by Christopher Paolini
CMSW, hardcover, 748 pages
I enjoyed Eragon's further adventures and am looking forward to the final installment of the story (probably two years out). Eragon is finally maturing a bit, though he still displays some bratty outbursts. The whole scene with the dwarves and the coronation was a bit too drawn-out. Roran's storyline rocked! My favorite, though, was the banter and interplay between Eragon and Saphira.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Anne of Avonlea
by L.M. Montgomery
Hennepin County, audiobook on CD
read by ???
Listening to this reminded me of why I *hate* abridged versions of books! I wasn't careful at the library - it didn't say it was abridged, but I could tell right away. I still enjoy the story, but am glad that I've read the full version before. So much of the story line and character development are lost in the abridgement!
Anne is a much more enjoyable character in this story. Her improvement society and teaching experiences are fun and interesting.
Hennepin County, audiobook on CD
read by ???
Listening to this reminded me of why I *hate* abridged versions of books! I wasn't careful at the library - it didn't say it was abridged, but I could tell right away. I still enjoy the story, but am glad that I've read the full version before. So much of the story line and character development are lost in the abridgement!
Anne is a much more enjoyable character in this story. Her improvement society and teaching experiences are fun and interesting.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Quilter's Legacy
by Jennifer Chiaverini
Carver County Library, hard cover, 310 pages
Sylvia tries to locate her mother's quilts. Andrew's children object to their marriage. The parallel story focuses on Sylvia's mother, Eleanor, and her upbringing, marriage, and making of her quilts.
I liked it, especially the historical storyline. I also enjoyed stretching this out over a long time, as I only read it a little bit at a time before going to sleep. I still need to make time to quilt!
Carver County Library, hard cover, 310 pages
Sylvia tries to locate her mother's quilts. Andrew's children object to their marriage. The parallel story focuses on Sylvia's mother, Eleanor, and her upbringing, marriage, and making of her quilts.
I liked it, especially the historical storyline. I also enjoyed stretching this out over a long time, as I only read it a little bit at a time before going to sleep. I still need to make time to quilt!
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Making Big Schools Feel Small: Multiage Grouping, Looping, and Schools-Within-a-School
by Paul S. George and John H. Lounsbury
St. Thomas Library (via Minitex), paperback, 112 pages
I was looking for information on looping in middle schools and so thankful I found this book! It looked at a number of middle schools across the country which have tried some of these methods of making large schools seem smaller. The evidence for these programs is overwhelmingly positive on many levels. The last part of the book ends with surveys from teachers, students, and parents. It's interesting that parents were least positive about the results and their number one concern had to do with students getting stuck with a "bad" teacher more than one year in a row. Interesting!
This will go on my professional shelf at PRMS, if I can find a copy!
St. Thomas Library (via Minitex), paperback, 112 pages
I was looking for information on looping in middle schools and so thankful I found this book! It looked at a number of middle schools across the country which have tried some of these methods of making large schools seem smaller. The evidence for these programs is overwhelmingly positive on many levels. The last part of the book ends with surveys from teachers, students, and parents. It's interesting that parents were least positive about the results and their number one concern had to do with students getting stuck with a "bad" teacher more than one year in a row. Interesting!
This will go on my professional shelf at PRMS, if I can find a copy!
Friday, December 05, 2008
The 100-Year Old Secret Files of Sherlock Holmes
by Tracy Barrett
Carver County Library, audiobook, 3 CDs
Read by David Pittu
This book just seemed too darn young for me - to the point of being irritating. (Never mind the plot point that Xander & Xena are Sherlock Holmes' descendants . . . and he's fictional.) Basically, the two American kids are in Britain for a year and they have been taught by their father who was taught by his father who was taught by you-know-who to be extremely observant. They are introduced to the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives (SPFD) in a rather strange manner and given a casebook of files that Sherlock Holmes never solved. They gather clues and find the long-lost painting of "Girl in a Purple Hat," stunning the art world and saving the day.
Pittu gave voice to the characters very well, but the story just didn't cut it for me.
Carver County Library, audiobook, 3 CDs
Read by David Pittu
This book just seemed too darn young for me - to the point of being irritating. (Never mind the plot point that Xander & Xena are Sherlock Holmes' descendants . . . and he's fictional.) Basically, the two American kids are in Britain for a year and they have been taught by their father who was taught by his father who was taught by you-know-who to be extremely observant. They are introduced to the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives (SPFD) in a rather strange manner and given a casebook of files that Sherlock Holmes never solved. They gather clues and find the long-lost painting of "Girl in a Purple Hat," stunning the art world and saving the day.
Pittu gave voice to the characters very well, but the story just didn't cut it for me.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Fire-Eaters
by David Almond
audiobook on CDs, Hennepin County Library, 3:54
Read by Daniel Gerroll
Mary Verbick recommended this story. I found it very disturbing, but also touching. Bobby Burns is the main character, a boy growing up in a working class family. He is worried about his father's illness, has mixed feelings about his new school, loves Ailsa Spink, and is fascinated by McNulty. McNulty is the fire eater who asks Bobby to help him choose a skewer and collect money from his audience. His madness and seeming imperviousness to pain draw Bobby in to his world.
This would be a fantastic discussion book - why does is the title plural? Who are the other fire-eaters? Bobby? Joseph? How does his new neighbor alter Bobby's reality?
Gerroll's accents make this an auditory delight! He nails the characters and their various ways of speaking beautifully!
audiobook on CDs, Hennepin County Library, 3:54
Read by Daniel Gerroll
Mary Verbick recommended this story. I found it very disturbing, but also touching. Bobby Burns is the main character, a boy growing up in a working class family. He is worried about his father's illness, has mixed feelings about his new school, loves Ailsa Spink, and is fascinated by McNulty. McNulty is the fire eater who asks Bobby to help him choose a skewer and collect money from his audience. His madness and seeming imperviousness to pain draw Bobby in to his world.
This would be a fantastic discussion book - why does is the title plural? Who are the other fire-eaters? Bobby? Joseph? How does his new neighbor alter Bobby's reality?
Gerroll's accents make this an auditory delight! He nails the characters and their various ways of speaking beautifully!
A Clearing in the Wild
by Jane Kirkpatrick
Hennepin County Library, paperback, 365 pages
Historical fiction based on a true story. A German Christian community located in Missouri sends scouts out to find land out west for the group to move to and develop. Emma is outspoken and determined, qualities that alienate her from the group's leader, "Father" Wilhelm Keil. She falls in love with the much older Christian and seeks to be the perfect wife.
I didn't like this story. The characters bugged me. It wasn't compelling. My favorite scene was when she left with her baby, the goat, and the tarp. Our discussion last night at Gretchen's was fantastic! I love hearing what other people think of a book. We have such a fantastic group of women in our book club! It was fun to hear why other people liked it, even though I didn't.
Hennepin County Library, paperback, 365 pages
Historical fiction based on a true story. A German Christian community located in Missouri sends scouts out to find land out west for the group to move to and develop. Emma is outspoken and determined, qualities that alienate her from the group's leader, "Father" Wilhelm Keil. She falls in love with the much older Christian and seeks to be the perfect wife.
I didn't like this story. The characters bugged me. It wasn't compelling. My favorite scene was when she left with her baby, the goat, and the tarp. Our discussion last night at Gretchen's was fantastic! I love hearing what other people think of a book. We have such a fantastic group of women in our book club! It was fun to hear why other people liked it, even though I didn't.
The Education of Henry Adams
by Henry Adams
Introduction by Edmund Morris
Carver County, hard cover, 500ish pages
Hmm. I only read the intro & about ten pages of the actual autobiography (written in third person). This came into my hands in a timely manner - just when I was going to talk with Tamara's students about reading something a little bit challenging. The first few pages (of the intro) included these words: escarpment, equipoised, epiphanies, atavistic, legionnaires, scion, crucible. What a great example of a "reach" book! However, Mr. Adams is just a bit too arrogant, intellectual, and dry for my taste. So after a dozen pages, I bid him adieu. Perhaps I'll read this when I grow up.
I got it from the library based on this review:
"As history, as literature, as autobiography, this book is one of the gold standards in American letters. Unless you are very young, you've probably read it, but how long ago? It's time to read it again, with all the insight you have gained since you first read it. Adams viewed his country through the mirror of himself and his family. What he saw gave him a great deal for his acute and wide-ranging mind to mull over. We, his fortunate readers, enjoy the result, a work arresting, entertaining, and profound." This is from the Page-a-Day calendar I got from MILI last year. So far, I have disliked all the books I've checked out based on their reviews. (Latte' Trouble, Beethoven's Hair, Adverbs, etc.) I think it's time to turn the rest into scratch paper!
Introduction by Edmund Morris
Carver County, hard cover, 500ish pages
Hmm. I only read the intro & about ten pages of the actual autobiography (written in third person). This came into my hands in a timely manner - just when I was going to talk with Tamara's students about reading something a little bit challenging. The first few pages (of the intro) included these words: escarpment, equipoised, epiphanies, atavistic, legionnaires, scion, crucible. What a great example of a "reach" book! However, Mr. Adams is just a bit too arrogant, intellectual, and dry for my taste. So after a dozen pages, I bid him adieu. Perhaps I'll read this when I grow up.
I got it from the library based on this review:
"As history, as literature, as autobiography, this book is one of the gold standards in American letters. Unless you are very young, you've probably read it, but how long ago? It's time to read it again, with all the insight you have gained since you first read it. Adams viewed his country through the mirror of himself and his family. What he saw gave him a great deal for his acute and wide-ranging mind to mull over. We, his fortunate readers, enjoy the result, a work arresting, entertaining, and profound." This is from the Page-a-Day calendar I got from MILI last year. So far, I have disliked all the books I've checked out based on their reviews. (Latte' Trouble, Beethoven's Hair, Adverbs, etc.) I think it's time to turn the rest into scratch paper!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
In Your Room
by Jordanna Fraiberg
paperback, destination unknown, 203 pages
This was an impulse buy at Barnes & Noble, because it looked like a sweet little romance story that would be appropriate for middle schoolers. I enjoyed it, but will probably send it to the high school. The romance part was sweet and clean - the most they do is kiss. But these are kids between their junior and senior years of high school and alcohol is heavily featured. I just don't want middle schoolers to think that alcohol is a normal part of adolescence. It's just so matter-of-fact that these underage kids are getting drinks at every party - even shots at a bar! Just not what I want for middle school kids to read. . .
The essential story is that Molly's family (mom and new stepdad) are house-swapping with Charlie's family (two moms and two 11-year-old sisters) for the summer. Both teens are initially upset by the swap, but start to correspond as they inhabit one another's bedrooms. Each of these young people is interesting and fairly well-developed. Romance buds even as misunderstandings seem to trip them up.
paperback, destination unknown, 203 pages
This was an impulse buy at Barnes & Noble, because it looked like a sweet little romance story that would be appropriate for middle schoolers. I enjoyed it, but will probably send it to the high school. The romance part was sweet and clean - the most they do is kiss. But these are kids between their junior and senior years of high school and alcohol is heavily featured. I just don't want middle schoolers to think that alcohol is a normal part of adolescence. It's just so matter-of-fact that these underage kids are getting drinks at every party - even shots at a bar! Just not what I want for middle school kids to read. . .
The essential story is that Molly's family (mom and new stepdad) are house-swapping with Charlie's family (two moms and two 11-year-old sisters) for the summer. Both teens are initially upset by the swap, but start to correspond as they inhabit one another's bedrooms. Each of these young people is interesting and fairly well-developed. Romance buds even as misunderstandings seem to trip them up.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything? and other stories
by Avi
CMSW, hard cover, 196 pages
I intended to read this over the summer . . . guess I missed the boat! Finally done. Interesting collection, a little edgy.
"What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?" - boy befriends homeless man and confronts his single mom with the meaning of happiness
"The Goodness of Matt Kaizer" - a truly nasty kid goes to the home of a classmate whose father is dying so that he can be cruel and torment her. He ends up being perceived by the dying father as a kind of savior who can take his last confession. The experience permanently changes the boy.
"Talk to Me" - Maria's 16-year-old brother has been gone for a year and no one will talk about him. When her phone frequently rings at 4pm, she believes it is him trying to contact her, even though no one talks.
"Teacher Tamer" - when Gregory decides to get revenge on Mrs. Wessex, he learns about her motivation and opinion of him. That changes his plan, but not his result.
"Pets" - a girl is crazy about pets until her dead cats try to get her to die, too.
"What's Inside" - a boy is on the spot when his cousin wants to commit suicide, but the two identical boxes he made in shop class help him find an out.
"Fortune Cookie" - an angry 13-year-old asks his divorced parents to have dinner with him for his birthday present, but then he behaves in a way that alienates his father and makes his mother cry.
Interesting collection. I think kids would respond to most of these stories.
CMSW, hard cover, 196 pages
I intended to read this over the summer . . . guess I missed the boat! Finally done. Interesting collection, a little edgy.
"What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?" - boy befriends homeless man and confronts his single mom with the meaning of happiness
"The Goodness of Matt Kaizer" - a truly nasty kid goes to the home of a classmate whose father is dying so that he can be cruel and torment her. He ends up being perceived by the dying father as a kind of savior who can take his last confession. The experience permanently changes the boy.
"Talk to Me" - Maria's 16-year-old brother has been gone for a year and no one will talk about him. When her phone frequently rings at 4pm, she believes it is him trying to contact her, even though no one talks.
"Teacher Tamer" - when Gregory decides to get revenge on Mrs. Wessex, he learns about her motivation and opinion of him. That changes his plan, but not his result.
"Pets" - a girl is crazy about pets until her dead cats try to get her to die, too.
"What's Inside" - a boy is on the spot when his cousin wants to commit suicide, but the two identical boxes he made in shop class help him find an out.
"Fortune Cookie" - an angry 13-year-old asks his divorced parents to have dinner with him for his birthday present, but then he behaves in a way that alienates his father and makes his mother cry.
Interesting collection. I think kids would respond to most of these stories.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Oh My Stars
by Lorna Landvik
Carver County Book Club kit, paperback, 389 pages
Violet Mathers goes from a winsome to angry to whining to lovely protangonist. The factory accident that costs her an arm changes her life. As she heads for San Francisco to commit suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge, a bus accident in North Dakota brings her in contact with Kjel ("Shell") Hedstrom and Austin Sykes. Her life is never the same.
I liked this book, though it was much more serious than other Landvik titles. I wish it were possible to listen to the Pearltones' songs - the descriptions of their music were so powerful. I look forward to discussing this with the book club next week.
Carver County Book Club kit, paperback, 389 pages
Violet Mathers goes from a winsome to angry to whining to lovely protangonist. The factory accident that costs her an arm changes her life. As she heads for San Francisco to commit suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge, a bus accident in North Dakota brings her in contact with Kjel ("Shell") Hedstrom and Austin Sykes. Her life is never the same.
I liked this book, though it was much more serious than other Landvik titles. I wish it were possible to listen to the Pearltones' songs - the descriptions of their music were so powerful. I look forward to discussing this with the book club next week.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Sherlock Holmes Theatre
Carver County Library audiobook
Unabridged - 4:30 hours on 5 discs
"Sherlock Holmes" by William Gillette & Arthur Conan Doyle
Delightful story of Holmes going up against Moriarty. Surprises included Holmes' cocaine addiction - I had forgotten about that - and Holmes actually falling in love with the persecuted Alice. All in all, very enjoyable.
"The Speckled Band" by Arthur Conan Doyle
Not so enjoyable. The heavy-handed villain is too obvious and the young lady too pathetic. The snake and snake-charmer were interesting touches.
"Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective's Flat" by Yuri Rasovsky
Bizarre twists - some clever and some annoying. Holmes & Watson turn on one another and Holmes sets up both Watson and Mrs. Hudson the housekeeper. I wonder what Doyle would have thought of this . . . I don't care for it.
Unabridged - 4:30 hours on 5 discs
"Sherlock Holmes" by William Gillette & Arthur Conan Doyle
Delightful story of Holmes going up against Moriarty. Surprises included Holmes' cocaine addiction - I had forgotten about that - and Holmes actually falling in love with the persecuted Alice. All in all, very enjoyable.
"The Speckled Band" by Arthur Conan Doyle
Not so enjoyable. The heavy-handed villain is too obvious and the young lady too pathetic. The snake and snake-charmer were interesting touches.
"Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective's Flat" by Yuri Rasovsky
Bizarre twists - some clever and some annoying. Holmes & Watson turn on one another and Holmes sets up both Watson and Mrs. Hudson the housekeeper. I wonder what Doyle would have thought of this . . . I don't care for it.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 4
by Hiromu Arakawa
donated hardcover, manga, 180+
I read this to consider it for middle school. Pretty violent (to me) and some swearing, but basically pretty clean. I really dislike manga, but I like it when kids read voraciously and my manga readers fit that description! I'll probably hang onto this for PRMS and buy the other volumes to make a complete set. That way, CMSW will have Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, and Fruits Basket. I'll have to find a "female" title to add to PRMS (or see what PRFC is leaving behind . . . ).
Two brothers are fighting to find their "real" bodies, since their souls are inhabiting a metal body and . . . I didn't actually understand the whole story line.
donated hardcover, manga, 180+
I read this to consider it for middle school. Pretty violent (to me) and some swearing, but basically pretty clean. I really dislike manga, but I like it when kids read voraciously and my manga readers fit that description! I'll probably hang onto this for PRMS and buy the other volumes to make a complete set. That way, CMSW will have Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, and Fruits Basket. I'll have to find a "female" title to add to PRMS (or see what PRFC is leaving behind . . . ).
Two brothers are fighting to find their "real" bodies, since their souls are inhabiting a metal body and . . . I didn't actually understand the whole story line.
Flush
CMSW, paperback, 263 pages
I had to re-read this because it's been enough years that the details were fuzzy. I enjoyed it and even laughed aloud a few times! Noah and Abbey are a great brother-sister duo. Shelley and Grandpa Bobby add a lot of zest to this story of a family trying to bring a polluting casino owner to justice. I like this one better than Hoot!
I had to re-read this because it's been enough years that the details were fuzzy. I enjoyed it and even laughed aloud a few times! Noah and Abbey are a great brother-sister duo. Shelley and Grandpa Bobby add a lot of zest to this story of a family trying to bring a polluting casino owner to justice. I like this one better than Hoot!
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Runaway Quilt
by Jennifer Chiaverini
Carver County Library, hard cover, (large print), 421 pages
Sylvia finally locates the Civil-War era quilts in the attic and a journal along with them. The memoir tells her stories about her ancestors that she never knew, upsetting her and raising more questions.
I loved the parts of the story that were the journal left by Sylvia's great-great-aunt Gerda. The modern-day parts were kind of irritating (except the cornerstone scene with Sylvia and Andrew). I may need to take a break from the Elm Creek Quilt novels . . . and start to work on some actual quilting! I just needed to chill out last night.
Carver County Library, hard cover, (large print), 421 pages
Sylvia finally locates the Civil-War era quilts in the attic and a journal along with them. The memoir tells her stories about her ancestors that she never knew, upsetting her and raising more questions.
I loved the parts of the story that were the journal left by Sylvia's great-great-aunt Gerda. The modern-day parts were kind of irritating (except the cornerstone scene with Sylvia and Andrew). I may need to take a break from the Elm Creek Quilt novels . . . and start to work on some actual quilting! I just needed to chill out last night.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
13: Thirteen Stories that Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen
edited by James Howe
CMSW, hard cover, 278 pages
Great collection of short stories for 13-year-olds.
"What's the Worst That Could Happen" by Bruce Coville - funny piece about a boy with stage fright who agrees to help a girl with a skit just because he has a crush on her.
"Kate the Great" by Meg Cabot - a girl finally learns to stand up to her former friend while on a babysitting job
"If You Kiss a Boy" by Alex Sanchez - a boy kisses his friend and discovers homosexuality with advice from a kind teacher
"Thirteen and a Half" by Rachel Vail - a girl goes home with a classmate only to find her pet bird dead and the mother explains that she's actually had many birds over the years
"Jeremy Goldblatt Is So Not Moses" by James Howe - a great story about a boy's bar mitzvah and how he turns everything on its head through his kindness
"Black Holes and Basketball Sneakers" by Lori Aurelia Williams - a poor boy wants new shoes so that everyone will stop teasing him but his mother can't afford them and he gets involved with a gang
"Picky Eater" by Stephen Roos - a boy visits different neighbors to try to get better food than what his mom brings home from the school cafeteria. He is friendly to a neighbor boy who dies of an asthma attack
"Such Foolishness" - a poem about being 13
"Noodle Soup for Nincompoops" - a girl starts a column in the school newspaper and learns to be open with her best friend
"Squid Girl" by Todd Strasser - a girl on vacation with her nature-loving parents hopes to meet a cute boy and not look like a geek
"Angel & Aly" by Ron Koertge - two sisters are opposites until an alligator puppet turns the sweet sister hard. strange.
"Nobody Stole Jason Grayson" by Carolyn Mackler - when a quiet girl takes a photo of a popular boy from the open locker of the principal's daughter, chaos breaks out
"Tina the Teen Fairy" by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin - a pragmatic girl doesn't think that turning 13 is a big deal until a night-time visit from a fairy
CMSW, hard cover, 278 pages
Great collection of short stories for 13-year-olds.
"What's the Worst That Could Happen" by Bruce Coville - funny piece about a boy with stage fright who agrees to help a girl with a skit just because he has a crush on her.
"Kate the Great" by Meg Cabot - a girl finally learns to stand up to her former friend while on a babysitting job
"If You Kiss a Boy" by Alex Sanchez - a boy kisses his friend and discovers homosexuality with advice from a kind teacher
"Thirteen and a Half" by Rachel Vail - a girl goes home with a classmate only to find her pet bird dead and the mother explains that she's actually had many birds over the years
"Jeremy Goldblatt Is So Not Moses" by James Howe - a great story about a boy's bar mitzvah and how he turns everything on its head through his kindness
"Black Holes and Basketball Sneakers" by Lori Aurelia Williams - a poor boy wants new shoes so that everyone will stop teasing him but his mother can't afford them and he gets involved with a gang
"Picky Eater" by Stephen Roos - a boy visits different neighbors to try to get better food than what his mom brings home from the school cafeteria. He is friendly to a neighbor boy who dies of an asthma attack
"Such Foolishness" - a poem about being 13
"Noodle Soup for Nincompoops" - a girl starts a column in the school newspaper and learns to be open with her best friend
"Squid Girl" by Todd Strasser - a girl on vacation with her nature-loving parents hopes to meet a cute boy and not look like a geek
"Angel & Aly" by Ron Koertge - two sisters are opposites until an alligator puppet turns the sweet sister hard. strange.
"Nobody Stole Jason Grayson" by Carolyn Mackler - when a quiet girl takes a photo of a popular boy from the open locker of the principal's daughter, chaos breaks out
"Tina the Teen Fairy" by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin - a pragmatic girl doesn't think that turning 13 is a big deal until a night-time visit from a fairy
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Into the Dark
by Peter Abrahams
Carver County Library, audiobook, 6 CDs / 7 hours
Ingrid is a junior sleuth. When her grandpa is charged with murder, she tries to find out what's really going on in Echo Falls.
Liked: the dog, the snowshoeing, and Ingrid's determination to help her "grampie."
Didn't like: slow pace of the story, grampie's unwillingness to communicate openly with his family, Ingrid's inability to confide in anyone.
reader Julie Dretzin has a nice voice, but I think I would have enjoyed this one more reading it myself.
Carver County Library, audiobook, 6 CDs / 7 hours
Ingrid is a junior sleuth. When her grandpa is charged with murder, she tries to find out what's really going on in Echo Falls.
Liked: the dog, the snowshoeing, and Ingrid's determination to help her "grampie."
Didn't like: slow pace of the story, grampie's unwillingness to communicate openly with his family, Ingrid's inability to confide in anyone.
reader Julie Dretzin has a nice voice, but I think I would have enjoyed this one more reading it myself.
The Cross-Country Quilters
by Jennifer Chiaverini
Carver County Library, hardcover, 367 pages
Reading this book is like snuggling up with a nice quilt. Aaahhhh. It just feels good. I especially enjoyed the storyline of Megan and Adam ('cuz I'm just a hopeless romantic, I guess). But I also appreciated the stories of the other women. One thing that concerns me, though, is that reading these books is like a pseudo-quilting escape. . . but what if I worked on a quilting project instead of reading? Wouldn't that be more fulfilling? I might have to take a break from the Elm Creek novels and work on a quilting project instead!
Carver County Library, hardcover, 367 pages
Reading this book is like snuggling up with a nice quilt. Aaahhhh. It just feels good. I especially enjoyed the storyline of Megan and Adam ('cuz I'm just a hopeless romantic, I guess). But I also appreciated the stories of the other women. One thing that concerns me, though, is that reading these books is like a pseudo-quilting escape. . . but what if I worked on a quilting project instead of reading? Wouldn't that be more fulfilling? I might have to take a break from the Elm Creek novels and work on a quilting project instead!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Adverbs
by Daniel Handler
Carver County Library, hardcover, 272 pages
Written by the author of the "Lemony Snicket" books - A Series of Unfortunate Events - this title had some rave reviews. I didn't get past chapter two, though. I like the clever premise of love being an adverb (how something is done), but the disjointed stories and the long, rambling, stream-of-consciousness sentences just didn't do it for me. I decided not to continue reading books that I just don't enjoy.
In the first chapter, entitled "Immediately," the man lies to his long-time live-in girlfriend (telling her first that he's going to the reading of the will of his father, then that the man wasn't really his dad) only to get in a cab and fall in love with the driver and then follow the cab driver to a cafe for a cup of coffee and wonder about their future together and I think you get the idea.
Just not something I want to spend more time reading.
Carver County Library, hardcover, 272 pages
Written by the author of the "Lemony Snicket" books - A Series of Unfortunate Events - this title had some rave reviews. I didn't get past chapter two, though. I like the clever premise of love being an adverb (how something is done), but the disjointed stories and the long, rambling, stream-of-consciousness sentences just didn't do it for me. I decided not to continue reading books that I just don't enjoy.
In the first chapter, entitled "Immediately," the man lies to his long-time live-in girlfriend (telling her first that he's going to the reading of the will of his father, then that the man wasn't really his dad) only to get in a cab and fall in love with the driver and then follow the cab driver to a cafe for a cup of coffee and wonder about their future together and I think you get the idea.
Just not something I want to spend more time reading.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Hey, Dummy
by Kin Platt
CMSW, hardcover, 171 pages
This book caught my attention with its 70s-style cover and 95 cent price on the front (probably a Permabound). But as I flipped it open, I got curious. So I read the book before deciding that yes, I was going to delete this from the collection.
I liked the fact that an ordinary kid went from bullying to empathizing with a mentally disabled student (the empathy part, not the bullying). There were some interesting portrayals of realistic situations and some neat moments. But overall, it was not a fulfilling story and the ending was just plain stupid. Written in 1971, this is definitely showing its age. . .
CMSW, hardcover, 171 pages
This book caught my attention with its 70s-style cover and 95 cent price on the front (probably a Permabound). But as I flipped it open, I got curious. So I read the book before deciding that yes, I was going to delete this from the collection.
I liked the fact that an ordinary kid went from bullying to empathizing with a mentally disabled student (the empathy part, not the bullying). There were some interesting portrayals of realistic situations and some neat moments. But overall, it was not a fulfilling story and the ending was just plain stupid. Written in 1971, this is definitely showing its age. . .
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Stately Pursuits
by Katie Fforde
Carver County library, paperback, 280 pages
British chick lit. Heartbroken Hetty Longden heads to Courtbridge to house-sit for an elderly great-uncle who's hospitalized. She ends up trying to save the house from the heir's determination to bulldoze it and develop once his uncle dies. Of course, she falls in love with Connor as they battle over the house's future.
I thought about just returning it to the library after the first few chapters, but doggedly finished it. I liked it better than I expected to, but wasn't really crazy about it. Fluff read. A bit shallow.
Carver County library, paperback, 280 pages
British chick lit. Heartbroken Hetty Longden heads to Courtbridge to house-sit for an elderly great-uncle who's hospitalized. She ends up trying to save the house from the heir's determination to bulldoze it and develop once his uncle dies. Of course, she falls in love with Connor as they battle over the house's future.
I thought about just returning it to the library after the first few chapters, but doggedly finished it. I liked it better than I expected to, but wasn't really crazy about it. Fluff read. A bit shallow.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Lawn Boy
by Gary Paulsen
CMSW, hard cover, about 70 pages
The 12 year old boy gets an old lawnmower from his grandma as a birthday gift. He starts mowing neighbors' lawns and pretty soon he has a stockbroker and 100% ownership in a boxer. Funny and light, this is the novel that the seventh grade has chosen to go with the Stock Market Game in seventh grade. Should be fun!
CMSW, hard cover, about 70 pages
The 12 year old boy gets an old lawnmower from his grandma as a birthday gift. He starts mowing neighbors' lawns and pretty soon he has a stockbroker and 100% ownership in a boxer. Funny and light, this is the novel that the seventh grade has chosen to go with the Stock Market Game in seventh grade. Should be fun!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Latte' Trouble
by Cleo Coyle
Hennepin County Library, paperback, 243 pages
This was going to be our November book club book, but I honestly couldn't get past page 98 before it was due. It was just not compelling. I feel bad that Christie and Karen both read it - it was just that bad. The review of it made it sound delightful!
Basically, someone dies at a hip Manhattan coffee bar. A barista is arrested. A mystery begins.
But I found myself forcing the reading. Like the little engine that could, I was trying to motivate myself to get 'r done. Then I decided (once again) that life is too short to waste on uninteresting books. I don't know why I have so much trouble with that!
Hennepin County Library, paperback, 243 pages
This was going to be our November book club book, but I honestly couldn't get past page 98 before it was due. It was just not compelling. I feel bad that Christie and Karen both read it - it was just that bad. The review of it made it sound delightful!
Basically, someone dies at a hip Manhattan coffee bar. A barista is arrested. A mystery begins.
But I found myself forcing the reading. Like the little engine that could, I was trying to motivate myself to get 'r done. Then I decided (once again) that life is too short to waste on uninteresting books. I don't know why I have so much trouble with that!
Re-Gifters
by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, & Marc Hempel
Carver County Library, paperback, 148 pages
graphic novel
I really liked this story, but wonder if it's a bit too edgy for middle school . . . Jen is a Korean girl who's very good at Hokaido (fighting). When she lets her crush on fellow fighter Adam distract her, she decides to make an extravagant gesture. But things don't turn out the way she expects. Her twin brothers provide comic relief. This is another title in the new Minx series. So far, I've really enjoyed Plain Janes & this one . . . good storytelling!
Carver County Library, paperback, 148 pages
graphic novel
I really liked this story, but wonder if it's a bit too edgy for middle school . . . Jen is a Korean girl who's very good at Hokaido (fighting). When she lets her crush on fellow fighter Adam distract her, she decides to make an extravagant gesture. But things don't turn out the way she expects. Her twin brothers provide comic relief. This is another title in the new Minx series. So far, I've really enjoyed Plain Janes & this one . . . good storytelling!
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period
by Gennifer Choldenko
audioCD, 4 hours & 17 mintes, Carver County Library
narrated by Ariadne Meyers & Francois Battiste
Oh this story infuriated me! Brianna is a very, very icky mean girl. And Kirsten's mom was clueless and nasty. I'm so glad it turned out well in the end.
Told from both Kirsten's & Walker's perspectives. Nice to listen to both voices. Not sure how it would come across in book form. . . my school's copy walked off last year. I should reorder. This book has some good lessons about friendship.
audioCD, 4 hours & 17 mintes, Carver County Library
narrated by Ariadne Meyers & Francois Battiste
Oh this story infuriated me! Brianna is a very, very icky mean girl. And Kirsten's mom was clueless and nasty. I'm so glad it turned out well in the end.
Told from both Kirsten's & Walker's perspectives. Nice to listen to both voices. Not sure how it would come across in book form. . . my school's copy walked off last year. I should reorder. This book has some good lessons about friendship.
Round Robin
by Jennifer Chiaverini
hardcover, Dakota County Library, 304 pages
Book two in the Elm Creek Quilters series. At first, I thought there were too darn many story lines, but then I realized that it fit right in with the "round robin" idea. I liked learning more about the characters in this setting. I enjoyed Diane's storyline with her sons and the skateboarding.
I wish I spent time at a quilt retreat and worked on quilting as a regular part of my life!
hardcover, Dakota County Library, 304 pages
Book two in the Elm Creek Quilters series. At first, I thought there were too darn many story lines, but then I realized that it fit right in with the "round robin" idea. I liked learning more about the characters in this setting. I enjoyed Diane's storyline with her sons and the skateboarding.
I wish I spent time at a quilt retreat and worked on quilting as a regular part of my life!
A Perfect Day for Love Letters
by George Asakura
Carver County Library, paperback, unpaged
manga
Five short stories involving letters and love. They were okay, but not my style. Intriguing concept of using the letters in different ways in different characters' lives. I actually had a dream about letters after reading this! Won't buy it for school, though. Not enough substance and I already have plenty of manga.
Carver County Library, paperback, unpaged
manga
Five short stories involving letters and love. They were okay, but not my style. Intriguing concept of using the letters in different ways in different characters' lives. I actually had a dream about letters after reading this! Won't buy it for school, though. Not enough substance and I already have plenty of manga.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah
paperback, PRFC, 228 pages
The absolutely chilling story of a boy from Sierra Leone who gets separated from his family at age 12, evades both the army and the rebels by foraging and constantly moving, then becomes a vicious killer. It amazes me that Beah was able to leave the drugs, violence, and power of his army time and become such an incredible young man.
I'm looking forward to the discussion tomorrow. This book was difficult to read, but so very important! It's hard to believe that this was his reality only a decade ago. How can the rest of us just go blithely about our lives when things like this are happening?
paperback, PRFC, 228 pages
The absolutely chilling story of a boy from Sierra Leone who gets separated from his family at age 12, evades both the army and the rebels by foraging and constantly moving, then becomes a vicious killer. It amazes me that Beah was able to leave the drugs, violence, and power of his army time and become such an incredible young man.
I'm looking forward to the discussion tomorrow. This book was difficult to read, but so very important! It's hard to believe that this was his reality only a decade ago. How can the rest of us just go blithely about our lives when things like this are happening?
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
MAD Kids
paperback magazine, Carver County Library
A student asked me to get this for CMSW, so I got a public library copy to make up my mind.
- clean enough (regular MAD has some pretty intense drug & sex humor)
- interesting variety of comics, interviews, and other features
- I remember some of the cartoons from twenty years ago in regular MAD! They're re-using some material.
- only 4 issues per year . . . it would take a long time to build up enough issues to check out back copies.
I think I'll just refer kids to the public library on this one. They could also take a look at Nickelodeon magazine.
A student asked me to get this for CMSW, so I got a public library copy to make up my mind.
- clean enough (regular MAD has some pretty intense drug & sex humor)
- interesting variety of comics, interviews, and other features
- I remember some of the cartoons from twenty years ago in regular MAD! They're re-using some material.
- only 4 issues per year . . . it would take a long time to build up enough issues to check out back copies.
I think I'll just refer kids to the public library on this one. They could also take a look at Nickelodeon magazine.
Electric Girl
by Michael Brennan
paperback, Carver County Library, 155 pages
volume 3
Interesting graphic novel - actually, it's a series of stories about electric girl (and her personal gremlin who loves to cause problems). It's "clean" enough for middle school, but didn't really inspire me much.
Maybe I'm too tired to enjoy much right now.
paperback, Carver County Library, 155 pages
volume 3
Interesting graphic novel - actually, it's a series of stories about electric girl (and her personal gremlin who loves to cause problems). It's "clean" enough for middle school, but didn't really inspire me much.
Maybe I'm too tired to enjoy much right now.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Breaking Dawn
by Stephenie Meyer
hard cover, CMSW, 754 pages
Spoiler alert!
Edward and Bella get married, procreate, Bella turns into a vampire, Jacob imprints on her baby (Renesmee), the Volturi come out in force, the good guys win.
I'm glad it's over. Each successive book has become less interesting to me, but I understand why these stories are so incredibly popular with my students.
There are a lot of vampire things that I'd love to ask the author about. Why wouldn't the human blood consumers choose victims that thinned the herd of bad humans? If vampires don't have beating hearts and blood circulation, how exactly do the male vampires get to the point where procreation is possible? Well, the questions don't end there, but I've had enough of this genre.
hard cover, CMSW, 754 pages
Spoiler alert!
Edward and Bella get married, procreate, Bella turns into a vampire, Jacob imprints on her baby (Renesmee), the Volturi come out in force, the good guys win.
I'm glad it's over. Each successive book has become less interesting to me, but I understand why these stories are so incredibly popular with my students.
There are a lot of vampire things that I'd love to ask the author about. Why wouldn't the human blood consumers choose victims that thinned the herd of bad humans? If vampires don't have beating hearts and blood circulation, how exactly do the male vampires get to the point where procreation is possible? Well, the questions don't end there, but I've had enough of this genre.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Eclipse
by Stephenie Meyer
CMSW, hard cover, 629 pages
Book 3 - Bella & Edward work out their "terms," and Jacob & Edward face off as rivals for Bella's affections. Victoria starts an army of vampires to come after Bella.
Bella's immaturity makes me wonder what Edward sees in her . . . some nice storytelling, but not a fabulous read. I like how the vampires and werewolves worked together to defeat the army. I liked the tent scene - good tension.
CMSW, hard cover, 629 pages
Book 3 - Bella & Edward work out their "terms," and Jacob & Edward face off as rivals for Bella's affections. Victoria starts an army of vampires to come after Bella.
Bella's immaturity makes me wonder what Edward sees in her . . . some nice storytelling, but not a fabulous read. I like how the vampires and werewolves worked together to defeat the army. I liked the tent scene - good tension.
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
art by Ellen Forney
CMSW, hard cover, 230 pages
I understand now what all the buzz is about! This book landed on the NYT best sellers list. It's the story of Junior, a cartoonist and odd kid, growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. When a teacher tells him to get off "the rez" and make something of himself, Junior goes to a white school 22 miles away.
This story, though a work of fiction, really rings true. It was painful and beautiful. Junior is a typical teenager in so many ways! In other ways, this was a look into a lifestyle that is foreign to most Americans. . .
art by Ellen Forney
CMSW, hard cover, 230 pages
I understand now what all the buzz is about! This book landed on the NYT best sellers list. It's the story of Junior, a cartoonist and odd kid, growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. When a teacher tells him to get off "the rez" and make something of himself, Junior goes to a white school 22 miles away.
This story, though a work of fiction, really rings true. It was painful and beautiful. Junior is a typical teenager in so many ways! In other ways, this was a look into a lifestyle that is foreign to most Americans. . .
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The Quilter's Apprentice
by Jennifer Chiaverini
Dakota County, paperback, 271 pages
Quilting story - Sarah McClure is job-hunting and stumbles into quilting. Sylvia Compson is a bitter old woman who just wants her house fixed up so she can sell it.
Liked - the description of the house, the fact that I've met this author, the relationships among the women, the historical storytelling, the draw to quilting. I loved it when Chiaverini (in person, at a Minnesota Quilt meeting) told us about people who have asked her about going to workshops at (fictional) Elm Creek Quilts. :-)
Didn't like - how mousy Sarah was, especially in her job-hunting and in how she communicated with her husband. What a wimp.
Dakota County, paperback, 271 pages
Quilting story - Sarah McClure is job-hunting and stumbles into quilting. Sylvia Compson is a bitter old woman who just wants her house fixed up so she can sell it.
Liked - the description of the house, the fact that I've met this author, the relationships among the women, the historical storytelling, the draw to quilting. I loved it when Chiaverini (in person, at a Minnesota Quilt meeting) told us about people who have asked her about going to workshops at (fictional) Elm Creek Quilts. :-)
Didn't like - how mousy Sarah was, especially in her job-hunting and in how she communicated with her husband. What a wimp.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Will of Wisteria
by Denise Hildreth
Dakota County Library, paperback, 337 pages
The four adult children of Clayton Wilcott are selfish people. When he finds faith in his old age but fails to reconcile with his children, he changes his substantial will so that each one must work for free for a year to earn their share of the inheritance.
At the start of the book, I didn't enjoy it much because all four "kids" were so reprehensible. As the story moved along, though, it was interesting to see what opened their eyes (except Will). I especially liked how the siblings got to know one another as adults. Jeffery's transformation as a father (mostly because of 8 y.o. Matthew) was the most amazing. Mary Catherine's teaching stint didn't seem quite as realistic . . . she went from not having a clue to being a master teacher in the course of one school year. I just don't see that.
Jeanne
Dakota County Library, paperback, 337 pages
The four adult children of Clayton Wilcott are selfish people. When he finds faith in his old age but fails to reconcile with his children, he changes his substantial will so that each one must work for free for a year to earn their share of the inheritance.
At the start of the book, I didn't enjoy it much because all four "kids" were so reprehensible. As the story moved along, though, it was interesting to see what opened their eyes (except Will). I especially liked how the siblings got to know one another as adults. Jeffery's transformation as a father (mostly because of 8 y.o. Matthew) was the most amazing. Mary Catherine's teaching stint didn't seem quite as realistic . . . she went from not having a clue to being a master teacher in the course of one school year. I just don't see that.
Jeanne
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A.L.I.E.E.E.N.
by Lewis Trondheim
paperback, Carver County Library
Wordless graphic novel
First off, I'll admit that I don't "get it." I probably should have tried harder to understand this, but it just turned me off. Weird little alien creatures getting stabbed in the eyes by pointy branches and bleeding to death. Strange inter- and intra- species relationships. A creature that poops a continuous stream of feces more than 100 times its apparent body weight. Weird stuff. I didn't understand most of it, and I didn't like it.
paperback, Carver County Library
Wordless graphic novel
First off, I'll admit that I don't "get it." I probably should have tried harder to understand this, but it just turned me off. Weird little alien creatures getting stabbed in the eyes by pointy branches and bleeding to death. Strange inter- and intra- species relationships. A creature that poops a continuous stream of feces more than 100 times its apparent body weight. Weird stuff. I didn't understand most of it, and I didn't like it.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Soldier Boys
by Dean Hughes
paperback, CMSW, 230 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Alternating between the stories of Dieter's rise in the Hitler Youth and Spence's choice to join the American army, this WWII tale definitely tells a tale of war. I found it interesting to see how the author showed Dieter's perspective and the events happening around him.
The ending caught me by surprise - I really didn't see it coming. This is a powerful war story, coming-of-age story, and great historical fiction. I'm not big on war fiction (too painful & too real!), but this book definitely kept my attention and interest.
paperback, CMSW, 230 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Alternating between the stories of Dieter's rise in the Hitler Youth and Spence's choice to join the American army, this WWII tale definitely tells a tale of war. I found it interesting to see how the author showed Dieter's perspective and the events happening around him.
The ending caught me by surprise - I really didn't see it coming. This is a powerful war story, coming-of-age story, and great historical fiction. I'm not big on war fiction (too painful & too real!), but this book definitely kept my attention and interest.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Named
by Marianne Curley
paperback, CMSW, 333 pages
Ethan is a Guardian of Time. He becomes Isabel's Trainer because events are moving forward to the point where a conflict between the Order of Chaos and the Guardians is imminent. They must train in secret and never reveal the secrets of the Guardians, but they are humans as well as teenagers and make mistakes.
Still can't decide if I love it or hate it . . . time travel is always problematic, but this is presented in kind of an intriguing way. Interesting characters, especially Arkarian and Marduke. Liked the history angle. Have my suspicions about Rochelle (and Matt). Not sure if I want to read the rest of the series. Can see the appeal for some kids. I had to hurry and finish it because I had it at home and two different students requested it!
paperback, CMSW, 333 pages
Ethan is a Guardian of Time. He becomes Isabel's Trainer because events are moving forward to the point where a conflict between the Order of Chaos and the Guardians is imminent. They must train in secret and never reveal the secrets of the Guardians, but they are humans as well as teenagers and make mistakes.
Still can't decide if I love it or hate it . . . time travel is always problematic, but this is presented in kind of an intriguing way. Interesting characters, especially Arkarian and Marduke. Liked the history angle. Have my suspicions about Rochelle (and Matt). Not sure if I want to read the rest of the series. Can see the appeal for some kids. I had to hurry and finish it because I had it at home and two different students requested it!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
New Moon
by Stephenie Meyer
CMSW, hard cover, 563 pages
Book two in the vampire romance series opens with Bella's birthday which she does not want to celebrate (since it obviously means she's "older" than her sweetie Edward). For most of the story, we are treated to Bella's agony, indifference, and growing friendship with Jacob.
Not quite as compelling as the first book, but I stayed up much later than I ought to have so I could finish it! The main dilemma for Bella is that she wants to become a vampire so that she can stay with Edward forever. Time for me to read book three?
CMSW, hard cover, 563 pages
Book two in the vampire romance series opens with Bella's birthday which she does not want to celebrate (since it obviously means she's "older" than her sweetie Edward). For most of the story, we are treated to Bella's agony, indifference, and growing friendship with Jacob.
Not quite as compelling as the first book, but I stayed up much later than I ought to have so I could finish it! The main dilemma for Bella is that she wants to become a vampire so that she can stay with Edward forever. Time for me to read book three?
Monday, September 15, 2008
Heat
by Mike Lupica
CMSW, paperback, 220 pages
MHL nominee
I loved this! What a wonderful story. Michael (Miguel to his family) Arroyo is an amazing 12-year old pitcher on a baseball team that hopes to make the Little League playoffs. When an opposing team's coach challenges Michael's true age, the baptism certificate from Cuba won't be enough. But Michael and his 17 year old brother have been hiding their father's death from everyone except Mrs. Cora for three months.
I loved the characters, the plot development, and the happy ending. The baseball stuff was good - I actually like baseball - but not overkill (IMHO). This is probably my favorite Lupica book so far! I definitely enjoyed the subplot with El Grande and Ellie!
CMSW, paperback, 220 pages
MHL nominee
I loved this! What a wonderful story. Michael (Miguel to his family) Arroyo is an amazing 12-year old pitcher on a baseball team that hopes to make the Little League playoffs. When an opposing team's coach challenges Michael's true age, the baptism certificate from Cuba won't be enough. But Michael and his 17 year old brother have been hiding their father's death from everyone except Mrs. Cora for three months.
I loved the characters, the plot development, and the happy ending. The baseball stuff was good - I actually like baseball - but not overkill (IMHO). This is probably my favorite Lupica book so far! I definitely enjoyed the subplot with El Grande and Ellie!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
subtitled: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance
by Jennifer Armstrong
CMSE, paperback, 126 pages
After reading Shackleton's Stowaway, I wanted to read a non-fiction account of this expedition. Kelly Johnson recommended it highly. My favorite thing about reading this book was looking at the pictures Frank Hurley took. How amazing that these men all survived such a treacherous ordeal. I confess, though, that I found the fictionalized story much more gripping. The men and the drama of their situation was so much more detailed and fascinating - the benefits of writing fiction, I suppose.
Still, this is a great story. The harshness of Antarctica and the unbelievable outcome of events make it a very worthwhile read.
by Jennifer Armstrong
CMSE, paperback, 126 pages
After reading Shackleton's Stowaway, I wanted to read a non-fiction account of this expedition. Kelly Johnson recommended it highly. My favorite thing about reading this book was looking at the pictures Frank Hurley took. How amazing that these men all survived such a treacherous ordeal. I confess, though, that I found the fictionalized story much more gripping. The men and the drama of their situation was so much more detailed and fascinating - the benefits of writing fiction, I suppose.
Still, this is a great story. The harshness of Antarctica and the unbelievable outcome of events make it a very worthwhile read.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Monsoon Summer
by Mitali Perkins
CMSW, paperback, 257 pages
Jazz (Jasmine) is falling in love with her friend and business partner, Steve. Her mom wants the family to spend the summer in India, working at an orphanage.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. Jasmine was an interesting character (though I wish she would have worked up the courage to tell Steve about her feelings for him a little earlier) and it was nice to see how she changed her stance on helping others.
A little bit of romance and a lot of soul-searching, Perkins shows the remarkable differences between America and India without it seeming forced.
CMSW, paperback, 257 pages
Jazz (Jasmine) is falling in love with her friend and business partner, Steve. Her mom wants the family to spend the summer in India, working at an orphanage.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. Jasmine was an interesting character (though I wish she would have worked up the courage to tell Steve about her feelings for him a little earlier) and it was nice to see how she changed her stance on helping others.
A little bit of romance and a lot of soul-searching, Perkins shows the remarkable differences between America and India without it seeming forced.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Dead Don't Dance
by Charles Martin
Dakota County, paperback, 315 pages
Martin is quickly becoming my favorite author. This book, his first, isn't quite as striking as the other two of his that I've read, but it's quite good.
Dylan Styles seems to have it all - a home, good friends, a lovely wife, and a first child on the way. But his son's birth tears his world apart as the baby dies and his wife bleeds so heavily that she almost dies. With her in a vegetative state, his life goes into a tailspin. His friend Amos tries to help him get back on track, but it's one of his students, Amanda, who really impacts him and motivates his turnaround.
At first, this novel reminded me of Johnny Gospel. It has the corn fields, pickup trucks, and aimless wandering by a man in grief. But ultimately, this story and its characters shine through in their transition from brokenness to newness. Good stuff!
The title comes from a line on page 102: "You can't go where the river goes. Rivers do life, and the dead don't dance." It's further elaborated upon at the end of the book where the line "I now lived in a world where the dead danced" comes after a major turning point in the narrator's life.
Dakota County, paperback, 315 pages
Martin is quickly becoming my favorite author. This book, his first, isn't quite as striking as the other two of his that I've read, but it's quite good.
Dylan Styles seems to have it all - a home, good friends, a lovely wife, and a first child on the way. But his son's birth tears his world apart as the baby dies and his wife bleeds so heavily that she almost dies. With her in a vegetative state, his life goes into a tailspin. His friend Amos tries to help him get back on track, but it's one of his students, Amanda, who really impacts him and motivates his turnaround.
At first, this novel reminded me of Johnny Gospel. It has the corn fields, pickup trucks, and aimless wandering by a man in grief. But ultimately, this story and its characters shine through in their transition from brokenness to newness. Good stuff!
The title comes from a line on page 102: "You can't go where the river goes. Rivers do life, and the dead don't dance." It's further elaborated upon at the end of the book where the line "I now lived in a world where the dead danced" comes after a major turning point in the narrator's life.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Charm Club: Special Edition books 1-3
by Belinda Ray
hardcover, 400 pages
In story one, an angel charm helps Anna to make friends and stand up for herself in a new school. In story two, a unicorn charm helps Carrie to gain confidence and perform in the school musical. In story three, a fairy charm helps Theresa to get organized and plan the fifth grade portion of the school carnival.
Cute, but definitely written for younger readers. I'll be donating this to one of my elementary school colleagues.
hardcover, 400 pages
In story one, an angel charm helps Anna to make friends and stand up for herself in a new school. In story two, a unicorn charm helps Carrie to gain confidence and perform in the school musical. In story three, a fairy charm helps Theresa to get organized and plan the fifth grade portion of the school carnival.
Cute, but definitely written for younger readers. I'll be donating this to one of my elementary school colleagues.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Skin: and other stories
by Roald Dahl
CMSW, hard cover, 212 pages
I only finished the first five stories in this collection. They just weren't my cup of tea . . . Roald Dahl has a somewhat warped style. It's interesting to me that I loved his stuff as a child, but not so much as an adult.
CMSW, hard cover, 212 pages
I only finished the first five stories in this collection. They just weren't my cup of tea . . . Roald Dahl has a somewhat warped style. It's interesting to me that I loved his stuff as a child, but not so much as an adult.
In the Time of the Butterflies
by Julia Alvarez
CMSW, hardcover, 325 pages
The four Mirabel sisters are realistically portrayed in this story about growing up under dictator Jose Trujillo in Dominican Republic. Many of the characters and events in this story are true, but this is a fictionalized story.
I started out listening to this as a Playaway (mp3), but it was hard for me to understand some of the names - though it was beautiful to listen to the reader's accent.
The story was told from each of the sisters' perspectives (Patria, Minerva, Dede, and Maria Teresa) and from 1943-1994 (but jumping around chronocologically). This was an intense and fascinating read, but much more complex than I had expected. I had initially hoped to use this with students as a lit circle title, but they would have to be mature readers.
CMSW, hardcover, 325 pages
The four Mirabel sisters are realistically portrayed in this story about growing up under dictator Jose Trujillo in Dominican Republic. Many of the characters and events in this story are true, but this is a fictionalized story.
I started out listening to this as a Playaway (mp3), but it was hard for me to understand some of the names - though it was beautiful to listen to the reader's accent.
The story was told from each of the sisters' perspectives (Patria, Minerva, Dede, and Maria Teresa) and from 1943-1994 (but jumping around chronocologically). This was an intense and fascinating read, but much more complex than I had expected. I had initially hoped to use this with students as a lit circle title, but they would have to be mature readers.
Monday, September 01, 2008
The Mirror's Tale
by P.W. Catanese
CMSW, paperback, 274 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Bert and Will are the twin sons of Baron Charmaigne. They get in to too much trouble and the baron decides to separate them. He decides to send Will, who is more timid, to his brother in The Crags. He will keep Bert at home where he can keep a closer eye on him. But the two trade places, and Bert finds a powerful (and evil) mirror, while Will trains with the knight Andreas.
The first few pages of the story kind of turned me off. It seemed too predictable and dopey. I quickly started to care about the characters and what happened, though. I like how different elements were drawn into the story, and Parley and Elaine were wonderful characters. It will be easy to recommend this to fantasy readers.
CMSW, paperback, 274 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Bert and Will are the twin sons of Baron Charmaigne. They get in to too much trouble and the baron decides to separate them. He decides to send Will, who is more timid, to his brother in The Crags. He will keep Bert at home where he can keep a closer eye on him. But the two trade places, and Bert finds a powerful (and evil) mirror, while Will trains with the knight Andreas.
The first few pages of the story kind of turned me off. It seemed too predictable and dopey. I quickly started to care about the characters and what happened, though. I like how different elements were drawn into the story, and Parley and Elaine were wonderful characters. It will be easy to recommend this to fantasy readers.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Gossamer
by Lois Lowry
CMSW, paperback, 154 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Littlest One is a dream-giving creature with lots of curiosity. When she irritates her teacher too much, she is assigned to Thin Elderly. The two of them try to protect the boy John and his elderly caregiver from the Sinisteeds who bring nightmares.
A cute story. Seems to be for a younger reader. It is probably one of the MHL titles on both division lists.
CMSW, paperback, 154 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Littlest One is a dream-giving creature with lots of curiosity. When she irritates her teacher too much, she is assigned to Thin Elderly. The two of them try to protect the boy John and his elderly caregiver from the Sinisteeds who bring nightmares.
A cute story. Seems to be for a younger reader. It is probably one of the MHL titles on both division lists.
Friday, August 29, 2008
So B. It
by Sarah Weeks
Dakota County library, paperback, 245 pages
Another MHL nominee, this one is about a girl named Heidi whose mother is mentally handicapped. When Heidi was only a week old, they showed up on Bernadette's doorstep and she's been helping them out ever since. But Bernie is agoraphobic and cannot leave her apartment. As Heidi gets older and has more responsibilities, she wants to find out about her mother's past. When she finds some photographs, she gets clues that will take her from Reno to New York.
I liked this book, though it was kind of bittersweet. Heidi is a very realistic character (except for her "luck" - that's a supernatural element) and I found myself wanting her to know the truth. I enjoyed her book "Jumping the Scratch" more than this one, but she gets into kids' heads pretty well.
Dakota County library, paperback, 245 pages
Another MHL nominee, this one is about a girl named Heidi whose mother is mentally handicapped. When Heidi was only a week old, they showed up on Bernadette's doorstep and she's been helping them out ever since. But Bernie is agoraphobic and cannot leave her apartment. As Heidi gets older and has more responsibilities, she wants to find out about her mother's past. When she finds some photographs, she gets clues that will take her from Reno to New York.
I liked this book, though it was kind of bittersweet. Heidi is a very realistic character (except for her "luck" - that's a supernatural element) and I found myself wanting her to know the truth. I enjoyed her book "Jumping the Scratch" more than this one, but she gets into kids' heads pretty well.
Drawn & Quarterly Showcase 3
Genevieve Elverum - "We're Wolf", Sammy Harkham - "Somersaulting", Matt Broersma -"The Last Voyage of Dr. Frobisher"
Dakota County library, paperback, graphic novel, 95 pages
Strange, somewhat interesting, mostly incomprehensible. I love reading these from the public library so that I'm not spending my money or school money on them. I wouldn't even buy this for a HS library . . . just not my cup of tea.
Dakota County library, paperback, graphic novel, 95 pages
Strange, somewhat interesting, mostly incomprehensible. I love reading these from the public library so that I'm not spending my money or school money on them. I wouldn't even buy this for a HS library . . . just not my cup of tea.
Jackie's Wild Seattle
by Will Hobbs
CMSW, paperback, 200 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Shannon and Cody go to Seattle to stay with their uncle while their parents travel to Pakistan with Doctors Without Borders. They find out that they will spend their two months with him at an animal rescue shelter out in the woods, not at his old beach house like they had thought.
There are some questions to be answered, some new experiences to be had, and some friends to make. This story surprised me and I enjoyed it more than I expected!
CMSW, paperback, 200 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Shannon and Cody go to Seattle to stay with their uncle while their parents travel to Pakistan with Doctors Without Borders. They find out that they will spend their two months with him at an animal rescue shelter out in the woods, not at his old beach house like they had thought.
There are some questions to be answered, some new experiences to be had, and some friends to make. This story surprised me and I enjoyed it more than I expected!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Shackleton's Stowaway
by Victoria McKernan
Dakota County Library, paperback, 317 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Wow. This would be an amazing story even without most of it being completely true. To know that these men actually survived in Antarctica for two years without our modern-day technologies just astounds me. This fictionalized story of the Shackleton south pole attempt centers on 18-year old Perce Blackborow who has stowed away on the expedition. Very cool. Of course, now I want to read a non-fiction book to find out what the author changed. I loved the maps and other information at the end of the story, too.
Dakota County Library, paperback, 317 pages
Maud Hart Lovelace nominee
Wow. This would be an amazing story even without most of it being completely true. To know that these men actually survived in Antarctica for two years without our modern-day technologies just astounds me. This fictionalized story of the Shackleton south pole attempt centers on 18-year old Perce Blackborow who has stowed away on the expedition. Very cool. Of course, now I want to read a non-fiction book to find out what the author changed. I loved the maps and other information at the end of the story, too.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Game
by Walter Dean Myers
audiobook on CD, Carver County, 4.25 hours
read by JD Jackson
Drew Lawson is a Harlem basketball player with dreams of the big time. But when two white students move in and join the team, the attention they garner frustrates him and clouds his chances of winning a college scholarship that will get him out of his crime-ridden neighborhood.
I really enjoyed this story (except when there was a lot of basketball talk - just not my thing). I especially liked the relationship between Drew and his sister Jocelyn (?). Very fun! It was interesting for me to think about recommending this book to my students. Bball fans would probably like it, but the average Chaska kid most likely hasn't experienced inner-city black neighborhood issues. It's a very different world - one Myers brings to life extremely well.
I also loved that Drew's family was intact - mom, dad, sister, brother. Drew's friend had a brother facing prison time, and that impacted Drew positively (in that he saw the futility of going the route of so many other "brothers" in the area.
audiobook on CD, Carver County, 4.25 hours
read by JD Jackson
Drew Lawson is a Harlem basketball player with dreams of the big time. But when two white students move in and join the team, the attention they garner frustrates him and clouds his chances of winning a college scholarship that will get him out of his crime-ridden neighborhood.
I really enjoyed this story (except when there was a lot of basketball talk - just not my thing). I especially liked the relationship between Drew and his sister Jocelyn (?). Very fun! It was interesting for me to think about recommending this book to my students. Bball fans would probably like it, but the average Chaska kid most likely hasn't experienced inner-city black neighborhood issues. It's a very different world - one Myers brings to life extremely well.
I also loved that Drew's family was intact - mom, dad, sister, brother. Drew's friend had a brother facing prison time, and that impacted Drew positively (in that he saw the futility of going the route of so many other "brothers" in the area.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Man in the Middle
by Brian Haig
CD, 17.5 hours, Dakota County library
read by L.J. Ganser
I was on disc 8 of 15 when I decided not to finish this story. Not finishing is really hard for me. The things I liked about the story - mystery element, insight on how Washington really works (the author is the son of Alexander Haig) weren't enough to outweigh what I disliked: the swearing, crudity, violence, and unlikable major characters. Sean Drummond and Major Tran were not a very appealing couple. I found the "insider" stuff interesting, though. It's a bit appalling to think of the money that goes into FBI, CIA, and other government organizations to do things that most Americans would probably disapprove of. . .
CD, 17.5 hours, Dakota County library
read by L.J. Ganser
I was on disc 8 of 15 when I decided not to finish this story. Not finishing is really hard for me. The things I liked about the story - mystery element, insight on how Washington really works (the author is the son of Alexander Haig) weren't enough to outweigh what I disliked: the swearing, crudity, violence, and unlikable major characters. Sean Drummond and Major Tran were not a very appealing couple. I found the "insider" stuff interesting, though. It's a bit appalling to think of the money that goes into FBI, CIA, and other government organizations to do things that most Americans would probably disapprove of. . .
Astro City
by Kurt Busiek
graphic novel from Louise's friend Suzanne, 192 pages
Though they're labeled as chapters, each section tells a different story about the superheroes of Astro City. I'm surprised that I had never heard of this title before. The artwork is excellent and the characters very interesting. When I got it from Louise, I considered it for the middle school, but I might just keep this one in my own collection.
I know I ought to list all the other people who created this, but my pile of books to be blogged about is getting too huge!
graphic novel from Louise's friend Suzanne, 192 pages
Though they're labeled as chapters, each section tells a different story about the superheroes of Astro City. I'm surprised that I had never heard of this title before. The artwork is excellent and the characters very interesting. When I got it from Louise, I considered it for the middle school, but I might just keep this one in my own collection.
I know I ought to list all the other people who created this, but my pile of books to be blogged about is getting too huge!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
David Gospel
by David Athey
Lake Agassiz Regional Library, 269 pages, paperback
Very strange book. Still not sure if I like it. From the back flap:
"As a boy he performed concerts singing old-time hymns with his family and got so famous he's still known around Iowa as Danny Gospel. But since then, things haven't worked out quite teh way he planned. And now Danny prays for just one thing: a normal, happy life."
Most of the book felt like a study of dysfunction! This was so unusual, but it drew me in and drew me forward. I wanted so much to see things get "normal" for Danny, and I wanted to understand how his family fell apart. For the most part, the story seemed to be progressing and leading somewhere, but the ending left me feeling gypped. There were so many unanswered questions! It was frustrating, and I wished I could have talked about it with another reader.
Lake Agassiz Regional Library, 269 pages, paperback
Very strange book. Still not sure if I like it. From the back flap:
"As a boy he performed concerts singing old-time hymns with his family and got so famous he's still known around Iowa as Danny Gospel. But since then, things haven't worked out quite teh way he planned. And now Danny prays for just one thing: a normal, happy life."
Most of the book felt like a study of dysfunction! This was so unusual, but it drew me in and drew me forward. I wanted so much to see things get "normal" for Danny, and I wanted to understand how his family fell apart. For the most part, the story seemed to be progressing and leading somewhere, but the ending left me feeling gypped. There were so many unanswered questions! It was frustrating, and I wished I could have talked about it with another reader.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
by David Lubar
Dakota County library, paperback, 279 pages
I loved this book! David Lubar is one of my favorite YA authors. This is one of the Division 2 Maud Hart Lovelace nominees for this year. Scott is starting senior high and is a bit concerned about his survival. Meanwhile, his older brother who dropped out of high school decides to move back home, and his mother announces that she's pregnant.
Scott decides to keep a notebook of advice for the new baby (insisting it is NOT a diary) and his thoughts are recorded for posterity. Funny, touching, realistic. This is a delightful book!
Dakota County library, paperback, 279 pages
I loved this book! David Lubar is one of my favorite YA authors. This is one of the Division 2 Maud Hart Lovelace nominees for this year. Scott is starting senior high and is a bit concerned about his survival. Meanwhile, his older brother who dropped out of high school decides to move back home, and his mother announces that she's pregnant.
Scott decides to keep a notebook of advice for the new baby (insisting it is NOT a diary) and his thoughts are recorded for posterity. Funny, touching, realistic. This is a delightful book!
Friday, August 15, 2008
From a Distance
by Tamera Alexander
paperback, Carver County, 379 pages
Elizabeth Westbrook, daughter of a Union officer and senator, travels west to take photographs and try to win a job on the Washington newspaper. She encounters Daniel Ranslett, who fought with the South in the Civil War.
Started out as totally typical historical romance. I ended up enjoying the character of Josiah, a former slave, very much. There was enough mystery and character development to make it a worthwhile read. I've already heard one person describe it as "fluff," but our discussion is next week.
paperback, Carver County, 379 pages
Elizabeth Westbrook, daughter of a Union officer and senator, travels west to take photographs and try to win a job on the Washington newspaper. She encounters Daniel Ranslett, who fought with the South in the Civil War.
Started out as totally typical historical romance. I ended up enjoying the character of Josiah, a former slave, very much. There was enough mystery and character development to make it a worthwhile read. I've already heard one person describe it as "fluff," but our discussion is next week.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sticks & Stones
by Susan Meissner
Lake Agassiz Regional Library, paperback, 248 pages
In this one, Rachael, Trace, and McKenna have moved back to the Twin Cities. Rachael is now working for Ramsey County when she receives a note that a body will be found. She shares the note with her friend Will Pendleton, and they again embark on an investigation.
I enjoyed this story a little less than the previous one. Maybe I'm just too hard to please with books - kind of like Louie with restaurants. Rachael and Trace have an almost cloyingly perfect relationship. It seems that the things Rachael agonizes over are a bit over-done.
I think I prefer Meissner's Why the Sky Is Blue over these Flynn mysteries, but maybe I shouldn't have read them sequentially . . . I think my favorite is still Figaro and his approach to life and creativity. Fun!
Lake Agassiz Regional Library, paperback, 248 pages
In this one, Rachael, Trace, and McKenna have moved back to the Twin Cities. Rachael is now working for Ramsey County when she receives a note that a body will be found. She shares the note with her friend Will Pendleton, and they again embark on an investigation.
I enjoyed this story a little less than the previous one. Maybe I'm just too hard to please with books - kind of like Louie with restaurants. Rachael and Trace have an almost cloyingly perfect relationship. It seems that the things Rachael agonizes over are a bit over-done.
I think I prefer Meissner's Why the Sky Is Blue over these Flynn mysteries, but maybe I shouldn't have read them sequentially . . . I think my favorite is still Figaro and his approach to life and creativity. Fun!
Widows & Orphans
by Susan Meissner
Lake Agassiz Regional Library, paperback, 267 pages
Rachael Flynn's brother has confessed to murder, but Rachael is sure he's lying to help someone else. Josh had dedicated his life at age 12 to helping widows and orphans, in obedience to James 1:27. As attorney Rachael and her artist husband, Trace, return to Minnesota from NYC, they also have their baby McKenna to take care of.
The uncovering of the truth was well-done, with pieces coming bit by bit. I love the character of Figaro! What a great description of a quirky friend! Detective Will Pendleton was pretty cool, but perhaps a bit unrealistically portrayed in allowing Rachael full access to the investigation. . . Overall, a nice little mystery.
Lake Agassiz Regional Library, paperback, 267 pages
Rachael Flynn's brother has confessed to murder, but Rachael is sure he's lying to help someone else. Josh had dedicated his life at age 12 to helping widows and orphans, in obedience to James 1:27. As attorney Rachael and her artist husband, Trace, return to Minnesota from NYC, they also have their baby McKenna to take care of.
The uncovering of the truth was well-done, with pieces coming bit by bit. I love the character of Figaro! What a great description of a quirky friend! Detective Will Pendleton was pretty cool, but perhaps a bit unrealistically portrayed in allowing Rachael full access to the investigation. . . Overall, a nice little mystery.
The Shadow Thieves
by Anne Ursu
Carver County, hardcover, 424 pages
I finally read this book after two years of students recommending it! Charlotte and her cousin Zee get involved with the Underworld after the demigod(?) Philonecron decides to overthrow Hades with an army of shadows. The two young people are wonderful characters, with both strengths and flaws. The adventure drew me in, even though I don't particularly like the premise that mythology is the "real" truth as far as what happens when people die.
There were fun language choices and it was a very fun story overall with good descriptions and wonderful pacing. This will be easy to recommend (along with the Percy Jackson books) for kids interested in mythology or just a good read.
I'm still not sure how Mr. Metos recombined the shadows though . . . maybe the sequel tells.
Carver County, hardcover, 424 pages
I finally read this book after two years of students recommending it! Charlotte and her cousin Zee get involved with the Underworld after the demigod(?) Philonecron decides to overthrow Hades with an army of shadows. The two young people are wonderful characters, with both strengths and flaws. The adventure drew me in, even though I don't particularly like the premise that mythology is the "real" truth as far as what happens when people die.
There were fun language choices and it was a very fun story overall with good descriptions and wonderful pacing. This will be easy to recommend (along with the Percy Jackson books) for kids interested in mythology or just a good read.
I'm still not sure how Mr. Metos recombined the shadows though . . . maybe the sequel tells.
Things We Once Held Dear
Ann Tatlock
Carver County Library, paperback, 391 pages
My least favorite Tatlock book so far, this chronicles the emotional journey of Neil Sadler's return to his small-town home from NYC after his wife's meningitis death. The back flap made the events of the past sound so compelling, but the book seemed to be more of a genealogy of the entire town than a cohesive narrative.
I did enjoy characters like good old Uncle Bernie and his way of communicating. I also liked some of the descriptive passages - especially of the kids getting lost playing hide and seek in the corn fields. But I was frustrated by the numerous characters (almost literally - every person in the town was listed, referred to, or described), the repetition of certain explanations or phrases (like the smell of "unwashed flesh"), and the number of people who died unusually young (for literary convenience? Caroline at 40, Cal at 44, and Madlyn in her 60s).
Basically, all three Tatlock books that I've read have dealt with the same theme of estrangement and dealing with the past. This one was the least satisfying that I've read. When true resolution of the problem comes decades late . . . it just seems to miss the point.
Carver County Library, paperback, 391 pages
My least favorite Tatlock book so far, this chronicles the emotional journey of Neil Sadler's return to his small-town home from NYC after his wife's meningitis death. The back flap made the events of the past sound so compelling, but the book seemed to be more of a genealogy of the entire town than a cohesive narrative.
I did enjoy characters like good old Uncle Bernie and his way of communicating. I also liked some of the descriptive passages - especially of the kids getting lost playing hide and seek in the corn fields. But I was frustrated by the numerous characters (almost literally - every person in the town was listed, referred to, or described), the repetition of certain explanations or phrases (like the smell of "unwashed flesh"), and the number of people who died unusually young (for literary convenience? Caroline at 40, Cal at 44, and Madlyn in her 60s).
Basically, all three Tatlock books that I've read have dealt with the same theme of estrangement and dealing with the past. This one was the least satisfying that I've read. When true resolution of the problem comes decades late . . . it just seems to miss the point.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Every Secret Thing
by Ann Tatlock
paperback, Carver County, 364 pages
Beth Gunnar returns to her old high school to teach English, but is haunted by something that happened her senior year. All of her old friends seem to have moved on, but she can't let go of what happened to Mr. Dutton. A seemingly rebellious student, Satchel Queen, ends up being one of her best students. Beth develops a maternal concern for Satchel, then re-connects with others from her past in surprising ways.
I liked this one a lot, and cried at the end. Wonderful story! I like how things come full circle at the end.
paperback, Carver County, 364 pages
Beth Gunnar returns to her old high school to teach English, but is haunted by something that happened her senior year. All of her old friends seem to have moved on, but she can't let go of what happened to Mr. Dutton. A seemingly rebellious student, Satchel Queen, ends up being one of her best students. Beth develops a maternal concern for Satchel, then re-connects with others from her past in surprising ways.
I liked this one a lot, and cried at the end. Wonderful story! I like how things come full circle at the end.
Charlie Bone and the Beast
by Jenny Nimmo
hardcover, Carver County library, 389 pages
In this story, Charlie tries to find out the source of a mysterious, mournful howling. He also wants to know who the creatures are who have been following him around. As in all the CB stories, his friends rally around him and everything works out fine in the end.
I'm really not sure why I enjoy these books . . . they're not very well-developed. The font is large with lots of white space on the page. They're clearly written for younger readers . . . whatever.
Dagbert Endless was an interesting new character.
hardcover, Carver County library, 389 pages
In this story, Charlie tries to find out the source of a mysterious, mournful howling. He also wants to know who the creatures are who have been following him around. As in all the CB stories, his friends rally around him and everything works out fine in the end.
I'm really not sure why I enjoy these books . . . they're not very well-developed. The font is large with lots of white space on the page. They're clearly written for younger readers . . . whatever.
Dagbert Endless was an interesting new character.
The Shack
by William P. Young
paperback, personal copy, 248 pages
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but it's not one of my top tens. I enjoyed our book club discussion even more than reading the book itself! Most of us felt that it was primarily a story about God's love and desire for relationship with us. Some felt that it was purposefully trying to "rock" people's preconceived notions. It was interesting to hear about some Christians' objections to the book. It almost seems like some folks are going out of their way to find something to object to.
Mack's beloved youngest daughter has been abducted and brutally murdered, the body never found. "The Great Sadness" descends on him until he finds a note in his mailbox from "Papa," his wife's name for God. Not sure what he'll find, Mack returns to the site of the crime to get some answers. There, he encounters three beings who change his life.
I almost didn't finish the book before the book club got to my house! I was glad I did, though, because there was a surprise twist at the end. This is definitely a worthwhile read. Many of us would love to hear a non-believer's perspective on it.
paperback, personal copy, 248 pages
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but it's not one of my top tens. I enjoyed our book club discussion even more than reading the book itself! Most of us felt that it was primarily a story about God's love and desire for relationship with us. Some felt that it was purposefully trying to "rock" people's preconceived notions. It was interesting to hear about some Christians' objections to the book. It almost seems like some folks are going out of their way to find something to object to.
Mack's beloved youngest daughter has been abducted and brutally murdered, the body never found. "The Great Sadness" descends on him until he finds a note in his mailbox from "Papa," his wife's name for God. Not sure what he'll find, Mack returns to the site of the crime to get some answers. There, he encounters three beings who change his life.
I almost didn't finish the book before the book club got to my house! I was glad I did, though, because there was a surprise twist at the end. This is definitely a worthwhile read. Many of us would love to hear a non-believer's perspective on it.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Loose Threads
by Helen Kelley
my copy, hardcover, signed by author, 223 pages
Kelley is a die-hard quilter and funny newsletter article writer. Her columns were bound and published in this book which I bought at the quilt show in June. Reading these makes me want to get to work on some quilts!
my copy, hardcover, signed by author, 223 pages
Kelley is a die-hard quilter and funny newsletter article writer. Her columns were bound and published in this book which I bought at the quilt show in June. Reading these makes me want to get to work on some quilts!
A Company of Swans
by Eva Ibbotson
audiobook on 9 CDs
Carver County library
This took me forever to get into, but I enjoyed it once I was drawn into Harriet's and Rom's stories. An historical romance, this one traveled from Cambridge to the Amazon. Sweet, interesting, fun. I might look for more of her stories.
Harriet is being raised by her father, a boring and pompous lecturer/professor, and his sister Louisa, who is a prickly, miserly woman. Harriet is unusually lively and insightful, but her natural enthusiasms have been stifled by these two ever since her mother died. When she meets young Henry Brandon at Stavely, she develops the courage to run away.
The thing I didn't like were the three huge misunderstandings that developed between Harriet and Rom. They were glaring plot devices to set up conflict, but worked out fine in the end.
audiobook on 9 CDs
Carver County library
This took me forever to get into, but I enjoyed it once I was drawn into Harriet's and Rom's stories. An historical romance, this one traveled from Cambridge to the Amazon. Sweet, interesting, fun. I might look for more of her stories.
Harriet is being raised by her father, a boring and pompous lecturer/professor, and his sister Louisa, who is a prickly, miserly woman. Harriet is unusually lively and insightful, but her natural enthusiasms have been stifled by these two ever since her mother died. When she meets young Henry Brandon at Stavely, she develops the courage to run away.
The thing I didn't like were the three huge misunderstandings that developed between Harriet and Rom. They were glaring plot devices to set up conflict, but worked out fine in the end.
Charlie Bone
by Jenny Nimmo
Midnight for Charlie Bone
Charlie Bone and the Time Twister
Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy
Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors
Charlie Bone and the Hidden King
I re-read these titles sometime in the past week just for some light summer reading. In some ways, I think I enjoyed them more this time around. Now I'm ready to go on to Charlie Bone and the Beast, which has been out for a while. Book seven will be out in late September (C.B. and the Shadow).
Charlie Bone is a nice boy whose father has been missing since he was two. Left destitute, Charlie's mom Amy and grandma Maisie move in with his father's mother Grizelda. Many people compare this series to Harry Potter, but I think it has a different flavor to it. I love that the "endowed" children have different gifts. Charlie is able to communicate with people in paintings and photographs. I don't like how quickly the author moves from each story's climax to the ending. Hello, denouement, anyone? Still, they make for fun & light reading.
<Above posted 7.25.08. Below added 8.6.23.>
I've gotten the audiobooks via Libby so I can listen as I work at my summer job. So far, I've listened to the first two. I'm not sure I'll continue on . . .
Narrator: Simon Russell Beale - he does a fantastic job, giving Manfred Bloor a sinister voice, Lysander a deep calm voice, etc.
General observations:
- Some of the adults are so incredibly nasty that it reminds me of Roald Dahl and many of his horrible adult characters (Matilda's parents, James' peachy aunts, . . . )
- I love Mr. Onimous and the cats!
- Poor Benjamin! His parents aren't even home on his 10th birthday and don't have a plan in place to make it special for him.
- Henry traveling through ninety years of time and meeting his great-nephew Charlie is pretty cool.
- I remember how much I dislike the sorcerer Skarpo . . .
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Gulliver's Travels
by Jonathan Swift
audiobook on CD, Carver County, 11 hours
read by David Case
I was caught by the introduction - Swift would be amazed that this story is considered a "children's book." Though I'm familiar with Swift's satire, my exposure to Gulliver's Travels has mostly been through children's book versions or videos. I was curious to have the full story as Swift wrote it.
I'm a little embarrassed to say that I didn't understand some of the political pokes he was making. I don't know much about politics in Europe in the early 1700s, and could tell that he was critiquing (as always) the injustices that he saw around him.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story. It was an interesting mix of satire, adventure, and observation. When he described the Houyhnhnms (horse people), they sound so ideal. But by the end, when he despises Yahoos (humans) and shuns his own wife, I didn't enjoy it so much.
Just went to wikipedia and read about GT. I understand a bit better now. One thing that really struck me while I was listening to the story was the third voyage to Laputa. As Swift bandied about the ideas of Aristotle, Robespierre, etc. I realized that most intelligent people of his day would have known those great thinkers' ideas. I've heard of them and studied them a little bit twenty years ago, but am basically pretty ignorant about their ideas. Interesting to think about. Am I getting less intellectual as I get older? Just more pragmatic? Too darn busy? I can't picture picking up Aristotle right now . . .
audiobook on CD, Carver County, 11 hours
read by David Case
I was caught by the introduction - Swift would be amazed that this story is considered a "children's book." Though I'm familiar with Swift's satire, my exposure to Gulliver's Travels has mostly been through children's book versions or videos. I was curious to have the full story as Swift wrote it.
I'm a little embarrassed to say that I didn't understand some of the political pokes he was making. I don't know much about politics in Europe in the early 1700s, and could tell that he was critiquing (as always) the injustices that he saw around him.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story. It was an interesting mix of satire, adventure, and observation. When he described the Houyhnhnms (horse people), they sound so ideal. But by the end, when he despises Yahoos (humans) and shuns his own wife, I didn't enjoy it so much.
Just went to wikipedia and read about GT. I understand a bit better now. One thing that really struck me while I was listening to the story was the third voyage to Laputa. As Swift bandied about the ideas of Aristotle, Robespierre, etc. I realized that most intelligent people of his day would have known those great thinkers' ideas. I've heard of them and studied them a little bit twenty years ago, but am basically pretty ignorant about their ideas. Interesting to think about. Am I getting less intellectual as I get older? Just more pragmatic? Too darn busy? I can't picture picking up Aristotle right now . . .
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Letter from Home
by Carolyn Hart
Carver County Library, hardcover, 262 pages
This is our CMSW summer read. Since I'll be discussing it more than two months from now, but don't want to give away any key plot points, . . . this will be a circumspect blog entry. I liked this story. A lot. It took 'til the very ending to find out the truth, and it wasn't what I expected.
I loved the character of Gretchen! There was such a good mix of innocence and maturity. I adored her grandmother, and especially liked how she modeled and lived her faith in God. It was so painful when Gretchen's friends started rejecting her, but it was believable.
Each chapter started with a portion of the letter (written in the modern time period), which I understood came from Barb. Then Gretchen's old-lady / modern thoughts as she is in the cemetery of her home town. The rest of each chapter told the story of the events of Summer 1944. I love this author's writing style! The sights, sounds, heat, etc. all came alive as I read - especially Gretchen's terror as she goes to the cabin in the woods alone. Very cool book!
I didn't like the resolution, though I was glad to find out the truth of Faye's murder. It reminded me of Lovely Bones, where resolution comes so much longer after the crime has been committed. This will be fun to discuss! (If I remember enough.)
Gretchen (G.G.) Gilman - 13 year old newspaper reporter for the Gazette
Chief Fraser - police chief at odds with the sheriff and county attorney, believes Clyde is innocent
Clyde Tatum - soldier home on leave, believed to have murdered his wife Faye
Faye Tatum - artist, mother, lover of life, unconventional woman
Cousin Hilda - comes to help run the restaurant, drill sergeant-type
Sergeant Petty - female police officer (because most men are away in the war)
Ralph Cooley - sleazy alcoholic reporter who used to write for the INS
Sheriff Moore - in tight with Durwood, wants to capture Clyde
Reverend Byars - nasty, mean-spirited pastor
Archer Street - where Gretchen lives with her Grandma / also the Tatums' street
Jim Dan Pulliam - teenager who was encouraged in his art by Faye
Sergeant Holliman - police officer who gets hurt during the breakin at the Tatums
Mayor Burkett - typical glory-hog politician
Donny Durwood - county attorney who aspires to high political office, married to one of elite society
Barb Tatum - daughter of murdered Faye Tatum, tragic figure
Lou Hopper - woman who runs the Blue Light
Mrs. Crane - Tatums' next door neighbor, who knew some secrets . . .
I hope I can remember well enough to discuss. Good book!
Carver County Library, hardcover, 262 pages
This is our CMSW summer read. Since I'll be discussing it more than two months from now, but don't want to give away any key plot points, . . . this will be a circumspect blog entry. I liked this story. A lot. It took 'til the very ending to find out the truth, and it wasn't what I expected.
I loved the character of Gretchen! There was such a good mix of innocence and maturity. I adored her grandmother, and especially liked how she modeled and lived her faith in God. It was so painful when Gretchen's friends started rejecting her, but it was believable.
Each chapter started with a portion of the letter (written in the modern time period), which I understood came from Barb. Then Gretchen's old-lady / modern thoughts as she is in the cemetery of her home town. The rest of each chapter told the story of the events of Summer 1944. I love this author's writing style! The sights, sounds, heat, etc. all came alive as I read - especially Gretchen's terror as she goes to the cabin in the woods alone. Very cool book!
I didn't like the resolution, though I was glad to find out the truth of Faye's murder. It reminded me of Lovely Bones, where resolution comes so much longer after the crime has been committed. This will be fun to discuss! (If I remember enough.)
Gretchen (G.G.) Gilman - 13 year old newspaper reporter for the Gazette
Chief Fraser - police chief at odds with the sheriff and county attorney, believes Clyde is innocent
Clyde Tatum - soldier home on leave, believed to have murdered his wife Faye
Faye Tatum - artist, mother, lover of life, unconventional woman
Cousin Hilda - comes to help run the restaurant, drill sergeant-type
Sergeant Petty - female police officer (because most men are away in the war)
Ralph Cooley - sleazy alcoholic reporter who used to write for the INS
Sheriff Moore - in tight with Durwood, wants to capture Clyde
Reverend Byars - nasty, mean-spirited pastor
Archer Street - where Gretchen lives with her Grandma / also the Tatums' street
Jim Dan Pulliam - teenager who was encouraged in his art by Faye
Sergeant Holliman - police officer who gets hurt during the breakin at the Tatums
Mayor Burkett - typical glory-hog politician
Donny Durwood - county attorney who aspires to high political office, married to one of elite society
Barb Tatum - daughter of murdered Faye Tatum, tragic figure
Lou Hopper - woman who runs the Blue Light
Mrs. Crane - Tatums' next door neighbor, who knew some secrets . . .
I hope I can remember well enough to discuss. Good book!
The Curse of the Campfire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales
by David Lubar
CMSW, hard cover, 203 pages
Although I didn't enjoy this collection of short stories quite as much as Lawn Weenies and Road Weenies, Lubar's style is still a fun mix of quirky humor and horror with a message. There weren't any that really jumped out at me, but I enjoyed the twists in "Predator," about online behavior. This is a fun read, but many of my students don't read short story collections (probably because they don't fulfill any LA reading requirements . . . ). Onward and upward!
CMSW, hard cover, 203 pages
Although I didn't enjoy this collection of short stories quite as much as Lawn Weenies and Road Weenies, Lubar's style is still a fun mix of quirky humor and horror with a message. There weren't any that really jumped out at me, but I enjoyed the twists in "Predator," about online behavior. This is a fun read, but many of my students don't read short story collections (probably because they don't fulfill any LA reading requirements . . . ). Onward and upward!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
She Always Wore Red
by Angela Hunt
paperback, about 300 pages
I borrowed Lois' copy
I read this the day of book club! (Actually, I finished as book club discussion was starting.) Another good story by Angela Hunt. Jen is trying to raise her two boys, go to school for mortuary science, and stay on top of Fairlawn, the business she inherited. When she goes to her friend's book club, one of Lydia's guests has a special reason for wanting to meet her. McLane is actually Jen's younger half-sister, fathered by her philandering father 24 years earlier.
Gerald was my favorite character; I would have loved to know more about his story. Someone at book club mentioned that they liked the multi-faceted aspect of the story. I agree! It didn't come across as an anti-abortion story. There were layers and complexities to each person's perspectives. Some of the racism-themed layers were very, very well-written. I also loved Clay's story. What a true-to-life 13 y.o.
This is actually book two of a trilogy. I'm very curious now to go back and read the first one. I bet it'll answer a lot of my questions.
paperback, about 300 pages
I borrowed Lois' copy
I read this the day of book club! (Actually, I finished as book club discussion was starting.) Another good story by Angela Hunt. Jen is trying to raise her two boys, go to school for mortuary science, and stay on top of Fairlawn, the business she inherited. When she goes to her friend's book club, one of Lydia's guests has a special reason for wanting to meet her. McLane is actually Jen's younger half-sister, fathered by her philandering father 24 years earlier.
Gerald was my favorite character; I would have loved to know more about his story. Someone at book club mentioned that they liked the multi-faceted aspect of the story. I agree! It didn't come across as an anti-abortion story. There were layers and complexities to each person's perspectives. Some of the racism-themed layers were very, very well-written. I also loved Clay's story. What a true-to-life 13 y.o.
This is actually book two of a trilogy. I'm very curious now to go back and read the first one. I bet it'll answer a lot of my questions.
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Professor's Daughter
a graphic novel
by Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert
Translated by Alexis Siegel
64 pages, Carver County Library
This was bizarre. The plot is similar to the movie "The Mummy.' A beautiful Victorian gal "wakes up" Imhotep IV while helping her father, a professor of Egyptology. Basically, it's a romance / murder mystery / ??? I don't know what. Very odd book. She marries and has children with a 3,000-year old mummy whose father (Imhotep III) has killed her own father. Weird.
by Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert
Translated by Alexis Siegel
64 pages, Carver County Library
This was bizarre. The plot is similar to the movie "The Mummy.' A beautiful Victorian gal "wakes up" Imhotep IV while helping her father, a professor of Egyptology. Basically, it's a romance / murder mystery / ??? I don't know what. Very odd book. She marries and has children with a 3,000-year old mummy whose father (Imhotep III) has killed her own father. Weird.
Point Blank: the graphic novel
by Anthony Horowitz
reformatted and written by Antony Johnston
art by Kanako Damerum and Yuzuru Takasaki
Carver County Library, unpaged
The essential story remains true to the book, but it feels very encapsulated. I'm not sure how I feel about such a popular novel being made into a graphic novel (though I'm a fan of graphic novels). It is very well-done, but I don't know that I'll buy it for school. I'd rather get kids into the novels!
reformatted and written by Antony Johnston
art by Kanako Damerum and Yuzuru Takasaki
Carver County Library, unpaged
The essential story remains true to the book, but it feels very encapsulated. I'm not sure how I feel about such a popular novel being made into a graphic novel (though I'm a fan of graphic novels). It is very well-done, but I don't know that I'll buy it for school. I'd rather get kids into the novels!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Quilt
by T. Davis Bunn
audioCD, Carver County Library, 2 hours
read by Christina Moore
More of a character sketch than a novel, this tells the story of Mary and her last quilt. She is old and arthritic, but determined to make one last quilt. Many women come together to help her and follow her insistence that it be stitched with prayer.
I liked the example of a faithful woman being true to God and impacting others with her life. I didn't like the lack of a plot.
audioCD, Carver County Library, 2 hours
read by Christina Moore
More of a character sketch than a novel, this tells the story of Mary and her last quilt. She is old and arthritic, but determined to make one last quilt. Many women come together to help her and follow her insistence that it be stitched with prayer.
I liked the example of a faithful woman being true to God and impacting others with her life. I didn't like the lack of a plot.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
America the Beautiful
by Laura Hayden
Hennepin County, paperback, 389 pages
When my church book club was discussing this, I was in the thick of all-night grad party stuff. I had also just picked up my copy from the library. They lamented that I missed the discussion. Knowing how passionate some of my friends are about politics, that doesn't surprise me. I was actually kind of dreading this book. Politics. Yuk.
It surprised me how much I liked the story. I just finished it this morning. Kate is a wonderful character, but it seemed hard to see her sticking with someone like Emily. By the end of the book, I was disliking Emily more and more. It's believable stuff, though. It really serves to further my dislike of politics.
My favorite part of the story? Naturally, the entrancing Nick Beaudry and his change of heart, as well as the potential for future romance between him and Kate. I'm just a romantic at heart!
Not sure if I'll want to read the sequel when it comes out, though. Red, White, and Blue will be about the first female president . . . sorry for the spoiler!
Hennepin County, paperback, 389 pages
When my church book club was discussing this, I was in the thick of all-night grad party stuff. I had also just picked up my copy from the library. They lamented that I missed the discussion. Knowing how passionate some of my friends are about politics, that doesn't surprise me. I was actually kind of dreading this book. Politics. Yuk.
It surprised me how much I liked the story. I just finished it this morning. Kate is a wonderful character, but it seemed hard to see her sticking with someone like Emily. By the end of the book, I was disliking Emily more and more. It's believable stuff, though. It really serves to further my dislike of politics.
My favorite part of the story? Naturally, the entrancing Nick Beaudry and his change of heart, as well as the potential for future romance between him and Kate. I'm just a romantic at heart!
Not sure if I'll want to read the sequel when it comes out, though. Red, White, and Blue will be about the first female president . . . sorry for the spoiler!
Shepherd's Abiding
with "Esther's Gift" and "The Mitford Snowmen"
by Jan Karon
Hennepin County audiobook, 6.25 hours
read by John McDonough
Although I enjoy the Mitford stories, they're not in my top ten list, if you know what I mean. I had actually listened to this one many years ago. It's jumpy as the narrative hops between many different characters (and Father Tim's childhood). It made me wonder how she noted the changes in the book? Extra white space? Different font? There are some things that don't translate well to audio format.
I guess this is like curling up in a comfy blanket on the sofa. Nice, but not stimulating. Mitford stories are like that.
by Jan Karon
Hennepin County audiobook, 6.25 hours
read by John McDonough
Although I enjoy the Mitford stories, they're not in my top ten list, if you know what I mean. I had actually listened to this one many years ago. It's jumpy as the narrative hops between many different characters (and Father Tim's childhood). It made me wonder how she noted the changes in the book? Extra white space? Different font? There are some things that don't translate well to audio format.
I guess this is like curling up in a comfy blanket on the sofa. Nice, but not stimulating. Mitford stories are like that.
Destination Unexpected
Edited by Donald R. Gallo
CMSW, hardcover, 221 pages
This short story collection is one that the LA department is considering for their new curriculum. I really enjoyed the variety! The protagonists are teenagers and some of the stories had a little bit of "strong language," but nothing that made me cringe (like some of Chris Crutcher's work does - powerful, but painful too). My favorites were the first story, "Something Old, Something New," by Joyce Sweeney, and "Bread on the Water" by David Lubar.
Sweeney's story related the tale of a young, poor, talented black writer who wins an essay contest after his English teacher inspires him to enter. On his almost three-hour trip across town on mass transit (with lots of transfers), he sees the world and himself with new eyes. This is a very cool and inspirational story.
Lubar's work surprised me by not being funny. I'm so used to his fantastic "weenie" stories that this tale of religious hypocrisy really made me think. When the narrator and his friend get kicked out of church, they live out a kindness that the Bible talks about. Yet the adults don't get the message. Good stuff.
I didn't pay attention to the stories' use of figurative language or other "English teacher" type lesson material. I just read the stories for themselves, and definitely enjoyed them! Lots of good discussion material here.
CMSW, hardcover, 221 pages
This short story collection is one that the LA department is considering for their new curriculum. I really enjoyed the variety! The protagonists are teenagers and some of the stories had a little bit of "strong language," but nothing that made me cringe (like some of Chris Crutcher's work does - powerful, but painful too). My favorites were the first story, "Something Old, Something New," by Joyce Sweeney, and "Bread on the Water" by David Lubar.
Sweeney's story related the tale of a young, poor, talented black writer who wins an essay contest after his English teacher inspires him to enter. On his almost three-hour trip across town on mass transit (with lots of transfers), he sees the world and himself with new eyes. This is a very cool and inspirational story.
Lubar's work surprised me by not being funny. I'm so used to his fantastic "weenie" stories that this tale of religious hypocrisy really made me think. When the narrator and his friend get kicked out of church, they live out a kindness that the Bible talks about. Yet the adults don't get the message. Good stuff.
I didn't pay attention to the stories' use of figurative language or other "English teacher" type lesson material. I just read the stories for themselves, and definitely enjoyed them! Lots of good discussion material here.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Wrapped in Rain
subtitled "A Novel of Coming Home"
by Charles Martin
Hennepin County, paperback, 317 pages
Tucker and Matthew have different mothers, but the same abusive father. Their only saving grace growing up was Miss Ella Rain, a God-fearing, Bible-quoting, tiny black woman with a heart filled with love. This novel was quite different from the first one of Martin's that I read, but it was just as enjoyable. Tucker and "Mutt" reacted to their father's cruelty in different ways, but both were traumatized dramatically. I especially loved Mutt's ability to fix things and Tucker's gentle way with Katie's son Jase. I also loved Ella's powerful faith! The Judge was a wonderful character, too.
by Charles Martin
Hennepin County, paperback, 317 pages
Tucker and Matthew have different mothers, but the same abusive father. Their only saving grace growing up was Miss Ella Rain, a God-fearing, Bible-quoting, tiny black woman with a heart filled with love. This novel was quite different from the first one of Martin's that I read, but it was just as enjoyable. Tucker and "Mutt" reacted to their father's cruelty in different ways, but both were traumatized dramatically. I especially loved Mutt's ability to fix things and Tucker's gentle way with Katie's son Jase. I also loved Ella's powerful faith! The Judge was a wonderful character, too.
Monday, June 02, 2008
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
by Lilian Jackson Braun
CD, Hennepin County Library, 5 hours
read by George Guidall
I read this book a few years ago and didn't really remember "who dunnit" so I listened to it in the car. As much as I enjoy this author's mysteries (along with Agatha Christie and others of that style), I have to admit that Qwilleran's "luxuriant mustache" gets irritating after a while. How many times to I have to hear that he felt "vibrations in his mustache," "his mustache was tingling," etc. Koko is a cool cat, but I think I'm done with the "cat who" series. I own some, but donating them might help free up a little shelf space. I need to find a new mystery author that I like.
CD, Hennepin County Library, 5 hours
read by George Guidall
I read this book a few years ago and didn't really remember "who dunnit" so I listened to it in the car. As much as I enjoy this author's mysteries (along with Agatha Christie and others of that style), I have to admit that Qwilleran's "luxuriant mustache" gets irritating after a while. How many times to I have to hear that he felt "vibrations in his mustache," "his mustache was tingling," etc. Koko is a cool cat, but I think I'm done with the "cat who" series. I own some, but donating them might help free up a little shelf space. I need to find a new mystery author that I like.
The Crossing
by Gary Paulsen
CMSW, paperback, 114 pages
Manny Bustos is an orphan on the streets of Juarez. He hopes to get to America where he has heard there is food, shelter, and opportunity. Robert is an American soldier who has seen too much death and goes to Juarez to drink himself into oblivion. The two meet on three different occasions, and their lives are dramatically altered. Although we never find out if Manny makes it across the border for sure, the implication is obvious. This book is serious in tone and more contemplative than action-oriented (until the final scene).
CMSW, paperback, 114 pages
Manny Bustos is an orphan on the streets of Juarez. He hopes to get to America where he has heard there is food, shelter, and opportunity. Robert is an American soldier who has seen too much death and goes to Juarez to drink himself into oblivion. The two meet on three different occasions, and their lives are dramatically altered. Although we never find out if Manny makes it across the border for sure, the implication is obvious. This book is serious in tone and more contemplative than action-oriented (until the final scene).
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Let's hear about it!
Hey, I'd love to know how your books were . . . since we never got around to actually meeting!
Leave a comment on this blog, if you can grab a minute. (Mary & I already did ours.)
- Jeanne - The Great Expectations School by Dan Brown
- Kristie O - Educating Esme by Esmé Raji Codell
- Sarah B - "I Heard You Paint Houses": Frank "the Irishman" Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa" by Charles Brandt
- Sheryl - Send Yourself Roses by Kathleen Turner
- Lupe - Home: A Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews
- Christie - Beautiful Boy: a Father's Journey Through his Son's Meth Addiction by David Sheff
Leave a comment on this blog, if you can grab a minute. (Mary & I already did ours.)
- Jeanne - The Great Expectations School by Dan Brown
- Kristie O - Educating Esme by Esmé Raji Codell
- Sarah B - "I Heard You Paint Houses": Frank "the Irishman" Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa" by Charles Brandt
- Sheryl - Send Yourself Roses by Kathleen Turner
- Lupe - Home: A Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews
- Christie - Beautiful Boy: a Father's Journey Through his Son's Meth Addiction by David Sheff
The Wicked History of the World: History with the Nasty Bits Left in
by Terry Deary and Martin Brown
CMSW, hardcover, 98 pages
Reading this actually depressed me. There are plenty of "nasty bits" throughout human history. There was a good message at the very end - that kids can learn from history and not do some of the terrible things that humans have done to one another throughout the years - but I wonder how many kids will read to the end of this book!
My least favorite part was the mocking tone toward God and the Bible throughout the book. Granted, items like the Crusades are ripe for ripping open in this type of book, but I hate to see the Lord maligned.
The illustrations are cartoonish yet also horrible, with lots of blood and gore. I thought that it would be a somewhat "fun" book when I bought it, but it really just saddened me. It was informative and a fairly easy read, but not a positive one.
CMSW, hardcover, 98 pages
Reading this actually depressed me. There are plenty of "nasty bits" throughout human history. There was a good message at the very end - that kids can learn from history and not do some of the terrible things that humans have done to one another throughout the years - but I wonder how many kids will read to the end of this book!
My least favorite part was the mocking tone toward God and the Bible throughout the book. Granted, items like the Crusades are ripe for ripping open in this type of book, but I hate to see the Lord maligned.
The illustrations are cartoonish yet also horrible, with lots of blood and gore. I thought that it would be a somewhat "fun" book when I bought it, but it really just saddened me. It was informative and a fairly easy read, but not a positive one.
Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope
by Jenna Bush
Carver County, CD, 3 hours, read by the author
The story was heart-rending. It took a while to get to the "hope" part (from the title). The author's voice was irritating!!! She should have hired a professional. Her pronunciations were atrocious - "impordant" was a frequent one. It amused me that she had over 100 chapters for what was probably 250 pages of material.
Ana is a very young woman who was HIV+ from birth. Her mother and father died young, she was abused and lived in a number of houses, and she became a mother at age 16. What a sad story! But there were some very positive messages about health and family and AIDS education.
Carver County, CD, 3 hours, read by the author
The story was heart-rending. It took a while to get to the "hope" part (from the title). The author's voice was irritating!!! She should have hired a professional. Her pronunciations were atrocious - "impordant" was a frequent one. It amused me that she had over 100 chapters for what was probably 250 pages of material.
Ana is a very young woman who was HIV+ from birth. Her mother and father died young, she was abused and lived in a number of houses, and she became a mother at age 16. What a sad story! But there were some very positive messages about health and family and AIDS education.
Dear Miss Breed
by Joanne Oppenheim
CMSW, hard cover, 271 pages
I didn't finish this book, because I'm just running out of time. I was a little disappointed that there was such an imbalance between the actual letters that children wrote and the historical research that the author had done. My favorite parts were the children's own voices. Subtitled "True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration during World War II and a Librarian who Made a Difference," this book documents the appalling treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII. It makes me so sad that this could have happened in my country within the past 70 years! I would love to finish readin this book when I have more time. Clara Breed was an exceptional woman to make such a huge difference in so many people's lives.
(I'm on page 87.)
CMSW, hard cover, 271 pages
I didn't finish this book, because I'm just running out of time. I was a little disappointed that there was such an imbalance between the actual letters that children wrote and the historical research that the author had done. My favorite parts were the children's own voices. Subtitled "True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration during World War II and a Librarian who Made a Difference," this book documents the appalling treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII. It makes me so sad that this could have happened in my country within the past 70 years! I would love to finish readin this book when I have more time. Clara Breed was an exceptional woman to make such a huge difference in so many people's lives.
(I'm on page 87.)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Comfort & Joy
by Kristin Hannah
CD, Hennepin County Library, 6 hours
Read by Sandra Burr
This book honestly surprised me. For a while it seemed like a fairly typical romance . . . but a little lame. (Self-absorbed main character, pondering her life and traumas a bit too much.) But then there was a plot twist that had me really caring about what happened and wondering how it would all end.
In the end, a sweet story. I liked it. But it isn't one I'd necessarily recommend to others . . .
CD, Hennepin County Library, 6 hours
Read by Sandra Burr
This book honestly surprised me. For a while it seemed like a fairly typical romance . . . but a little lame. (Self-absorbed main character, pondering her life and traumas a bit too much.) But then there was a plot twist that had me really caring about what happened and wondering how it would all end.
In the end, a sweet story. I liked it. But it isn't one I'd necessarily recommend to others . . .
Caught in the Middle: Nonstandard Kids and a Killing Curriculum
by Susan Ohanian
paperback, New Prague Middle School, 195 pages
This was a very read-able book! As she shares stories from her experience teaching remedial reading and writing in New York, Ohanian points out the frustrations of trying to make kids who are severly below grade level reach "high academic standards." Sometimes she is radical and anti-establishment to an extreme, but it's easy to see where her frustrations are coming from. The kids she works with need something different than the same-old style of education. She is very willing to teach differently and think differently about kids and their educational needs. I enjoyed this book, but wished that she offered more in the way of "here's what works" ideas. (Though she sensibly points out that there is no silver bullet that will help all kids.)
paperback, New Prague Middle School, 195 pages
This was a very read-able book! As she shares stories from her experience teaching remedial reading and writing in New York, Ohanian points out the frustrations of trying to make kids who are severly below grade level reach "high academic standards." Sometimes she is radical and anti-establishment to an extreme, but it's easy to see where her frustrations are coming from. The kids she works with need something different than the same-old style of education. She is very willing to teach differently and think differently about kids and their educational needs. I enjoyed this book, but wished that she offered more in the way of "here's what works" ideas. (Though she sensibly points out that there is no silver bullet that will help all kids.)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Mary V's biography - Still Life With Rice
To the phantom media specialist…
I went to the conference room – cupcakes but no people. I went to the media center – lots of books but no people. I looked high and low and found book club members hard at work in their rooms but the phantom media specialist remained elusive. I went back to the conference room. No cupcakes, no books, no people – just a lonely empty table. Sometimes meetings are like that.
The good news is – I read a book that is not professional literature! The title is Still Life With Rice. It is a biography/memoire written by Helie Lee (Scribner 1996, 320 pages). She has written the life story of her Korean grandmother. I love the book because of the amazing story it holds. It is a story of a common woman in common times who lived an extraordinary life. However, if her granddaughter had not written this story no one would have ever known Hongyong-yah. On the surface her story is reminiscent of the novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but it doesn’t dwell as tediously with minutia and although there is hardship and tragedy, Hongyog-yah takes life with her instead of life taking her. She is an amazing woman with an amazing family who survived war and political persecution and lived life. She is not anyone famous or politically important – just valuable and fascinating. It is a marvelous story. It is well written and a great read.
Mary Verbick
I went to the conference room – cupcakes but no people. I went to the media center – lots of books but no people. I looked high and low and found book club members hard at work in their rooms but the phantom media specialist remained elusive. I went back to the conference room. No cupcakes, no books, no people – just a lonely empty table. Sometimes meetings are like that.
The good news is – I read a book that is not professional literature! The title is Still Life With Rice. It is a biography/memoire written by Helie Lee (Scribner 1996, 320 pages). She has written the life story of her Korean grandmother. I love the book because of the amazing story it holds. It is a story of a common woman in common times who lived an extraordinary life. However, if her granddaughter had not written this story no one would have ever known Hongyong-yah. On the surface her story is reminiscent of the novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but it doesn’t dwell as tediously with minutia and although there is hardship and tragedy, Hongyog-yah takes life with her instead of life taking her. She is an amazing woman with an amazing family who survived war and political persecution and lived life. She is not anyone famous or politically important – just valuable and fascinating. It is a marvelous story. It is well written and a great read.
Mary Verbick
Friday, May 09, 2008
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
by Jeff Kinney
paperback, CMSW, 217 pages
Not quite as funny as the first book, this is a middle-school pleaser! The kids love these wimpy kid books (with illustrations, big print, & lots of white space). This is a funny book, with some genuine observations about middle school and brother relationships.
paperback, CMSW, 217 pages
Not quite as funny as the first book, this is a middle-school pleaser! The kids love these wimpy kid books (with illustrations, big print, & lots of white space). This is a funny book, with some genuine observations about middle school and brother relationships.
The Great Expectations School by Dan Brown
Hennepin County Library
hardcover, 267 pages
Wow. The author graduated from film school and participated in the Teaching Fellows program in NYC. After a crash course and some summer school experience, he received a class of notorious fourth graders in the Bronx. His day-to-day reality horrifies me (both for him and for his students). No wonder it's hard to retain teachers in those schools!
More than classroom horror stories, Brown shares some really cool success stories, some observations about what needs to change, and some real insight into disparities in education. (The following year, he was hired at a private school to teach visual media.) The contrast is stark!
This is a worthwhile read for educators. It sure made me appreciate my teaching community even more!
hardcover, 267 pages
Wow. The author graduated from film school and participated in the Teaching Fellows program in NYC. After a crash course and some summer school experience, he received a class of notorious fourth graders in the Bronx. His day-to-day reality horrifies me (both for him and for his students). No wonder it's hard to retain teachers in those schools!
More than classroom horror stories, Brown shares some really cool success stories, some observations about what needs to change, and some real insight into disparities in education. (The following year, he was hired at a private school to teach visual media.) The contrast is stark!
This is a worthwhile read for educators. It sure made me appreciate my teaching community even more!
Monday, May 05, 2008
Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue
by Julius Lester
hardcover, CMSW, 176 pages
Based on a true account, this book is a painful look at the realities of the slave trade's impact on lives. Emma is a wonderful girl who has helped raise Frances and Sarah Butler ever since their mother left. Mr. Butler's gambling debts take a toll on everyone, especially when he agrees to sell slaves he had promisted to never sell.
Told from multiple perspectives, this would be an ideal discussion book. It is a challenging read (due to content) and has a lot of pain told out in people's own words.
One of the MHL nominees for 2008-09.
hardcover, CMSW, 176 pages
Based on a true account, this book is a painful look at the realities of the slave trade's impact on lives. Emma is a wonderful girl who has helped raise Frances and Sarah Butler ever since their mother left. Mr. Butler's gambling debts take a toll on everyone, especially when he agrees to sell slaves he had promisted to never sell.
Told from multiple perspectives, this would be an ideal discussion book. It is a challenging read (due to content) and has a lot of pain told out in people's own words.
One of the MHL nominees for 2008-09.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
Carver County Library, paperback, 336 pages
Book club meets tonight and now I understand why everyone's been asking, "Have you read it yet?!" This was really good! The question of why Reese was trying to hide out was answered well. Emma's back story was doled out in small portions. Annie, Cindy, Davis, Charlie, Termite, Sal Cohen, . . . they were all memorable characters. The ending surprised me a bit (with a twist before the expected conclusion). I loved it when Charlie produced one last letter from Emma. This was a beautiful book. One I'd consider purchasing and owning. I will also put his other titles on my "to read" list.
Book club meets tonight and now I understand why everyone's been asking, "Have you read it yet?!" This was really good! The question of why Reese was trying to hide out was answered well. Emma's back story was doled out in small portions. Annie, Cindy, Davis, Charlie, Termite, Sal Cohen, . . . they were all memorable characters. The ending surprised me a bit (with a twist before the expected conclusion). I loved it when Charlie produced one last letter from Emma. This was a beautiful book. One I'd consider purchasing and owning. I will also put his other titles on my "to read" list.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Miracle of 49th Street by Mike Lupica
Audiobook on 5 CDs, Hennepin County Library
This was so much like "Between Sundays" by Karen Kingsbury that I found myself laughing at the cliche'. A mom dies, leaving a child who has never known his / her pro athlete parent. The child informs the parent, who goes through denial, exploration, and becomes a loving and devoted parent to the child he never knew existed. Right.
Only this story bugged me even more than Kingsbury's version because Molly (the child) is such a brat. Again, maybe the reader's voice swayed my opinion (though she did a splendid job!) but I just wanted to smack Molly upside the head. And how many superstar athletes with a reputation for self-centeredness would keep a housekeeper who mommed them to death? And then spend excessive quantities of time and attention on a 12-year-old who showed up out of the blue. Whatever.
When I've recommended this book to kids, I've done it on the strength of Lupica's reputation as a sports writer and the image of the girl with the basketball on the cover. This book will NOT appeal to my typical sports fans. It's definitely a relationship story (with a bratty, immature girl as the main character). Yuk.
Okay, what did I like??? The housekeeper Mattie rocks. She is the best part of this whole story!
This was so much like "Between Sundays" by Karen Kingsbury that I found myself laughing at the cliche'. A mom dies, leaving a child who has never known his / her pro athlete parent. The child informs the parent, who goes through denial, exploration, and becomes a loving and devoted parent to the child he never knew existed. Right.
Only this story bugged me even more than Kingsbury's version because Molly (the child) is such a brat. Again, maybe the reader's voice swayed my opinion (though she did a splendid job!) but I just wanted to smack Molly upside the head. And how many superstar athletes with a reputation for self-centeredness would keep a housekeeper who mommed them to death? And then spend excessive quantities of time and attention on a 12-year-old who showed up out of the blue. Whatever.
When I've recommended this book to kids, I've done it on the strength of Lupica's reputation as a sports writer and the image of the girl with the basketball on the cover. This book will NOT appeal to my typical sports fans. It's definitely a relationship story (with a bratty, immature girl as the main character). Yuk.
Okay, what did I like??? The housekeeper Mattie rocks. She is the best part of this whole story!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Beethoven's Hair by Russell Martin
Carver County Library, hardcover, 276 pages
This is one of those books that I really should NOT have forced myself to finish. I picked it up about two months ago because it looked intriguing. The subtitle is "An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved."
It really is about Beethoven's hair.
Specifically, a chunk of it that Ferdinand Hiller cut from the composer's corpse soon after he died. This book chronicles the chunk of hair and has more to say about Hiller and his family than it does about Ludwig van Beethoven. The parts that do actually talk about Beethoven make him sound like a hideous human being, rude and self-absorbed. He was chronically ill and incredibly selfish.
Yet the author clearly reveres the composer, including descriptions like this: "the greatest composer Europe ever had known." Mozart who? This book's intended audience seems to be people who already adore the composer and want to know more. For me, it was a turnoff. Now I wish I didn't know more about him . . .
My favorite part was when the author wrote about the work of one of the modern-day scientists who tested the hair. This scientist has done chemical analysis on the hair of prison inmates (and their non-violent siblings), looking for differences in the chemical makeup. Some of his findings sound very interesting for learning more about how chemicals affect behavior.
It was also interesting that they conclude that Beethoven's many documented illnesses were most likely due to lead poisoning. Overall, though, I wish I'd returned it to the library unread a month and a half ago.
This is one of those books that I really should NOT have forced myself to finish. I picked it up about two months ago because it looked intriguing. The subtitle is "An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved."
It really is about Beethoven's hair.
Specifically, a chunk of it that Ferdinand Hiller cut from the composer's corpse soon after he died. This book chronicles the chunk of hair and has more to say about Hiller and his family than it does about Ludwig van Beethoven. The parts that do actually talk about Beethoven make him sound like a hideous human being, rude and self-absorbed. He was chronically ill and incredibly selfish.
Yet the author clearly reveres the composer, including descriptions like this: "the greatest composer Europe ever had known." Mozart who? This book's intended audience seems to be people who already adore the composer and want to know more. For me, it was a turnoff. Now I wish I didn't know more about him . . .
My favorite part was when the author wrote about the work of one of the modern-day scientists who tested the hair. This scientist has done chemical analysis on the hair of prison inmates (and their non-violent siblings), looking for differences in the chemical makeup. Some of his findings sound very interesting for learning more about how chemicals affect behavior.
It was also interesting that they conclude that Beethoven's many documented illnesses were most likely due to lead poisoning. Overall, though, I wish I'd returned it to the library unread a month and a half ago.
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Lost Boy by Globe Fearon
When we pulled this out of the box from Mackin, Sara and I both thought "huh?!" Did I accidently order this instead of another copy of Pelzer's story with the same name? I still haven't checked my original list, but I took this one home to read anyhow.
It's written at about a second or third grade level, but is about a seventeen-year-old who's torn between basketball, his job with his uncle, and helping a homeless boy. It's clean and has a positive message. I think some of our students will appreciate this title.
It's book 7 in a series, but I'm not buying others unless I have students who want them.
It's written at about a second or third grade level, but is about a seventeen-year-old who's torn between basketball, his job with his uncle, and helping a homeless boy. It's clean and has a positive message. I think some of our students will appreciate this title.
It's book 7 in a series, but I'm not buying others unless I have students who want them.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Ella Enchanted
by Gail Carson Levine
CMSW, hardcover, 232 pages
I re-read this because it's been quite a few years. I remembered truly enjoying this Cinderella re-telling, but then seeing the movie & being disappointed. My memory serves me well - this book is delightful! Blessed / cursed with obedience, Ella is compelled to obey every command. I love this book! The movie, however, is dopey and a waste of time.
CMSW, hardcover, 232 pages
I re-read this because it's been quite a few years. I remembered truly enjoying this Cinderella re-telling, but then seeing the movie & being disappointed. My memory serves me well - this book is delightful! Blessed / cursed with obedience, Ella is compelled to obey every command. I love this book! The movie, however, is dopey and a waste of time.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
TinTin and Alph-Art
by Herge'
CMSW 62 pages
A graphic novel in progress at the time of the author's death, this book is an intriguing look into the creative process. The rough sketches show the development of the storyline and the French text intrigues. Fortunately, the person who published this book gave us a nice translation of the pictures and words into a cohesive story (for the most part - the ending's abrupt). What a delightful book!
I'm having fun seeing the Copper Cougar kids get excited about reading the TinTin books. Some kids don't "get" them, but many others have found a wonderful new source of reading entertainment.
CMSW 62 pages
A graphic novel in progress at the time of the author's death, this book is an intriguing look into the creative process. The rough sketches show the development of the storyline and the French text intrigues. Fortunately, the person who published this book gave us a nice translation of the pictures and words into a cohesive story (for the most part - the ending's abrupt). What a delightful book!
I'm having fun seeing the Copper Cougar kids get excited about reading the TinTin books. Some kids don't "get" them, but many others have found a wonderful new source of reading entertainment.
On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
by Louise Rennison
Performed by Sina Nielsen
5 CDs, Hennepin County Library
Okay, I just didn't enjoy this one at much. It still made me laugh out loud at parts, and I love Nielsen's delightful delivery, but the story is based on a character who is less than admirable.
Georgia Nicholson is probably the worst friend ever - and I include the vapid Princess Diary books in this. She is selfish and cruel, caring not at all for her best friend's thoughts or feelings. When she dumped "Dave the laugh," it was just another example of her selfishness and shallowness.
Still, a lot of the humor is self-deprecating and terribly funny. As Georgia fixates on Robbie, she loses track of herself. Not sure yet if I want to "read" the next book.
My favorite part to this one was again due to Georgia's interactions with her little sister. Too funny! And the parts about Angus amused me, too.
Georgia's attempts to "get stuff" from God or Buddha or whomever will give her what she wants just add to her "mememe" mentality.
Performed by Sina Nielsen
5 CDs, Hennepin County Library
Okay, I just didn't enjoy this one at much. It still made me laugh out loud at parts, and I love Nielsen's delightful delivery, but the story is based on a character who is less than admirable.
Georgia Nicholson is probably the worst friend ever - and I include the vapid Princess Diary books in this. She is selfish and cruel, caring not at all for her best friend's thoughts or feelings. When she dumped "Dave the laugh," it was just another example of her selfishness and shallowness.
Still, a lot of the humor is self-deprecating and terribly funny. As Georgia fixates on Robbie, she loses track of herself. Not sure yet if I want to "read" the next book.
My favorite part to this one was again due to Georgia's interactions with her little sister. Too funny! And the parts about Angus amused me, too.
Georgia's attempts to "get stuff" from God or Buddha or whomever will give her what she wants just add to her "mememe" mentality.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging
by Louise Rennison
Performed by Stina Nielsen
5 CDs (5 hours) from Hennepin County Library
I hadn't read this in a very long time. It still makes me laugh out loud! It doesn't seem to appeal to my students much - I wonder if the British slang and humor puts them off, or if they just don't like the story. It is a bit abrasive and abrupt at times.
My favorite laugh-out-loud part was when Georgia was taking her little sister for a walk and she ran into Robbie, her "sex god." When her three-year-old sister says, "Georgia had a big poo this morning," the embarrassment inherent in the situation just glares. What an adolescent angst story. Too fun.
Performed by Stina Nielsen
5 CDs (5 hours) from Hennepin County Library
I hadn't read this in a very long time. It still makes me laugh out loud! It doesn't seem to appeal to my students much - I wonder if the British slang and humor puts them off, or if they just don't like the story. It is a bit abrasive and abrupt at times.
My favorite laugh-out-loud part was when Georgia was taking her little sister for a walk and she ran into Robbie, her "sex god." When her three-year-old sister says, "Georgia had a big poo this morning," the embarrassment inherent in the situation just glares. What an adolescent angst story. Too fun.
The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation
by Sid Jacobson & Ernie Colon
Carver County Library, 131 pages
What an interesting book! I could never have read the actual Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. But this graphic novel communicated the salient info in an interesting manner. This would be a wonderful discussion book . . . I'm still mulling over what I read. It would be interesting to get the commission's opinion on what has happened (and not happened) in the four years since they published their findings. I wonder if the different government agencies are working together any better than they used to.
Carver County Library, 131 pages
What an interesting book! I could never have read the actual Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. But this graphic novel communicated the salient info in an interesting manner. This would be a wonderful discussion book . . . I'm still mulling over what I read. It would be interesting to get the commission's opinion on what has happened (and not happened) in the four years since they published their findings. I wonder if the different government agencies are working together any better than they used to.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Sex as a Second Language
by Alisa Kwitney
Hennepin County Library, hardcover, 328 pages
This wasn't quite as wonderful as I expected it to be (based on a review). There were a couple of parts toward the end that made me laugh, but it was overall a pretty cynical and somewhat shallow romance / mystery.
The parts that resonated for me were at the end, where aging actress Katherine Miner talks about the importance of teachers and the impact they can have on their students' lives. The other thing that struck me was the truth of how our society feeds upon celebrity and what a cruel thing it can be! It horrifies me how paparazzi stalk famous people - how creepy and invasive! Yet apparently, there are a lot of people who are hungry for that kind of information and willing to pay for trashy photos and trashy "news" about stars. Yuk.
Some of the characters were very interesting and reminded me of people I know. This book also reminded me a little of the "Nanny Diaries." I think New York must really be an extremely different environment than the Midwest!
Hennepin County Library, hardcover, 328 pages
This wasn't quite as wonderful as I expected it to be (based on a review). There were a couple of parts toward the end that made me laugh, but it was overall a pretty cynical and somewhat shallow romance / mystery.
The parts that resonated for me were at the end, where aging actress Katherine Miner talks about the importance of teachers and the impact they can have on their students' lives. The other thing that struck me was the truth of how our society feeds upon celebrity and what a cruel thing it can be! It horrifies me how paparazzi stalk famous people - how creepy and invasive! Yet apparently, there are a lot of people who are hungry for that kind of information and willing to pay for trashy photos and trashy "news" about stars. Yuk.
Some of the characters were very interesting and reminded me of people I know. This book also reminded me a little of the "Nanny Diaries." I think New York must really be an extremely different environment than the Midwest!
Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned
a graphic novel by Judd Winick
180 pages, Carver County
Well, in 1994, I sure wasn't watching MTV's "The Real World." This comic book author roomed with Pedro, an HIV-positive Cuