her spunk and her sass - as well as her worries - are all there, too. A definite keeper.

Being Bindy is a novel that could well have fallen into the "oh, I've read this tale many times before" category, but didn't. There are plenty of familiar elements: broken home filled with secrets, self-absorbed older brother, best friend turned tormentor, and endless moments of personal humilation at the hands of classmates. Yet, somehow, I kept reading. The familiar broken-home tale fleshes out with the dad being the nurturer and the mom being the leavetaker and Bindy's relationship with both parents is explored well. The older brother becomes an unexpected ally with secret angst and dreams. The best friend turned tormentor tale reaches stunning heights, which are pushed still further when the friend's mom begins sleeping with Bindy's dad. Set in Australia, this slice of middle-school life travels well - slang and all. I think the cover art may draw an audience a bit young for the story - but in the right hands, this will be a good read indeed.

It took me a bit to get into Born to Rock. I wasn't sure about who Leo was, or what his story was. I was glad I stuck with it, because, as it turned out, Leo didn't really know any of those answers either, and finding them out was quite an experience. Seemingly secure in his role with the Young Republicans and with a scholarship to Harvard, Leo still maintains his friendship with Melinda, a definite "other" sort of girl who dresses and worships at the altar of the punk rock music scene. In a somewhat unbelievable string of events, Leo loses everything he was banking on and finds himself adrift in a suddenly bankrupt future. In a second chain of events, he is stunned to learn that the man he has always thought of as his dad, is not - instead his dad is one of the original progenitors of Punk Music, known (famously and infamously) as King Maggot. Leo's decision to get to know his real father in order to hit him up for the money to keep his Harvard dream alive leads him to a job as a roadie with his dad's band - a wild journey that takes Leo very far from his Young Republican roots. What could have been a trite tale is made better by the personal choices Leo makes as a result of his summer. I enjoyed this book. It made me want to re-read Son of the Mob and The Gospel According to Larry. (Two other good reads I recommend to you... the latter was my teen book group's all-time favorite.)

Twisted. Here is another major "other" guy. Nerdy, invisible, butt of countless humilations, Tyler also lives in a powder keg at home thanks to his violently controlling father. When Tyler attempts to be noticed by perpetrating a major school prank, the plot backfires - making him more of a pariah than ever. So where does the twisted come in? In Tyler's inner dialogue where he reveals the darker thoughts his stressed existence creates - like the fact that his original prank planning involved explosives rather than spray paint.... I actually considered not finishing the book. Part way in, I just had the horrible sense that it was going to come to a bad, disturbing end for Tyler and I wasn't at all sure I wanted to watch it all play out. (And then there's the pre-narrative page that states "Note: This is not a book for children.") Exploring the extreme edges of where "otherness" can lead, Anderson even visits the notion of suicide in a sweat-inducing, heart-wrenching scene mid-way through the book. Family violence erupts,too, in a terrifying confrontation between Tyler and his dad near the end. I'm glad I decided not to close the book, as I would have missed a rich and memorable read. But it is a tough read, and one that is not easily shaken off afterward....

"Otherness"? Freaks, Alive on the Inside explores the notion from the vantage point of Abel, a normal teenager growing up and traveling with human oddities in the carnival world of 1899. Surrounded by those with physical deformities, it is Abel who feels lost and alone. He decides to escape, only to find himself saddled with a stowaway. When his uninvited companion is snatched up by an unscrupulous carnival owner, it falls to Abel to save all of the "show folk" from evil exploitation. I do have one big problem with this book - the subplot of Abel's "connected through time and space" love affair with a mummified Egyptian girl. It felt like a completely different storyline to me that did not insert particularly well. It could have been a sequel, perhaps, but did not belong here. The rest of the tale was very affecting. Thinking about the treatment and life options for those with physical differences is important stuff and this is an interesting avenue into that. For Klaus to set her tale in the world of folks so very different, but to have the focus on a normal character as the one who feels most set apart is a fascinating choice. And as with Hugo Cabret, I appreciated Klause's endnotes about what inspired her to write the book and the real persons upon whom many of her characters were based. I will think on much of this for some time to come.

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.
Mother Teresa (1910 - 1998)

Carnival Revisited

2007-03-21T12:14:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who has dropped by the Carnival and left a message &/or made mention of it on your own blog! It was fun to put together and you all sure provided me with some incredibly great posts to work with -- so thanks for that, too!

I had to step away from the festive pink theme, though -- didn't know where I was when I entered my own little blog world!

I was sorry not to get to comment on some of the posts in the Carnival -- just plain ran out of time on Sunday.

So, here's that commentary now:

Terrell's notion of opening the week with a poem was reminiscent of Poetry Fridays. Love the idea - love the idea of finding a spot to add a poem to EVERY day even more. Seems like making them connect in as many ways as often as possible makes them a cool thing -- not the dreaded POETRY UNIT.....

Ms Mac's polling of her 5th graders to see what they are reading for pleasure was great. It was fun to hear what kids are REALLY reading and enjoying....

Susan's adventures with Maple Candy as a result of Ms Wilder's books was too fun. Isn't it grand when a book inspires such an adventure? Mess or no mess, that's priceless stuff.

Liz's piece on the need to nourish our souls was so timely and so thoughtful. I should print it out and post it on my desk at work. Sage advice too seldom heard and more seldom heeded.

Kate's chat about the books that sparked her kids' reading was neat. What memories do you all have of books that meant something to you and your children? I have vivid memories of bedtime read-alouds of The Neverending Story with my daughter that make me smile to this day....

Lisa's report on her replies from children's authors and illustrators in connection to copyright issues was a heartening piece. When we retired the physical card catalog cards at my library, we sent some of the cards to children's authors asking for a signature on them to use as a fundraiser for the children's department. The gregarious kindness of those we approached mirrors Lisa's experience. What a fantastic group of artists we are privileged to rub elbows with in the K-Sphere!

Sherry's post about Wanda Gag brought back happy memories of Millions of Cats. I was not familiar with the book/cover she posted about -- but the style was so familiar - just made me smile in childhood recognition.

Had to post about Laurie Halse Anderson's tattoo. What an intriguing person.

Thanks to my own wanderings and the posts from Snow, Jen & Cynthia, I have my name on the reserve lists for Alison McGhee's new book, Cures for a Heartbreak, Keturah & Lord Death and Love the Baby. (And come on - WHO among you can resist the cover of Love the Baby?????)

Cloudscome's torn-up book meme got me thinking, too. I have a wonderful old fairy tale book that my gram used to read to me -- the good one with the shivery tales like Bluebeard --that is held together with love and silver duct tape and a serious envelope. It is, alas, still in storage from our move, or I would post a photo of it here. Don't need the photo for myself as I can see every bit of it in my minds' eye, right down to the border designs on the pages. Ahhh.

Lindsey's wacky pop-up books cheered my day -- I enjoy pop-ups to pieces and the two she posted about look like complete wacky fun. Her teens must love her.

Tricia's piece on Reading Aloud What is Difficult was so well-written and so great I actually posted it twice in hopes of snagging maximum attention to it. Guess this makes a third mention -- and if you have not read it, please do. Great post.

Monica's description of reading Desperaux aloud made me smile through my tears -- I loved that book and always wanted to read it aloud -- but left Libraryland before I did so. The letter format of that post is also just right.

Digital Rich's post got me thinking about whether we react differently to a written piece or to a filmed piece. It seemed from his post that his daughter had a visceral reaction to the Anne Frank film - but did not have an equally visceral reaction to reading the book upon which it was based. An interesting question to think more about....

Franki's post about a new grammar book and its author was wonderful. I appreciate books that bring that vital information to light in new ways: the fun Cleary books, Eats Shoots & Leaves, The Deluxe Transitive Vampire....

Chasing Ray's unbelievable Coming of Age booklist is a post for the ages. I'd like to make it a goal to read every one of those books - maybe I could jumpstart that goal for MR's next 48-Hour Book Challenge!! :)

Karen's marvelous variety of World War picture books is a thoughtful, valuable collection to tuck away for future use.

I had to share my discoveries of the YouTube promotion for Jackie Mitchard's foray into YA lit - what an intriguing marketing plan....

Also had to share the Archive.Org showing of the film that inspired Cabret... and yes, I hope to blog about my reading experience with that book sometime soon.

And I did have to single out Brooke's perfectly delightful post about the teeny-tiny books. What a joy to share that collection with her vicariously! Made me long for my own teeny-tiny book treasure (yes, also in storage) - an itsy-bisty leather bound copy of Romeo & Juliet that I bought at an estate auction back in high school.

Okay, I feel better now.

Thanks to Melissa for asking me to pinch-host this event. I had a great time!

2007-03-18T16:47:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 12th Carnival of Children's Literature.

There were so many submissions, that it felt more like the State Fair.

So, come on in.

Wander.

Be amazed, enlightened, inspired.

And yes, by all means.....

INDULGE.

March themes remind us that the ice and snow will soon be in a paper cup - not the driveway!

Kaye presents Great Golden Pancake Awards posted at Zing Things for Zingpictures.com , saying, "This post was prompted by Pancake Day - Shrove Tuesday. I try to post regularly on books my daughters have or are enjoying with details too of the spin off art and 'educational' enquiries and projects their reading inspires. "

polliwog presents The Cat in the Hat turns 50 today posted at bobbarama.com

Els Kushner presents Sound the Graggers! Eat the Hamentaschen! Read...um...what? posted at book, book, book, saying, "Purim is usually in March (it just squeaked in on March 3 this year), so I hope this is topical enough for the March Carnival!"

Tricia presents Seeds & Growing Things posted at Miss Rumphius Effect.

This poetry offering was a light, sweet snack to savor....

Terrell presents PTSW : Flax-golden Tales posted at Alone on a Limb, saying, "Each week I try to post a Poem to Start the Week from among the poems I have used during 27 years of teaching elementry school students.. This week's poem is "Invitation" the little masterpiece by Shel Silverstein. On this post you will find links to the the opther poems in the series, as well as other posts and sites that celebrate children's literature."

A group of posts offered welcome gulps of cold, frothy inspiration.....

Jone AKA MsMac presents What Are We Reading At Silver Star? Week of March 12, 2007 posted at Check It Out.

Jennifer Laughran presents A Conversation with a YA Editor posted at not your mother's bookclub , saying, "This is a glimpse into the mind of a YA editor. "

Susan Thomsen presents Laura Ingalls Wilder Inspires Kitchen Mess posted at Chicken Spaghetti

Liz Garton Scanlon presents Empty Baskets posted at Liz In Ink, saying, "Sometimes, as people and as writers, what we need most is to rest and renourish."

Kate Baggott presents Our Little Literary Awakening posted at Babylune, saying, "The one reading experience that woke each of us up."

Lisa presents Blogs and Copyright posted at Passionately Curious, saying, "I recently had a wonderful response when I contacted a few children's literature authors about sharing their poetry or passages from their books in my blog."

Reading some of the great interviews posted this month are like enjoying the many layers of a blooming onion.....

Elaine Magliaro presents POETRY FRIDAY: Yoga Poems posted at Blue Rose Girls , saying, "This blog article includes a review of the book TWIST:YOGA POEMS and an interview with its author, Janet Wong, and illustrator, Julie Paschkis."

Little Willow presents An Interview with Author Jenny Han posted at Bildungsroman.

Jules and Eisha presents Seven Impossible Interviews Before Breakfast #13:M.T. Anderson (who is not really seven monkeys, six typewriters,and a Speak & Spell,* no matter what he tells you) posted at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Kelly Fineman presents kellyrfineman: An interview with Adam Rex posted at Writing and Ruminating.

Laurie Bluedorn presents Podcast #2 Interview with Eloise Wilkin's Daughter, Part One posted at Laurie Bluedorn.

Author postings fed our cravings for greater insight into their lives and work....

Lynn Rodriguez presents The View From My Window posted at The View From My Window.

Kerry Madden presents Tennessee Alumnus, WRITING FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE posted at Gentle's Holler , saying, "This is an essay I wrote for the Tennessee Alumnus Magazine entitled "Writing For Young People."

Sherry presented Wanda Gag posted at Semicolon

Laurie Halse Anderson presented her new Tattoo posted at her website

Minnesota Public Radio presented Alison McGhee’s new novel on their Talk Volumes page.

A couple of fun memes bring a smorgasbord of ideas together in one tasty combo platter.

Katherine presented My First Meme posted at This Just In

Cloudscome presented Torn-Up Book Meme posted at AWrung Sponge

Book reviews, like the unrivaled corn dog, are a mainstay of the experience!

Andrea presents Supreme Esteem: Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick posted at Just One More Book!!

Sheila Ruth presents Book Review: The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle posted at Wands and Worlds

Pam Coughlan presents MotherReader: Clementine Is Back! posted at MotherReader .

Lindsey Dunn presents Books Teens Will Love as Prizes posted at Zee Says=Film Addict + Teen Librarian

Wendy Betts presents Review: Good Sports posted at Blog from the Windowsill

Becky Laney presents Toys Go Out posted at Becky's Book Reviews

Snow Wildsmith presents Keturah and Lord Death posted at Kiddie Lit

DeputyHeadmistress presents Childrens' Book:Dollie's Big Dream, or The Man of Mirth posted at The Common Room, saying, "A vintage book with some lovely illustrations"

Leisa presents downwiththekids.net » Blog Archive » A Monster Wrote Me A Letter posted at downwiththekids.net .

Jen Robinson presents Cures for Heartbreak: Margo Rabb posted at Jen Robinson's Book Page , saying, "I've thought about this book a lot since I read it, and thought that it warranted further discussion."

Sonja Cole presents Mythology posted at Bookwink, saying, "Video booktalks of The Lightning Thief, and The Shadow Thieves."

Cynthia Leitich Smith presented Love the Baby posted at Cynsations

Posts about reading aloud remind us that a good thing can be even better -- like a deep-fried Snickers Bar!!

Michelle Sweeney presents 20 Minutes A Day posted at Tonic Gifts.

Michelle Mitchell presents Tips for Improving Your Child's Literacy posted at scribbit.

Tricia presents On Reading Aloud What is Difficult posted at Miss Rumphius Effect.

Monica presented Reading Aloud Despereaux posted at Educating Alice

Posts on great ideas for teaching raise the bar like sweetly yeasted bread.

Elena LaVictoire presents My History Plan posted at My Domestic Church, saying, "Examples of how I am using kids historical literature in my history curriculum."

Rich Peluso presents DigitalRichDaily: Unanswered Questions posted at DigitalRichDaily , saying, "Our daughters book/oral report for school resulted in a family movie night beyond the average Disney film..and impacts the life of our children."

Franki presented Teaching Grammar & Conventions posted at A Year of Reading.

Some posts broach the weightiest of subjects and give us all something to chew on for awhile -- Pork Chop on a Stick, anyone?

Alvina Ling presents Money & Writing posted at Blue Rose Girls.

Mitali Perkins presents Are Cultural Outsiders Our Writers of Choice? posted at Mitali's Fire Escape, saying, "With all the talk about "authenticity" going around the world of children's literature, is there still a place for a book about a particular place or culture written by an outsider for other outsiders?"

Erin presents Title Matters posted at Miss Erin

Liz B. presents An Interesting Mix of Posts and Articles posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy , saying, "It was a hard decision this month, but I like this post because it addresses a bunch of current YA lit issues."

Kelly Herold presents Gender Bias in Picture Books? posted at Big A little a

Megan Bayliss presents Bitss of Caramel Marmalade on Toast posted at Child protection: serious business.

Megan Bayliss presents Are children's books providing them with enough advice? posted at Helium - Where Knowledge Rules

Monica presented The Elephant in the Room posted at Educating Alice

The pretzeled twists and turns of Scrotumgate are still with us....

Jay presents Presenting: The Newbery Jewels posted at The Disco Mermaids (Robin - Jay - Eve) , saying, "We've designed a new Newbery logo for those librarians skittish of a little scrotum!"

Susie Bright presents You Say Scrotum, I Say Hoo-Ha posted at Susie Brights Journal, saying, "I've heard from SO many librarians and children's lit enthusiasts about this issue. I am a daughter of a librarian who just grew up in the chidrens room of the library, so this is close to my heart!"

Tricia presents On Reading Aloud What is Difficult posted at Miss Rumphius Effect.

Posts on diversity remind us that the Gyro stand is right next to the Foot Long stand at the fair..

Dana Rudolph presents The Different Dragon: A Magical Book for All Families posted at Mombian.

mamakelly presents A Blog of Two Witches Pagan Kids' Book Review - Alice and Greta: a tale of two Witches « posted at A Blog of Two Witches.

Marta presents Wanted: Sympathetic Aliens in Children's Literature posted at Homeschool Kid Lit

Tricia presents On Diversity in School & Classroom Libraries posted at Miss Rumphius Effect.

And great book lists are like this menu -- something to satisfy every appetite!

Colleen Mondor presents Everybody's Favorite Coming-of-Age Novels, Including Many You May Not Have Heard Of posted at Chasing Ray, saying, "Consider this the mother-of-all-coming-of-age novel lists. Everybody and their third cousin weighed in and it came out great!"

Karen Edmisten presents Karen Edmisten: WWII in picture books posted at Karen Edmisten , saying, "Part 1 of two posts submitted

Karen Edmisten presents More WWII Picture Books posted at Karen Edmisten , saying, "part 2 of two posts submitted"

Mrs. K. presents Girls You Should Know posted at Readathon, saying, "This links to the first two entries in my weekly series "Girls You Should Know."

Julee presents Roadsigns (A Harey Race with a Tortoise) posted at Homeschool Daze.

Stacie Turner presents Breastfeeding Books for Kids, Take 2 posted at The Twinkies

Chris presents Money – That’s What They Want posted at Chris Barton Info

Em presented Gauntlet Thrown posted at Emily Reads

And then there are the posts not so easily categorized -- like the Hot Beef Sundae...

Jacquelyn Mitchard’s new book gets an unusual launch onYouTube

Brian Selznick’s initial inspiration for The Invention of Hugo Cabret posted at Archive.Org

Lindsey Dunn presents Second Life, Get a Life? posted at Zee Says=Film Addict + Teen Librarian

Sometimes you discover one special post that is just the sweetest delight imaginable...

Brooke presents Online Exhibit of the Week: The Charlotte M. Smit... posted at The Brookeshelf, saying, "This article is a guided tour of one of the most charming collections of children's literature -- teeny, tiny micro-books! This is the first in a series of articles highlighting online exhibits of rare and unusual children's literature."

Well, that's it for this Carnival!

Enjoy the Midway as you leave.

And don't forget to get your submissions in for the 13th Carnival of Children's Literature by dropping by the Carnival Site or by stopping in at your upcoming host's site.

Carnivale!!!!

2007-03-15T22:36:00.000-05:00

Yep, I've been asked to pinch-host this month's Carnival of Children's Literature right here at Midwestern Lodestar!

So either post your submissions at the Carnival site, or
email them to me here .

I'll accept 'em till Saint Paddy's Day evening (this Saturday!) and will post the feast of goodies here on Monday!

So get cracking K-Sphere pals! Let the Carnivale begin!!

- ZG

Spring Forward!

2007-03-10T21:32:00.000-06:00

If I'm losing an hour tonight, does that mean I have to read twice as fast?

Despite the grueling work week just past, life is good. The snow is melting (50 degrees today!!) and I even managed to wash the scummy road salt off of my car. It will be odd to be able to actually see out of the back window of my VW bug....

I returned a few of the Big Ol' Stack of Books unfinished yesterday - but did manage to get through A True & Faithful Narrative first. I enjoyed the slice of history ambiance and the struggles of the feisty protagonist to do what she was meant to do on this earth despite conventions of the day and to find the right man to share her life with while doing so. If I had not taken it back already, I would have cited a specific line to sum up my reactions -- but alas, now a paraphrase must suffice. While reading one of her cherished romances, Meg says that she "cannot wait to dive in to read what she already knows will happen" or something on that order. I felt that way about this book - it was familiar and yet I willingly read on to the expected conclusion.

P.S. The cover art does this book no favors.....

I was knocked out by the sheer fun and mysterious mischief of A Drowned Maiden's Hair, though! From the great cover art and font to the twisty, turny plot, I could NOT put this one down! Successful as a period piece (the melodrama of the title); sufficiently suspenseful as an eerie mystery; heart-wrenching as a study of a whole lot of lonely, yearning women - this is a really great read. I had NO idea what the reason would be for the two sisters to adopt Maud and was delighted by the revelation of that secret. I loved the subplot with Anna/Muffet. I could not wait to discover how the scam on Mrs. Lambert would unfold. This is my favorite read of the month by far. If you haven't read it yet, do so!

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a couple of thousand clocks to set ahead before I curl up in bed with a nice cup of tea and the copy of The Invention of Hugo Cabret I picked up today!

Fresh Horses!!

2007-03-06T21:58:00.000-06:00

Ah, fresh horses for new journeys -- otherwise known as a great big new stack of books.

Finally have my hands on Drowned Maiden's Hair and Kiki Strike. Managed to locate a copy of Swordbird. And despite my reservations about the cover, I also brought home Octavian Nothing.

Bringing any books home right now is a true leap of faith, as I have only FOUR (yes, count them with me and weep) days off for the rest of the month of March. But I will do my best. The stack is humming like the crate in the hold of the Nazi ship in Raiders of the Lost Ark, so I won't be able to resist long, regardless of my exhaustion levels....

I also want to take two minutes to thank some of the other bloggers in the K-Sphere for a couple of things:

I am SO intrigued by the new Brian Selznick work and am already on the reserve list. Many thanks (despite the envy involved) to those who have early access to such delightful new books for sharing the latest with everyone in the K-Sphere.

I adore visiting Julius Lester's blog and send a big thanks for a link mentioning it. It is a nightly stop for me now.

Thanks, too, to those who trumpet great new picture books. I have Scaredy Squirrel awaiting my pickup and bought my favorite Mr. Putter and Tabby book to add to my own bookshelf. Now I just need to borrow a youngster to read them with!

Keep the faith everyone! We spring forward this weekend and tender crocus blossoms are trembling just below the surface of the earth. (Or in the case of us here in the Midwest, just under the several feet of drifted snow!)

Four Short Takes For a Snowy Sunday

2007-02-25T23:56:00.000-06:00

It's been a long week and I had no chance to read. Training, meetings, and visitors all got in the way until the weekend arrived bringing a malevolent winter storm. Fortunately, we did not lose power and I did not have to leave the house - and it also forced the cancellation of an early morning promotion tomorrow that would have required my presence at work at the inhuman hour of 5AM! So, as the wind howled and the power flickered, I stayed snuggled under the covers and read. Got through four books before heeding the siren song of the Oscar telecast....

Vive La Paris.
Love Esme and admire everything she does for kids and reading. Was happy to visit Miss Pointy and Gang again. The fighting, the Dr. King, the bullying, the "walk in someone's shoes", the yellow star controversy, the music lessons, the intergenerational plotline, the family story about Paris.... I enjoyed this book, but I think it tried to cram in a little TOO much.

Skin.
Interesting. An anorexia story that starts at the shocking end and works backward. An anorexia story told from a brother's point of view. An anorexia story about the "invisible" sibling in a family where one child has a life-threatening condition. An anorexia story where the girl actually DIES. A well told and memorable look at an all-too-common disease.

Saint Iggy.
I could not look away from the pages of this book, even though I knew it was going to come to a sad end. Going has a way of making a "misfit" youth into a whole and compelling character. Iggy's endearing longing for some hope in his bleak life is heartbreaking. He not only hopes for a better future, but for a better present and a better past. Everyone in his life fails him and he feels that he has failed himself. His act of sainthood is both maddeningly foolish and fittingly satisfying.

Life As We Knew It.
I enjoyed this one the most of my four today. Perhaps it was because the wicked storm in the area had many people without power or heat or food - it created an eerie backdrop for my reading. I appreciated the fact that the precipitating disaster was not man-made. I marveled at the scene where the entire world makes a small party of watching something slam into the moon. I appreciated the complex relationships within the family that changed and mutated with the increasing weight of survival. For some odd reason, I kept flashing to Anne Frank and her family, trapped together in a tiny space, alone and frightened and facing certain death. It is a powerful book, a cautionary book, but also a hopeful and empowering one.

Totally Off-Topic, But .... I've Been Shuffled!!!!

2007-02-18T23:04:00.000-06:00

In one of those "drop your business cards in a fishbowl" deals at my conference two weeks ago, I won this itty-bitty silver IPod Shuffle. Just have not had the time to figure out how to make it operational before today -- but after charging it and setting up my I-Tunes account and spending waaaaaay too much time sifting through all the songs I could buy and download, I am now in a state of blissed out tuneful nirvana. Who could have imagined that I, a woman who still lugs crates of albums - yes albums - from home to home would live to see a day when I could clip a little silver fob the size of a postage stamp to my shirt and fill my ears and soul with whatever music I prefer.... well, makes me glad to be alive in this stunning time. Not to get all "back in the day" but sometimes I just want to make everyone take two minutes to really be amazed at the inventions that furnish our lives: the Internet, GPS navigators, DVD libraries, MP3 Audiobooks, cell phones, IPods.... they really are incredible and deserve a bit of proper awe now and again!
Now if I could just find a way to get all of those albums into my Shuffle ----oooh, that would be serious Nirvana!!!!

P.S. Serendipitously, as I cruised the blogosphere, ear buds in and tunes on high, I ran across this great post about the love of one's IPod on Julius Lester's blog.... sounds like a plan!

A Small Reading Frenzy

2007-02-16T18:42:00.000-06:00

Despite the untold hours at work this week, I have been on a small reading frenzy. Partly fueled by having renewed some of my Big Ol' Stack twice already and partly fueled by the week itself: too many hours at work makes it hard to sleep even when exhausted, and snow, ice and an outdoor temperature that has barely budged above the zero mark makes curling up in a warm bed and reading till the wee hours a pretty appealing proposition. As a result, 9 books made the "does it grab me enough after the first chapter to keep reading?" cut this week.....

This is a book to sit on the shelf next to Sold and Homeless Bird and The Breadwinner, though I'm not sure what feeling would linger at the end of reading such a foursome - abject horror at the plight of young women throughout the world or a rekindled belief in the resilience of the human spirit.

As a reader, few emotions are left untouched by Copper Sun. The carefree happiness of Amari in the familiar realm of community and family - as well as the giddy rush of young love - are clearly felt in the opening moments of the novel. The excitement, pride and openness revealed in the preparations for the arrival of the mysterious visitors is also palpable - even heightened -because, unlike the people of Amari's village, the reader knows all too well the identity of the approaching strangers. The thousand unspeakable images that unfold as Amari moves from carefree young woman to slave are brutal and heartstopping - yet Draper adds no graphic or salacious details - knowing that the plain facts are enough.

I appreciated the parallel storylines of Amari and Polly, the white indentured servant. It was intriguing to see the two of them come to a sort of friendship through their mutual lot in life. I also admired the mirror image pregnancies and the two mothers' reactions. I had never heard of Fort Mose - a safe haven for runaway slaves that existed in Florida - having labored under the false impression that safety only existed in the North.

With Copper Sun, Draper has created a moving book that can stimulate much thought and discussion about both slavery and self-determination.

I truly enjoyed Blood Red Horse, so was predisposed to enjoy the sequel, Green Jasper. Sadly, I did not. The tale became a standard knights and damsels in distress story this time around. The intrigues were based as much in girlish jealousies as in historical machinations. The blood red horse was not the book's mystic soul. I missed the sharp dichotomy between the crusading Englishmen and their Muslim counterparts and longed for the "seeing a great historical conflict from two points of view" character of the first novel. It was not a satisfying read. Perhaps this centerpiece of the trilogy is just the serviceable middle child - a sort of no-frills bridge to get to the more talented and complete younger sibling? I'll try to keep the faith until Blaze of Silver is published.....

Now this one, I did enjoy. Probably my favorite Wendy Maas book to date. Even the cover is fabulous - a great visual summation of the heart of the book and not a single "portion of a teen" photograph in sight. Yes!

Jeremy is given a mysterious wooden box for his 13th birthday - a gift from his father who has been dead for five years. On the lid, his father's inscription purports the contents to be "The Meaning of Life." Quite a birthday gift, but there's one small problem: in order to open it, a series of four locks must be undone, and the four matching keys have been lost. No amount of hammering or sawing can replace the set of keys - the box is designed to destroy its contents if opened by force.

And so the quest begins. Jeremy and his best friend Lizzie set out to scour New York City in search of the missing keys with a variety of results. From locksmiths to flea markets to science labs to the home of a mysterious elderly antiques dealer, the two seek the means to open Jeremy's box and discover the meaning of life.

As you might expect, a great deal of that meaning is uncovered in the course of the quest. But there is a payoff at the end of the novel and it is worth the wait. With this novel, Maas creates a memorable friendship, a clever mystery, a small love letter to NYC, and a heartwarming message of the love between a parent and a child that transcends both time and death.

Did I mention that it hovered all week around zero here? That certainly helped provide the proper ambiance for reading The White Darkness - set as it is in the cold and brutal climate of Antarctica.

Fourteen-year-old Sym's story is an odd one. She is not popular at school, has a hearing impairment, and has recently lost her father. Her one solace is the time spent poring over books about Polar exploration - a passion she once shared with her father. Her physical and emotional isolation and her obsessive study of the antarctic combine to create an "imaginary" companion for Sym - Titus Oates, a 90-years-dead member of Scott's polar expedition team. The conversations between Titus and Sym are at once comforting and unsettling.

The most frightening relationship in the novel is the one Sym has with her "Uncle" Victor. An old family friend, Victor has inserted himself in the household in the aftermath of Sym's father's death and rules over it with his overbearing, condescending and egomaniacal persona. He shares Sym's fascination with "The Ice", which draws her to him in spite of his many notions of life that are definitely on the lunatic fringe. When a promised family trip to Paris for the weekend turns into a trek for two to Antarctica, Sym is barely disquieted - even when faced with tangible proof that her mother's being left behind was no accident. This blind loyalty to Victor was very disturbing to me -- as was the notion that Sym's mother was so ineffectual.

But the tale doesn't truly begin until Sym and Victor hook up with an extreme travel club and arrive on The Ice. Here the harsh beauty of the environment is tempered by the harsh reality of the depth of Victor's insanity. Sym must call upon all of her knowledge and on her dear friend Titus Oates if she is to survive.

A gripping book, by turns enthralling and maddening, it stays inside your mind afterward like the frozen sliver in the heart of the Ice Queen....

Yellow Star is a loving tribute to the survival history of a family. Its spare free verse sums up the horrors and wrenching choices of the Holocaust in quiet simplicity, bringing alive the voice of the author's aunt for the reader. Many scenes were echoes of other novels set in those wretched times, while others - like Syvia and her father hiding in a hand-made grave in the cemetery - added new images of suffering. Like A Special Fate and Surviving Hitler, this personal tale helps new generations understand man's incomprehensible capacity for hate and infinite capacity for survival. A significant addition to Holocaust literature.

Ah, Jordan Sonnenblick. I loved Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. Now I loved Notes From the Midnight Driver. I loved the catalyst of the story being Alex's attempt to avenge his mother by confronting his father - only to drunkenly take out a neighbor's garden gnome. Really. What a start. I loved the "will-they-or-won't-they-oh-please-say-they-will" relationship between Alex and his best gal pal Laurie. I loved the intergenerational bonding over music between Alex and Sol. In fact, I loved the book enough to forgive Jordan for naming the judge in Alex's drunk driving case Judge Judy. Like DG&DP, this one has heart and a sense of humor along with a couple of decent life messages worth ingesting. I'm waiting for Book Three, J. S. - hope you're writing fast.

Right off the bat, I have to say that I wish I had not read the jacket info before I started reading The Green Glass Sea. I would have been happier not knowing there is a sequel in the works. As it was, any sense of closure I had at the end was destroyed.

That having been said, there was much I did like about this novel, set in Los Alamos in the frenzied days prior to the end of World War Two. Dewey is a memorable character - a 10 year old fascinated by gadgets and how they work. Her favorite outing is a trip to the Los Alamos junkyard where a wagonful of cast-offs jumpstart her visions of new machines waiting to be invented. Unlike her peers, Dewey relates more easily to other scientifically and mechanically minded adults - so when her father is assigned to work on The Gadget project at Los Alamos, Dewey's life is split between the antagonism of the other kids and the opportunity to meet and talk to some of the brightest minds of a generation. On a side note, though, I do wish Dewey had been allowed to keep at least one parent in the book -- I thought the senseless death of her father was a bit over the top.

The description of Los Alamos reminded me of the description of Alcatraz in Al Capone Does My Shirts - a closed community, dedicated to a single, dangerous occupation, where the children are left to invent their own pastimes. The description of the base and its social strata is deftly crafted, and the overpowering sense of urgency to finish The Gadget in order to end the war permeates many of the scenes. As with other novels that illuminate a place in history, the eager optimism of those involved with The Gadget takes on a darker tone for the reader who knows what genie was unleashed from the nuclear bottle there. That hindsight view raised the hair on the back of my neck in the scene where the families go out en masse to watch the first blast as if going out to see 4th of July fireworks and in the eponymous scene where the kids walk out onto a section of the desert whose grains of sand have been instantly fused into glass by the heat of the nuclear explosion.

I appreciate books that open a window onto a chapter in history. Reading about the end of the war and the bombing of Japan in a history textbook is one thing. Seeing and feeling the atmosphere in which those events unfolded is another. The first adds facts and the second provides the human connection. I think providing the connection matters most.

Sarah Dessen has a way with creating contemporary family life on the page. Her dialogue rings true, her relationships feel right, her plotlines are believable. Her novel, Just Listen , is no exception - though I do have a couple of quibbles. First, Annabel's cross to bear is pretty darned similar to Melinda's in Speak. And second, I think the book may be a bit overstuffed and as a result, a bit too long. That being said, there is a lot I did like....

I believed the "one-second-can-change-a-life" scene where Clarke is replaced by Sophie. That sudden and seemingly heartless jettisoning of a childhood friend does happen and the way Dessen plays that plotline out rang true to me.

I appreciated the interplay of the three sisters and their relationships with each other and the family as a whole. It was interesting to see them shift their perceptions of themselves and then discover that also shifted their perceptions of one another. The subplots of body image/anorexia/modeling were all interesting, but would fall under my "overstuffed" quibbling.

And of course, I mainly liked the relationship that springs up between Annabel and Owen. It is unlikely and wrong on so many levels that it has to be be a perfect match in the long run. Owen is a memorable character and the interplay with him is the flint that finally sets a spark burning in Annabel to free herself to be herself at last.

And if you are reading a nearly 400 page Dessen book, it's good to have the guy and the girl end up together. Really, really good.

I know Iain Lawrence from his swashbuckling ship trilogy. This novel is quite a departure from those watery adventures, taking place on dry land but with an eye to the heavens....

The River family is a family gripped by desires that are unlikely to be satisfied within the tiny hamlet of Hog's Hollow: safety, transformation, untold adventure, constant companionship. The longing isolates each of them - as if they are suspended in time - always waiting for the future they seek. When tragedy strikes the family, several of those heartfelt desires intertwine and take the youngest River, Danny, on a seemingly impossible quest.

I connected strongly to the time period in which this book is set (the mid-60's) and to the space fever that gripped much of the world. Like the River's clan, my family would gather to watch each space launch and splashdown on our television - captivated by the notion of men orbiting the planet and walking on the Moon. Lawrence's choice to focus on Gus Grissom as the iconic astronaut in the novel is an interesting one -- a pariah for losing the Liberty Bell 7 capsule and later burned alive on the launch pad in the Apollo 1 -- he is shown here to be the best of the best.

While at a conference in Kansas City a few years ago, I happened upon a traveling exhibit chronicling the loss and recovery of the Liberty Bell 7. As I made my way through the various displays, I recognized my own experiences of the space program as I did in this novel. I was not aware that the actual Liberty Bell was a part of the exhibit until I passed into a darkened chamber and found myself face-to-face and alone with it. Imagining what it must have taken to willingly climb into that tiny capsule - far smaller than an old Honda Civic - and be blasted into the unknown and then thrust back into the gravity of Earth shook me to the core. I stood there in the darkness, and much like Danny and Rocket at the close of this novel, cried for the bravery a fallen hero who lit the heavens and our imaginations during that Gemini Summer....

Oh, Ho! Buried Treasure!

2007-02-16T18:37:00.000-06:00

While cleaning out all the little partitions in my wallet today, I discovered buried treasure! In amongst the 7 library cards, the insurance cards and the deli punch card, I dsicovered two forgotten B & N giftcards. I have since placed an order for one of the world's oddest book pairings: hardcovers of HP & the Deathly Hallows and Mr. Putter & Tabby Pick the Pears.
I'm sure that reveals deep insight into my convoluted psyche, but it made me very happy.....

Cybils

2007-02-16T18:19:00.000-06:00

Nice. Very Nice.
Head on over to discover who will forever be known as the Inaugural Cybil Winners.....

I'm Reading, Really, I Am!

2007-02-11T23:29:00.000-06:00

It's been a LONG week at work and next week looks to be more of the same. But I have been reading -- just haven't found time to blog about any of it. I promise to do so about the four books I consumed late at night this past week: Yellow Star, Just Listen, The White Darkness and Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. I got a couple of chapters into Green Glass Sea last night, too. Comments soon, I hope!

Illustrators I Adore

2007-02-07T22:37:00.000-06:00

I don't read many picture books these days. I can chat or email about a novel and still feel I've shared it. But a picture book? For me, not having a child to read it aloud with dilutes the joy.

Nonetheless, I have a couple of illustrators whose work I love. Yes, Love. If I could afford to buy something of theirs that I've lusted over at the Storyopolis gallery, it would be all over my walls.

Barring that, I guess I can at least hang a couple here to share with the K-Sphere Gang!

I have never met an illustration by David Catrow that I was not utterly smitten with.

I just feel better about everything in the world when I get a chance to soak in some of this zany stuff. David Catrow, I salute you. Never stop illustrating children's books, okay? (David does not appear to have any sort of organized web presence - or I would send you there to revel in his creative genius. But if you need a happy respite from the world, type his name into a local card catalog and go sit on the floor in the children's room and bliss out.)

And then there's the completely stunning talent of Ana Juan.

I saw the cover of this book in passing while touring a book bindery and wrote the title on the back of my hand so that I could order it the instant I got back to the library. The style is exotic and gorgeous. Ana does have a nifty webpage (much of it in Spanish) and you should definitely visit.

Ah, sharing is a lovely thing. Enjoy!

Quick, Read! Someone Else is Waiting!

2007-02-07T21:56:00.000-06:00

It's a rough reading period for me -- way too many hours at work in the next two weeks. Yet my friendly neighborhood library keeps sending me notes about books I cannot renew because someone else is desperately waiting their turn with them. And so, the past two nights I have stayed up late into the morning hours reading.

Two nights ago, I was once again entertained by Rick Riordan's non-stop action (which cleverly imparts all sorts of nifty information about mythology while you aren't paying close attention) in the second Percy Jackson tome The Sea of Monsters. Opening with an incredible scene in which hapless teens in a school gym are subjected to a deadly dodgeball game with mythic baddies and tumbling through to a supremely cliffhangerish ending, this is one wild ride. I enjoyed the intriguing concept of Percy and Tyson being half-brothers - and the wrestling Percy does to come to terms with that fact. I like the fact that Annabeth holds up her end for the women reading the series -- she is a smart, brave companion in the adventure rather than a puff pastry.

The characters are so entertaining - from the delivery guy, Hermes, to the lovesick Cyclops. The images these books call up are phenomenal - the description of the group washing ashore in South Beach is a complete hoot! And I'm telling you, the ending on this one? I felt it in my soul, but turned the page anyway, just praying I was wrong about it being the last scene.... the man knows how to string out his fans!!!!

I still think the scene in the St. Louis Arch in The Lightning Thief may still be my favorite in the two novels, but I had a stellar time on this quest and look forward to the next!

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Last night, my hope was to at least get a start on Hattie Big Sky. If you've read it already, you know that minor goal fell by the wayside by the end of the first chapter -- I finished it up before I realized how late it had gotten. This is a wonderful book. I so enjoyed Hattie's letters, her outlook, her bravery, her kindness. I think this is a book that, along with providing a wonderful escape into a completely different place and time, inspires the reader to be a better person. Sappy? I don't mean it that way. I just admired her decisions - to make the best of every situation, to give people the benefit of the doubt, to do what was right even when it was hard, and to move on when it became necessary with grace and dignity and a belief in the future.

I also appreciated the book for giving me one of those "timelines in history" epiphanies - you know the ones where you say, "That was going on at the same time as that???" History seems to be studied in such a thematic way, that the greater understanding of things happening simultaneously in the world tends to get lost. I like books that show me those connections and this one certainly does.

The narrative does have parallels to our own time in regard to the reckless, rabid rise of a certain brand of patriotism that borders on vigilantism. In that sense it reminded me of Foster's War and The Art of Keeping Cool - two other novels that examine the effects of war at home and the bitter response to resident aliens.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Hattie. I liked the sense of possibility she presented. I felt the importance of hard work and sacrifice and friendship. It made me admire anew my great-grandmother from her stories of settling in a sod house in Kansas. When I finished reading, I got up and emailed several friends, imploring them to seek it out as soon as possible. If you've not read it, consider this your personal recommendation email from me.

Lucky Newbery

2007-02-04T21:09:00.000-06:00

Despite not getting back till nearly midnight Friday night, I still had to work 10AM-10PM yesterday. But since one of the four books awaiting me on the reserve shelf was The Higher Power of Lucky, I swung by the library on my way in and read it last night when I got home.

I was surprised by its slim size. I recognized the soft touch of Matt Phelan's illustrations - as suited here as they were in The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs. I readied myself for another uplifting, plucky orphan story. And then...... I got to paragraph two. Not many recent Newbery winners opening with a description of a falling down drunk whose poor dog is bitten in the scrotum by a rattlesnake. None that I can recall anyway. Nonetheless, certainly a new take on the plucky orphan tale!

Lucky's world -- the hardscrabble desert burg of Hard Pan and its numerous odd characters -- is reminiscent of Sassafras Springs and Naomi, Florida. An out of the way spot with an assortment of unusual folks. In Hard Pan we discover Short Sammy (of the anecdote in paragraph two) who lives in a cast-off water tank, Brigitte who is both Lucky's guardian and her father's first wife, Lincoln who is never without a length of something to practice his knot-tying, and Miles who can make the sounds of any creature on his endless search for a cookie.

But it is Lucky who has the voice that pulls the reader in and holds them there. Her tenuous hold on a stable life propels her to look for a higher power to guide her to safety. She is inspired to mimic the careful grasping for normalcy she hears while eavesdropping at the local twelve-step meetings. She knows she has talents, but fears that without a safe harbor to work from, she will not be able to achieve her dreams.

The poignant scenes at the close of the book, when Lucky discovers she does have power and love and a place to call home forever and ever are lovely and magical. It's a little gem of a book.

And yes, it does get around to defining scrotum for the reader before the final page....

Conference Recovery Day

2007-02-04T19:32:00.000-06:00

I am back from a week-long conference. Despite the fact that it is unimaginably cold, I am happy to be home. I was growing weary of networking and eating odd food at odd times and feigning interest in watching others drink to excess. A few good things did happen: I actually won something in one of those "throw in your business card" deals at one session -- and am now the proud owner of a sweet little iPod shuffle. (It's charging now..... yippee.) I experienced a great band at one of the vendor parties (Chant - they play a lot around Texas, keep your eye out for them - it is a real pleasure to hear them!!!!) I read three books on my flights and had four reserves waiting when I got home. So, all in all a fair week away.

I am not a good flier - so decided to take along something fun and entertaining for the first flight. I knew I would need the distraction and something to keep me awake after my 6:30 AM take-off. (!) I chose well by opening with Dairy Queen. This is an Ugly Duckling story of the best stripe -- the sort where the duckling finds her place in the world on her own terms and still gets the guy. DJ is a wonderful character. Her journey from helpless frustration to commander of her own fate is believable and gratifying. Finding acceptance and understanding of her family members is also a key element. Brian's growth from bratty rich kid to decent boyfriend is the stuff of every teen girl's dreams. The sense of place permeates the pages. I do not know much about farming or football (and don't have any burning desire to know more about either) and yet I cared deeply about both by the novel's end. This was a lot of fun, but also inspiring. Nice.

The long trek back from the conference meant several LONG hours in the airport -- so I found a seat and - bravely - read Kenneth Oppel's Skybreaker. I truly enjoyed Oppel's bat series - I found his ability to create their world and imbue them with personalities that readers could truly connect with amazing. I found that same ability to recreate a world of airships and fantastic creatures in Airborn. Matt Cruse is a plucky protagonist. His lady love, Kate, equally so. The derring-do, the rocky romance, the pirates, the wild upper atmosphere rescues ... it all made for a very good read. I sent my copy on to one of the guys from my teen book club and he raved about it - and told me that I should get my hands on the sequel ASAP, as it was just as appealing. Well, he was right. Matt and Kate are back in the thick of another airborne adventure replete with a gypsy girl, a self-made rich boy, a reclusive inventor's endlessly drifting ghost ship and another mysterious species or two. A thrill ride that made those airport lounge hours zip along.

Once boarded, things got iffy. After sitting in the itsy-bitsy plane for half an hour, then having two people pulled off the plane (one of them the guy in the seat next to me), then being told that we could have a bumpy ride home, and then learning that the two had been pulled off because the plane was too heavy -- did I mention that I am a lousy flier in the best of circumstances? -- I was sorely in need of a book to take me away somewhere else. Fortunately, I had Fly By Night in my carry-on. I was, most assuredly, taken somewhere else. And the story of Mosca's travels with her homicidal goose and assorted companions of questionable character did keep me focused - even during the promised "bumpy spots". I wanted the best to happen for Mosca, maybe even more than she did. I worried for her while she is used by all of the plotting and scheming adults in her universe. I connected strongly to her decision to follow Eponymous purely for the sound of his words. I was shattered to discover that the Ice Princess was just that - another heartless manipulator of our young heroine and not her imagined savior. It is a complicated, demanding book with many characters and lots of skulduggery to track. I do not think the cover art does it any favors -- it has some fairly dark, Dickensian passages that are belied by the "young" character of the cover. I did enjoy the book, though, and admired Mosca's mettle. And I must admit, her choice to continue traveling the world with Eponymous does feel right. So, a good read with such a fitting title for an evening flight!

Wandering While Laundering

2007-02-04T18:41:00.000-06:00

Just ran across this piece about a young woman who has written a novel in response to her recurring disquiet about 9/11. Interesting. Anyone read it?

I wonder how many other pieces about that day will surface. I read The Usual Rules with my teen book group two years ago -- what other books are out there dealing with this topic?

Kidlitosphere: Koffee Klatch or Key Klub: Revisited

2007-01-28T16:02:00.001-06:00

When Fuse8 shared some of her musings about her Newbery experiences last week, a series of comments appeared in response. Several from an anonymous soul by the initials KT. The gist of KT's comments? That Kidlitosphere bloggers did not have the credentials, gravitas, or ability to articulate a decent criticism necessary to be taken seriously. Understandably, many K-Sphere bloggers launched an immediate defense in a volley of posts. What I found terribly disturbing was how quickly the credentials came whipping out - and how quickly there were phrases that implied that not all kidlit bloggers are worthy of consideration.

I had found the K-Sphere to be a welcoming, messy melange of a variety of people with a wide array of viewpoints and backgrounds - all brought together by a common love of literature written for children and teens. A little nirvana on the web. The implication of it becoming a "resume first - contributions allowed after inspection" universe touched a raw nerve in me and I posted a vitriolic commentary here filled with what one respondent termed "righteous anger".

As a result of that post - now removed and replaced by this one - I heard from several others in the K-Sphere. Suffice it to say that they have restored my faith and then some. I appreciate their kindness and their comments.

So, what's my point here? That the K-Sphere is an amazing place - unique and wonderful - and one that operates by its own set of open-ended "rules". Let's not be bullied into defending the very existence of such a marvelous universe! Let's celebrate instead and continue to keep our welcoming spirit alive. We're here because we share a common love. That's enough, friends, that is more than enough.

New Look

2007-01-28T06:42:00.000-06:00

Trying out a new color scheme just for Sheila from Wands & Worlds. She wrote that reading my white on black commentaries gave her a headache. Hope this helps!

Conference Calling

2007-01-27T19:04:00.000-06:00

Am off to a conference for the week. Even took back a portion of my library book stash as a bow to reality. It will not be a conference filled with unexpected delights like a smile from Christopher Paul Curtis or watching Kenneth Oppel's young son jumping for joy as his father received an award. And I won't be returning with the trunk of my VW bug filled with ARCs of new kids' books. But it is a week away from work, in a warmer part of the country, and I will be packing things to read and chat about upon my return.

The Differently-Abled Sibling

2007-01-27T17:47:00.000-06:00

Novels about the conflicts inherent in having a differently-abled friend or relative are not new. Dovey Coe, Naomi Leon, Jake Moon, Heidi in So B. It, Mic Parsons, Trevor in Petey, Moose Flanagan.... many well-respected books consider this theme. There is the dance with responsibility - will it be accepted gladly or seen as an unfair burden? There is the tunneled focus of the family on the neediest member -- does it feel like a group effort or one in which no one else matters? There is the concern with the hurtful views of outsiders - will it be taken in stride or taken too much to heart?

Cynthia Lord introduces us to Catherine and her younger autistic brother David. Summer is beginning, a time that should promise freedom and fun for a twelve year old girl, but Catherine knows that hers will be circumscribed by her responsibilities to her brother and her parents.

The relationship between the two siblings is wonderfully drawn. Yes, there is a lot of tension and resentment on Catherine's part. She keeps a notebook of "rules" to help David fit in to the world and not call such attention to himself (read herself). She is always on edge, wondering when things will go downhill, and who will be watching when it does. She is a great deal of help, to be sure, but also sees clearly that her parents do not see her for herself anymore. She longs to escape to the beach with a friend, and barring that, retreats into her drawing pad to shape and in some small way control her world. Yet despite these knotty issues, there is a strong bond between Catherine and David. The conversations the two of them have that are completely concocted of memorized bits from Frog & Toad are lovely moments -Catherine's mother has forbidden them to speak in this manner, but it is a comfort to both of them - a ritual of closeness. The recurring game of "No toys in the fish tank" is another poignant connection between the two sibs - though it breaks one of her "rules", Catherine can't help but be amused by the surprises David leaves for her in the aquarium.

The twist in the story is the addition of Jason, a young wheelchair-bound man Catherine knows from the waiting room of her brother's therapy clinic. Their initial interaction is not good, but soon she finds herself drawn to interact with him. Their interaction is tender and wonderful -- a warm friendship in which half of the words between them are spoken via a notebook full of word cards - for Jason cannot speak. Catherine's illustration of the cards, and her choices of words to add to his card vocabulary are a fascinating part of the story.

It was interesting to see Catherine more willing and able to help Jason than her brother and discovering from that how differently volunteering care feels from having it demanded. I was also intrigued that the clinic and its staff, despite being a focal point of family references and many scenes in the novel, did not provide a sense of its being a place where David or Jason received relief or remedy. Catherine's word cards, illustrations and wheelchair racing appear to be much more valuable than any of the weekly efforts of Jason's therapist. And maybe that is the point - that human kindness and connection can turn the key.

I read this one straight through until I got to page 190. The interchange between Catherine and David on that page is so emotionally perfect that I found myself unable to read any further because I was crying too hard to see the pages. It is for that reading moment that I thank Cynthia Lord. Rules is a wonderful, memorable novel.

Patrick Jones Envy

2007-01-24T21:57:00.000-06:00

All right. I've finally read one of Patrick Jones' YA novels. I was SO resistant to reading one, that it began to bug me. Why? I've seen him speak, been to one of his preconference shindigs, bought and used many of the ideas in his Connecting YA tome ... so what was the problem? He's engaging, enthusiastic, an obvious advocate for teen reading, and a man who has found a place to work where he can be himself, express himself, and wear a glorious array of intriguing tee shirts and sneakers. And he is now not only a nationally known speaker and non-fiction writer, but a YA novelist as well.

Then it hit me. I am green as jade with Patrick Jones Envy.

And that, I decided is a petty excuse for turning my back on his novels. So, last night, I curled up with Things Change. First off, having been through several of his presentations, I would have expected his first fiction be done in the form of a graphic novel - but not so. Johanna and Paul are interesting characters. It is obvious that in his work, Jones is not only a teen advocate but an excellent listener and observer. He infuses Paul's world with the cars and music that he proselytizes about, as well as some serious sex. In so many teen novels, the sexual content seems jarring, forced, or puerile. In this one, I didn't even register it until I was musing over the book as a whole. Despite Paul's more dramatic persona and the interwoven "letters to a dead dad" segments, this is really Johanna's story. Her conflicts and thoughts are the heart of the plot. Why is she so taken by this obviously (sorry, but he is) disturbed boy? Why is she so ready to throw away everything in her life to be with him? What satisfaction is she getting from the relationship that outweighs the personal loss and the physical abuse? Will something break the camel's back before Paul literally breaks hers?

I could think of a relationship or two in my teens that - although not physically abusive - had that "seriously-bad-boy-gonna-make-my-parents-crazy" thing going for them. Some of Johanna's self-rationalizations and excuses to her family and friends seemed quite familiar. But I was sorry not to get as full a picture of Paul. He appears to be doomed to repeat his pattern over and over and over and over and the ending, while chilling and probably realistic, left me feeling off kilter. Yes, it underscores the rightness of Johanna's decision, but makes Paul an unchanged character. No development, no inner life, no future, no hope.

I found myself wondering if Patrick might write the book again, from Paul's point of view next time around, so I could see where that story started and ended.

And yes, I do still envy PJ. There, I've admitted it.

Friendship, Friendship, Just a Perfect Blendship?

2007-01-23T19:11:00.000-06:00

Friendship.
So many great novels have friendship at the heart.
The challenges. The comfort. The giddy silliness. The support. The heartbreak.

Shug and Project Mulberry fit right in to that grand tradition.

Shug has the the whole gamut of friendship issues with not just one friend, but two - Mark and Elaine. (And in some ways, with a whole group of her other old friends.) The time frame of the novel is especially significant as the entire gang is moving from grade school to junior high. Yeah, that just sent a chill down your spine, right? Everyone remembers the seismic shifts that occur in the tectonic plates of your world with those first steps into adolescence. Yikes! Shug finds herself drawn to her best friend Mark in entirely new ways (why do I have the overwhelming urge to kiss him??) and finds herself becoming distanced from Elaine as Elaine is drawn into her first boy-girl relationship. And last, but not least, is Shug's surprising and satisfying connection with annoying Jack Connelly. I enjoyed Shug's voice and appreciated the care Han takes with the portraits of the various families and households of the main players. I was awake a long time thinking back to my own junior high era -- and how my own childhood friendships were altered in many ways.

Project Mulberry's heroine, Jules, has friendship issues centered around her long-time best bud, Patrick. Jules and Patrick are also now in 7th grade, but the book does not take a long view of the class as a whole, choosing instead to focus on these two close pals as they embark on a special club project for the state fair. Though the main thrust is the project - raising silkworms from eggs and creating an embroidery project from the thread - Park stirs in a number of other elements: racism, honesty, siblings, changing visions of your parents. One of the most interesting bits in the book, are Park's interwoven "conversations" between herself and Jules. I was leery when I hit the first one - but I have to admit that I enjoyed it and the glimpse it provides into her writing process. Park has written some wonderful books. This one is no exception.

ALA Awards

2007-01-23T18:17:00.000-06:00

I was so organized yesterday. Left the house incredibly early in order to make a dent in the morning chaos so that I could sneak back to my desk and watch the webcast of the awards ceremony. Everything went according to plan until I clicked the link and got "WEBCAST FULL" instead of the real deal. No biggie - I got the list soon enough and I did get a lot accomplished with the extra hour at work!

I won't list the winners here -- but if you want a link to such a list, hop over to the ALA press release for the scoop.....

As I have mentioned before, I do live in a land of many potential library books. There are 13 libraries in the area and one of those has 6 branches. I bring this up in relation to the Newbery honorees... only Hattie Big Sky was readily available here. Higher Power of Lucky wasn't in anyone's card catalog until the afternoon of the awards announcement. Penny From Heaven was in ONE library on CD (actual book on order) and Rules was only in one library. It would appear that these altogether worthy titles were not on many radar screens here, either. I have Hattie on my stack, Rules ready for pick-up and the other two on request. Still, it seems odd to me that these were all such dark horses.

The Printz awards get an extra-edgy vibe from selecting a graphic novel as the top winner. I can't get past the cover art of Octavian yet, liked Abundance well enough (though I liked Alaska better) and yes, I will make a fourth attempt to finish Book Thief (again, I was a bigger fan of Messenger...).

No one within 30 miles has a copy of the Batchelder winner, Pull of the Ocean. The King author winner Copper Sun is in my stack. I am always excited by the Sibert winner -- and so appreciate their support of a prize for non-fiction! (And by the way, the Siberts are an amazing family who do SO much to support literacy, books, libraries, schools.... three cheers for them from me!) I am also delighted with the new Theodor Seuss Geisel award for beginning readers -- definitely an overlooked genre that deserves to be spotlighted for the great titles being written!

I zipped over to my old library's webpage last night - a thing I try to avoid as it is always a painful visit - hoping against hope that they would have sustained my legacy and instantly posted the awards on site... but no. Sigh. I sent an email to the webmaster with the ALA release link. I know, I know, but some habits - and serious loves of life - die hard.

Lisa Yee and the Fractured Book Title Extravaganza

2007-01-21T00:24:00.000-06:00

If you have not been over to visit author Lisa Yee's Blog this week, you owe it to yourself to do so as soon as possible. Her contest of inventive titling and blurbing is a hoot and a half. Not to mention highly addictive. (Yes, I am one of the unstoppable multiple-enterers --but I dare you not to get just as wrapped up in it!) If you have not been there, I must inform you that the contest has officially closed, but I beg you to drop in anyway! Why? 1. The 200-plus titles and blurbs are completely hilarious. 2. You can easily make this a great game for your own friends/family members/book groups/classrooms! Such creativity! (Only 50 of the titles received multiple fractures-- the others are titles with a single fracture.) Such a celebration of books and wordplay! Such a lot of pure, crazy fun! Thanks to Lisa for inviting us all to join in!

AN UPDATE: Lisa and her celebrity judges have spoken -- this was the winning entry:

BILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE
When Billy brings his latest fashion accessory to school, Mr Slinger helps the kindergarten class understand that it's okay for Billy to march to the beat of a different drummer.

The Body of Christopher Creed

2007-01-20T23:34:00.000-06:00

Ah, you think I don't know that this is not the cover to match the title of this entry, right? Not so.

This book follows the bizarre circumstances of one LONG night's investigation into the disappearance of the narrator's kid sister from a local disintegrating pier. Is it murder? Accidental death? Suicide? An elaborate prank?

The answer is explored by having everyone who was at the pier (and there were a BUNCH of them , friends) tell their account of the night's events and then gossip about all the major players. Our narrator is able to listen in due to a faulty sound system in the police interrogation room, and we get to listen, too. There are small town dramas, pregancies, incest rumors, bad behavior, cliques, teen angst... the laundry list from any night time (or daytime) soap opera.

It takes stamina to get through this small book. And for me, it was a lousy payoff.

So why did I title this The Body of Christopher Creed? Because it is a book of Plum-Ucci's that I thought was riveting and worthy of its Printz honor. Do yourself a favor and skip this one and read (or re-read) that one instead.

I'm Sorry, But You're Over Your Limit.....

2007-01-17T22:33:00.000-06:00

Not a DUI, friends.
Nope, the dreaded MTF.
What's that, you say?
More Than Fifty.
As in, you have too many books checked out.

Horrible.
How can there be such a thing?
Too Many Books????!!!???

I stopped at the main library to pick up a book being held for me - and of course had to swing past the new book shelf in the kids' and teens' sections - and as I happily began to run my new treasures through the self-checkout, I got a wickedly nasty buzzing sound and a screen message instructing me to go to the counter.

No big deal - perhaps one of the new books wasn't scanning right or something.
Uh, nope! I was informed that I had reached my book limit!!!

Oy! It was a horrible Sophie's Choice scene at the counter as I agonized over who to give back and who to take home.

Again, I say --- TOO MANY BOOKS??? Not possible. Simply not possible.

Wow! John Green, Wow!

2007-01-17T22:06:00.000-06:00

I had a long day of meetings yesterday in which I was given many new assignments. I came home very late and very tired. Nonetheless, I decided to read the opening of Looking for Alaska even though it was already nearly midnight.... if you've read it yourself, you know that the light was burning on my bedside table until I finished the last page and closed the book.

And as I closed the book, I thought, "That was a complete book." It seemed like an odd assessment, and yet the longer I thought about it -- I felt that it was a true statement. I felt whole from the reading experience. I had no unfinished business or lingering quibbles. I felt a sense of deep satifaction and closure.

What a great book. What amazing characters. What a unique story. What intriguing and continually developing relationships. I felt that I had been on this journey, had experienced the feelings and frustrations, made the friendships, been laid low by loss and resurrected by the experience of being in the moment - truly alive. The Printz folks called this one perfectly.

Wow! John Green, Wow!

Mommies Dearest

2007-01-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

Bad mothers. Many a plot line owes its substance to them. In the case of Cass McBride, it is not she who is truly the villainess of the story, but the bitter, belittling mother of her kidnapper. Using the manipulative tactics learned from her shallow salesman father, Cass is able to intuit this fact and use it to save herself. Though at the book's end, she appears to be the victim of permanent psychological damage. This novel has a sensationalistic tone and reads like an episode of C.S.I. or Without a Trace. It was not one I would read again, or recommend to others.

On the other hand, Nancy Werlin's bad mother is a fleshed-out psycho queen par excellence. Unlike the cinematic scenes in Cass's tale, the story of Matt and his younger sisters is gritty, real and unforgettable. The "remembrance of things past" narrative works well to both highlight and soften the horrifying descriptions of the siblings' struggle to survive their mother's manic highs and lows. The supporting characters -- particularly the mysterious Murdoch and the children's aunt are flawed and fully realized. The love, the care, the torment and the hope for something better and more normal are palpable on every page. A very memorable novel.

Saturday Six-Pack

2007-01-14T22:41:00.000-06:00

A rare Saturday off. Lousy weather. A good day to stay in bed and read. And so I did.

How is this world even possible. I believe it completely, but want to refute it with every pore of my being. Lakshmi's story is nothing short of the ultimate description of hell. After finishing the novel, I kept thinking about my life at the age of twelve. Impossible, unfeeling world that could allow life to be this horrific for such young girls. I do have a couple of couple of issues, though -- MUST the lowlife that begins this nightmare for Lakshmi be her STEPFATHER? It feels so stereotypical - with the staggering numbers of young women sold into this life, there must be blood relatives involved as well. Also, I was interested and surprised that overall, the men who availed themselves of the girls' services did not seem to be particularly demonized. (That special blame was given to the madam of the brothel - yet without the sick appetite needing to be fed, the madam would be out of business.) I would like to have seen some mention of the "customer's" reprehensible part in the situation. A terrifying, potentially galvanizing book - but definitely to be aimed at an older reading audience.

Oh, golly. I like the writing. I appreciate the struggle. I get the "how can I make a life for myself without feeling that I am disappointing my family and abandoning my differently-abled sibling" plot line (A Fine White Scar anyone?) I found the mini-plots of the old boyfriend who was also a scam artist and the back story of the new boyfriend's disfigured childhood interesting. I was not so crazy about about the intermingled chapters told from the sister's point of view. I actually just wanted, just this once, for Mina to GO with Ysrael to San Francisco and find herself and her own dreams. I was really hoping that she would -- but of course, that would be a different book. Maybe the next novel I read with this plot line will surprise me by breaking with convention and allowing the trapped butterfly to go free.

I know there's been some controversy about this book. People seem to either love it or hate it. I am middle of the road on it myself. It's a story with a moral compass that never wavers (through drowning and head shattering and everything else) and despite it's MANY travails, comes to a glorious technicolor Kodak kind of happy ending. The writing is good and the illustrations are lovely. It has a sort of "Ebenezer Scrooge: This Is Your Life" quality to it and that's fine, too. I was not taken by it as I was by Despereaux -- that was a unique and unmatched tale of love I will always remember reading and had to buy for my own bookshelf. Edward's story was one I am glad to have finally read, but one that will go back to the library shelf to await another reader.

With a cool title and a neat bit of cover art (no odd-piece-of-a-teen cover, yay!) this little book packs a big punch. Much like the topics and characters in So B. It, Weeks gives us the broken family of young Jamie Reardon who have come to live with his brain-damaged aunt in hopes of helping her heal, while also healing themselves. In a neat plot juxtaposition, Jamie wants more than anything to help his Aunt Sapphy regain her memories, but would love nothing more than to forget some of his own. An intriguing cast of extras, a couple of dark secrets, and a very poignant ending make this a very satisfying novel indeed.

e. lockhart. I have seen your cummingesque byline on a number of novels and in shuffling through the Big Ol' Stack of Fifty on my floor this weekend, discovered I had two of your titles on the docket. The Boy Book was another girl on the outs with all her old friends and her old boyfriend books -- lots of drama, lots of journaling and notes, lots of shifting and secrets and posturing and oh, yes, visits with her shrink. I read it all the way through, but it was a struggle. Maybe I was not in the right frame of mind? I'll give it the benefit of that doubt, at least.

Fly On the Wall gave me another "On-the-Ouside-Looking-In, I think I am a Misfit" teen gal to meet. Gretchen's story seemed more focused and immediate to me and was more engaging as a result. But when she has her Kafka moment and becomes an actual fly on the wall in the boys' locker room -- the book gets into some pretty graphic and interesting territory -- namely the territory usually hidden in the confines of boxer briefs. To her credit, lockhart does manage to balance the soft-core voyeurism with a sense of what else the guys are hiding about their own personalities and insecurities - which certainly makes the center portion of the novel the most interesting. Gretchen's growth in terms of opening her heart and mind to her family and friends - and most importantly herself - makes this the better of the two e. books from my Saturday read-in.

I feel some renewals in my future -- still have about 34 books to go! (And that's if none of my

on-request books come in this week!)

Hmmmm, Do I Like Surprise Parties?

2007-01-12T15:01:00.000-06:00

If you've dropped in before, you know that I am a fan of Wendelin Van Draanen. I, who loved Harriet the Spy, see a kindred soul to Miss Welsch in Sammy Keyes. I also was completely wowed by Flipped. So I came to Runaway with fairly high expectations. Holly's nightmarish story is an oddity. Part gritty survival story (and just how she manages to survive it all does stretch believability for me) and part The Power of Random Acts of Kindness tract portrayed in bits of journalized poetry, it did keep me reading. By the tail end of the book, I was fairly invested in how the whole saga was going to turn out - my bet and my wish (however wrong morally) was for Holly NOT to make it out alive) - and then WHAM! deus ex machina! Not to ruin it for those who haven't or might read it -- suffice it to say that I was very conflicted by this development. As a long-time Santa Martina lurker, part of me felt like I had gotten an insider's bonus. The other part of me, the reader who had just been immersed in the world of a new and (I thought) unmet character, felt like I had just opened the door to discover an unwelcome and unwanted surprise party! Maybe I am being too harsh -- as I went into the book expecting a fresh stand-alone creation like Flipped. Not what I got. Sigh.

*** And I am forced to reiterate my plea to STOP with these close-up portions of a face/body/teen covers! ***

Hello, My Name Is ZG and I'm a Book Addict....

2007-01-10T20:32:00.000-06:00

Uh, yeah.
The heady delight of reading has me in it's clutches for sure, friends.
I just checked to see how many books I have currently checked out and I came up with 50.
Oooooh, baby.

Is That My Hand in Your Pocket, Or.....

2007-01-10T19:54:00.000-06:00

I am not usually at a loss for words, but this book just about has me in that state. I was shocked, creeped out and puzzled by it in turn. I would SO like to hear what others' reactions are -- I see it touted as a black comedy, but it felt quite straightforward to me as a reader -- Norman Bates pales in comparison to the goings on at the Pharmacy! Not even the cover art clued me in to what I was about to experience. I also wonder how many libraries ordered it saying "Oh, that nice Jack Gantos -- Rotten Ralph & Joey Pigza... this will be a good one, too....". I admit, I could not put it down until I finished it, but what an eerie, disturbing little book. Read if you dare!

I read, therefore I am ... happier.

2007-01-02T21:46:00.000-06:00

Oy.

Working an average of 70 hours a week does not make it easy to indulge in the joy of reading. Nonetheless, in moments of combined desperation and optimism I still hit the library and bring home armloads of books I want to read. The past four times I've made such a rashly hopeful attempt, I have renewed the whole lot for the maximum three times and then had to return them unopened. Sorrowfully. Bitterly. Heartbroken.

The new stack of 23 came home with me just before Christmas. I have them until the 12th. So far, I have managed to read six. It's a start. It's certainly better than the last four tries.

I read, therefore I am ... happier.

However, having so little time to read now, I find that I expect a LOT.
I feel hypercritical. I do not want to feel I have squandered my precious book-moments.

So please keep that in mind while reading about the six I've consumed to date:

Hmm. I liked Birdy. I loved Matilda Bone. I only kind of liked Francine Green. I felt she was really more the foil for all of the other characters that carried the moral high ground story of the blacklisting era. I would have been happier if the story had given me more and more about Sophie. I wanted her fiery Katie Morosky soul to make a difference - and to know that she had made a difference - in her best friend's life. Yeah, yeah, I know, the moving wastebasket scene is all well and good, but I think Sophie deserved better. Just like Katie & her daughter deserved better from Hubbell. Hey, it's a good way to introduce the era to younger audiences, but for me, an unsatisfying book.

Oh, golly. Of Mice & Men on horseback. Too long by half, too sturm and drang by at least that. The only thing that saved this for me was that Will did not become paralyzed after the rodeo so that he and Denny did a sort of body & life swap ala Well-Wished. The setting was well-rendered and I was willing to go along with Will on his escape route, but it just got to be more of the same thing again and again: escape, dragged back, danger, reconciliation, escape, dragged back..... nope. And waaaaaay too tidy of an ending. Not a keeper.

And so I say, thank goodness for Frank Cottrell Boyce! I was a huge fan of Millions. Never could figure out how or who to booktalk it to, but I loved the quirky character of Damian and his relationships - with his brother, with his dad, with the saints. I appreciated the otherness of the setting and did not mind the local references I did not understand. In Framed, Boyce gives us another completely unique character in Dylan - and another fleshed out and memorable family, as well as an experience of life in a foreign land. The sense of a town and its people clinging to the rapidly dimming dream of prosperity, the utter cleverness of the family in its efforts to save themselves from financial ruin, the interplay between the town and the art dealer - all coalesce into a wonderful tale. The images and the characters remain after the book is closed -- a town all opening amazing umbrellas and taking to the streets; Dylan's motorist log entries; the refurbishment of the boating lake.... it is a magical, hopeful book. I loved it.

And then the utter shock of Wrecked. Like the Volkswagon ads where an everyday conversation among friends is shattered in a hail of glass and screeching tires, this novel pulls no punches with the description of the accident or Anna's steep road to recovery afterward. I think the thing I liked best about this book was that it did not pull the cheap "forever changed" plotline out. All of the characters are certainly altered by the accident, but their basic selves are still intact - i.e. though physically maimed, Ellen still has her edge and her love of words. Although I don't pretend to understand the techniques used by the therapist Anna sees, I did also appreciate that she worked with Anna on many of the other things in her life that needed some work -- her sense of guilt, her insecurities, her feelings for her overbearing father. I was not completely satisfied with the whole "killed my brother's girlfriend" angle - especially when the truth of the accident is so lightly tossed in the mix. But I still enjoyed the novel and think it makes some important comments about recovery and forgiving yourself.

*** and a side note on the cover..... I'm sorry, but is ANYONE ELSE sick to death of these covers with a portion of a face/body/teen motif?????? ******

Okay, Mark Peter Hughes sure can write like a girl. I enjoyed the writing in general in this book. There were phrases that I wanted to lift out of it wholesale and read to someone for the sheer joy of hearing them out loud. Floey Packer has a voice and it is distinct and wonderful. I did not go for the entire tale -- some of the moments and adventures were a bit over-the-top for believability -- but I did enjoy spending time with this young girl who hoped to be noticed and who could find the tender joy and magic of skinny-dipping senior citizens. I can think of a dozen girls who would be all about this book and about Floey's journey. A fun read.

*** And yes, this is one of those sorts of covers, too, I'm afraid. Please make them stop....***

I wasn't sure if I would make it to the end of Colin Singleton's road trip. There were things like math and diagrams and footnotes and foreign languages and erudite references and odd trivia across the ages to contend with. I wasn't sure if I could manage listening to yet another litany of the 19 Katherines or the accompanying whiny introspection. Yes, I wanted to shout "Dingleberries" more than once. But I stuck it out and I was ultimately glad I did. Though one needs a great deal of willingly suspended disbelief to even sign on for the ride (two sets of parents totally okay with their teen sons taking off for parts unknown, a stranger inviting two strange teens to move into her home with her and her teen daughter after 20 minutes' acquaintance) but if that can be accomplished, it turns out to be an unusual and interesting journey from self-doubt and self-delusion to clarity and hopefulness. It is NOT a quick read and I think it would be a tough sell. For me, the friendship between Colin and Hassan is one for the ages and keeps the narrative together. And the fully-fleshed-out Lindsay makes a great foil for both questing young men to test themselves and their theories against. I enjoyed the book and will make an effort to get my hands on Looking for Alaska sometime.....

Feels so good to be reading again. I hope I can keep work at bay awhile longer so that I can keep it up! (After all, I've made two other greedy library runs since the first one and have about 35 books on the floor in my room now.....)

Stay tuned and keep reading!

Time for Just Four Books This Weekend...

2006-08-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway
Sammy has apeared on my lists before -- I admire her tough girl exterior and her willingness to get involved in situations that she would probably be better off not getting into. I thought I was caught up on the series and then I spotted this installment at the library! An 8th grader now, Sammy's love life is beginning to unfold into the plotlines, and her long-standing feud with Heather takes a strange turn this time around. I was struck by Van Draanen's inclusion of opinions on politics and religion in this outing and by the rather gruesome resolution to the title's mystery. Still and all, I love Sammy and will read on as long as the series continues.

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life
I enjoyed the voice of Simone in Dana Reinhardt's novel very much. Her self-reflection and internal confusion rang true to me throughout most of the story. I liked the peripheral friends for the most part, and the parents and the younger brother. I liked the parents and Rivka backstory and Simone's ensuing meeting with her birth mom and her introduction to Jewish life. I was not keen on the author's "Rivka must die" decision, and I think the boyfriend (though straight out of EVERY schoolgirl's dreams) was a bit too perfect. Nonetheless, I am glad I spent a portion of my limited reading time this weekend sharing Simone's journey.

Dead Connection
I am a bit more begruding of the time spent with Charlie Price's book. Though I was ready to accept Murray's communications with the dead, and even to see that entwine with the tale of the missing girl, I did not think the conversations in the book felt real. I got tired of the back stories of the rather one-dimensional adults in the book. I grew weary of the many "problem issues" stuffed in at the edges of the characters' lives. I like a good mystery with a twist -- this just didn't turn out to be one of those...

Blood Red Horse
Always wanted to read this book. Loved the cover, loved the jacket copy, loved the early reviews. And I did enjoy it - probably the most of any of the novels of the weekend. The difficult relationships between the two brothers and the young girl taken in by their family were fleshed out and agonizingly real. The backdrop of the Crusades Era was fascinating. The addition of characters from the OTHER side of the Crusades was stunning. And of course, there is that glorious and noble Blood Red Horse.... an altogether satisfying story - war, romance, true friendship, history, religion, miracles.... this book has it all.

Quick, Post Before Something Else Interferes!!

2006-07-31T21:16:00.000-05:00

Three weeks without a post. Disgraceful! Sadly, work has interfered WAY too much with my leisure time lately, but I have done some reading - bizarre mix that it has been - and will try to post a quick synopsis before going back to my zillionth attempt to resuscitate my seemingly dead digital camera...

Having left Library Land a year ago this past weekend, I find that in Corporate Land, assigned reading tends to be work-related-inspirational. Each year, my current organization seems to choose a Theme (much like the decision made to call the Senior Prom "Journey to Romance" or "Under the Sea") to infuse the work force with a positive attitude and fresh platitudes for the coming fiscal year. Now I can get behind a good bit of inspiration if I'm in the right frame of mind -- but I have to say that the four books I read involving our New Theme did not get my motor running. Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale & Improve Results is the cornerstone of the quartet and lays out a Morality Tale for Our Times, complete with a multicultural spunky widow who is able to save her toxic division at work through the Divine Intervention of Lonnie the Fishmonger. I would have a greater respect for this book if it were a REAL story - but realizing it is a big set-up totally reduces its value to ashes for me -- much as discovering that Go Ask Alice was NOT written by the young narrator but cobbled together by a social worker did in my early teens. And the big finish? Lonnie the Saint proposes to her at the end of the book by putting an engagement ring in the open mouth of a fish. Oy vey! Book Two - Fish! Tales seemed to be real stories about folks trying to put the Fish into their businesses, Book Three - Fish! Sticks keeps the platitudes coming, and Book Four - Fish! for Life extends the reach of the philosophy into the arena of one's personal life and reunites us with the fictional couple from Book One who are now embarking on parenthood. Come on, say it with me ... YUCK! I've been to the Pike Place Market and it is a fun place. But I wondered why this outfit in the Twin Cities is the purveyor of all things Fish! Did the Pike Place Gang not really believe in their philosophy? I went in search of an answer and discovered When Fish Fly a book co-authored by the owner of the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market. His recounting of the theme is vastly different in tone. Oh sure, the philosophy is still there - but it is not sugar-coated or even particularly appealing. His is a pretty autocratic style of management and though he professes to have changed, I did not feel it was so. Wish me luck in this The Year of The Fish! Still in a work-styles feeding frenzy, I plowed through much of Now Discover Your Strengths and was taken in by the personality quiz format of the book - who doesn't love those? - but had my hopes dashed when I arrived at the page with the secret code to use to take the test online to Discover My Strengths and discovered instead that the code was carefully scissored out to prevent mere LIBRARY BORROWERS from thinking they were entitled to the knowledge without paying full-price for the book. I moved on to the very enjoyable Positively Outrageous Customer Service
which would actually be a much more ideal way to inspire workers than the Fish! Philosophy, but would require actually giving the power to the work force to truly make a difference - and we all know that having an hour's pep rally tossing Fish! is the more likely and realistic scenario. Too bad. I also got Good to Great but was too exhausted from all the corporate speak to muster the strength to open the cover.

Reviewing all of that again, I realize why I may have not felt like reading much for a while.... in any case, I did do some other reading. Cherry Jones is due in town to perform her Tony-winning role, and so I read the very short (58 pages!) script for Doubt. It is an interesting character study and does deal with the edges of a controversial topic, but I was not truly engaged by it. Guess I will have to see if it arrests my heart and mind more in performance. I finally got around to reading my copy of How I Live Now, too. I admired the voice, but found myself skimming through the war scenes just to get to the expected reunion of the star-crossed lover cousins. Not one I would read again. For sheer pleasure, I read Laura Lippman's new Tess Monaghan mystery No Good Deeds and was happy to get to hang around with Tess and Crow in Baltimore again. If you haven't read any of these and like a female detective tale on occasion, I recommend them. I also treated myself to T.C. Boyle's latest Talk, Talk.
I am completely besotted with T.C. and always enjoy his phrasing, quirky plotting and unique notions for a story. This tale of a deaf woman's struggle to regain her life after her identity is stolen is all Boyle all the time. (And the jacket photo! What a singular character!)

I have shared many books of late -- Boyle's The Road to Wellville, Clement's Frindle, Hill's Ursula Under and Aidinoff's The Garden have traveled from my bookshelves to new hands.

I recommended In the Shadow of the Ark, The Eight,
Timeline, I am the Messenger, Honey, Baby, Sweetheart and The Sterkarm Handshake. And I bought Yoko's World of Kindness for an about-to-be-a-new-big-sister gift.

I am back on the waiting list for The Book Thief since I'm a big fan of Zusak's other books and so many of the KitLitosphere crowd has spoken highly of it. I also look forward to my number coming up on the reserve list for New Moon
because I was surprisingly taken by Stephenie Meyer's first book about vampiric love. I'd love to ditch out of work tomorrow afternoon to go hear Jacquelyn Mitchard speak at the public library, but am also being realistic and just adding my name to the wait list for her new book Cage of Stars.

A year out from my last Summer Reading Program, I continue to receive the great lists and reviews of new books from all of the publishers - and if I were still the Queen of Library Land, I would be ordering Bats at the Beach
ASAP to read at Story Time!!!

Happy August! Hope we all find some time to read in these Dog Days of Summer

War Stories

2006-07-08T18:42:00.000-05:00

I find that the most delightful thing about living in a multi-suburb city with library reciprocity is the smorgasbord of available titles. This week I am indulging in guilty pleasures like mysteries and bestsellers along with my usual YA lit. No surprise then that I've read an odd mix of books in the past two days. What has been a surprise, though, is that the first four books I've read all seem to be war stories.... Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed is a book I tried to read when it first came out without success. This time I read without stopping. The young protagonist - without name, family, nationality or memories of a past - makes a powerful statement about the nature of all of those very things we so take for granted. Its view of the Nazi atrocities of war through the eyes of such a child are doubly powerful. (And whether realistic or not, I was terribly glad at Spinelli's ending.) Graham Salisbury's Eyes of the Emperor is a gripping look at the aftermath of Pearl Harbor for a group of Japanese-American soldiers living in Hawaii. I was stunned by the racist cruelty meted out so callously to the young men and was horrified by their savage assignment as human bait for training attack dogs on Cat Island. It is a memorable book about the effects of international war on the homefront. My first non-YA title was Nicholas Evans' book The Divide. I remembered the breathless shock induced by the opening scenes of The Horse Whisperer and this opening was also jarring. Despite its seeming thread about environmental activism, it is at its heart a terrible, brutal story of the cruel wars that rage inside a family. I was deeply saddened after reading it, as each character in this novel is scarred immeasurably at the hands of those they love. The guiltiest pleasure on my weekend list is Oakdale Confidential. I admit it, I grew up watching As The World Turns, and though my viewing is so sporadic these days that I recognize very few of the characters, I could not resist bringing this one home for old times' sake. With an over the top plot and cheesy romance-novel phrasing, it was a refreshing change of pace to read. But today's news of longtime ATWT cast member Benjamin Hendrickson's suicide makes this one of my weekend's war stories. A man who struggled with reconciling his Juilliard training with two decades in the soaps and who was devastated by depression after his mother's death fought and surrendered in what may be the most personal war of all.

So Many Read, So Little Said

2006-07-02T23:11:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week and though I have read, I've not had a chance to say much. I am pressed for time, now, too, but want to at least say a few words about this week's books....

I had trouble with Alex Bradley's 24 Girls in 7 Days. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, but I just didn't click with this tale of looking for love in all the wrong places. So, too, was my experience with Finding Lubchenko. I was disappointed with this, because I had really liked Michael Simmon's book Pool Boy but I did not like this kid, or his father, or his friends. In much the same way that I dislike watching Ferris Bueller, I was sorry to have wasted two hours traipsing around Paris with three spoiled brats. I waded into Carl Deuker's Runner and stuck it out to the bitter end, but again, came away disappointed in the story of a boy so easily drawn into crime. Things looked up with Joseph Bruchac's Code Talker, in which I learned a great deal about the Navajo, the work of the Code Talkers, and more than I wanted to know about the horrors of war. Carol Gorman's Stumptown Kid was an Iowa-based look at baseball and prejudice that was well-paced, but not always believable. I'd wanted to read Shelley Pearsall's Crooked River because I had really enjoyed Trouble Don't Last and I was pleased with the slice of frontier life that illuminated the notions of prejudice and justice while using verse in a wonderfully effective way. Tracey Barrett's Cold in Summer turned out to be a fine ghost story on the order of Elaine Marie Alphin's Ghost Soldier. And Eve Bunting's The Presence could happily haunt the space on the shelf right next door. Margaret Peterson Haddix put her spin on the effects of cloning on a family in Double Identity but I felt I had read a similar story before in Katherine Lasky's Star Split. Mike Lupica managed to get me involved in the intricate relationships and athletic machinations of Travel Team , but I was less taken with the round-robin style in Nora Baskin's Basketball (or something like it). Jeanne Du Prau provided a dark look at the roots and results of war in her sequel People of Sparks. Marlene Carvell creates a heart and soul-wrenching tale of two Mohawk sisters with the free verse in Sweetgrass Basket. Anna Myers hooked me completely with her frightening tale of a girl smitten with John Wilkes Booth in Assassin. I had two visits with "differently able" teenagers in Eoin Colfer's Supernaturalist and in James Patterson's Maximum Ride:The Angel Experiment. I found Patterson's book an okay quick read - but felt Colfer's was much more intricately plotted and well-written. And as a rare treat I read a "grown-up book" today - Jodi Picoult's The Tenth Circle. I have enjoyed some of her other books, and used My Sister's Keeper with my teen book club, but this one did not have the same impact for me. The graphic novel elements were interesting (though I did not like the "secret phrase" hunt malarky) but I felt the plot was too muddy, too open-ended, too all-encompassing.

And there you have it, another week's pages turned.

Music Therapy

2006-06-25T11:34:00.000-05:00

Jordan Sonnenblick pulled the old bait and switch on me last night. I began his book
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie and was delighted by the wry, 14-year old voice of Steven Alper as he negotiates his way through the minefields of his last year in junior high. His devotion to music (specifically drumming) and his endearing/exasperating relationship with his much younger brother Jeffy had me completely hooked. And then, much as it happens for Steven himself, the switch from Charming Family Tale to Brave Child With Leukemia Tale laid me out cold.

Now to be fair, the book morphs well into its new guise and continues to be well-told and well-handled. I am not a huge fan of the dealing with illness genre, but Sonnenblick portrays the family's strengths and struggles evenly and with compassion. I continued to admire Steven's character - the same junior high minefields are still in his daily path and he works to juggle it all in a believable and heart-wrenching way.

The secondary characters are also well-drawn - particularly Annette, the girl we all know Steven should end up with - and of course young Jeffy with his precocious descriptions of his horrific cancer treatments and of Steven's imagined love life. The grand concert at the end of the book pushes the story over into Extreme Makeover: Home Edition territory, as does the inevitable death of the waiflike and tragic teen girl in the hospital, but I stuck with it and came away glad I'd picked up the book. I'd like to see what the author can do with a less tragic plotline sometime....

Great Zeus! Are You Reading AGAIN This Weekend?!

2006-06-24T15:10:00.000-05:00

So said my spouse as he discovered me after breakfast, curled up with Rick Riordan's
The Lightning Thief. What can I say? It looked like rain, I have the day off, and dust and laundry are eternally patient.

It's been a long time since I had to read about Ancient Gods, but that did not hamper my total enjoyment of this book. (In fact, I discovered I wished I had paid more attention back then - and wished this book had been around to recommend to the kids I knew who were struggling to connect with those same lessons!) The nearly 400 pages read quickly as the twists and loops of the plot kept the pace humming. I loved discovering his Half-Blood status along with Percy, and being along through each of the increasingly apocalyptic run-ins between the three godlings and their unknown enemies. (Especially the altercation in the St. Louis Arch!)

A wild ride through mythology, complete with two cross country journeys and a side trip to the Underworld? What a way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon!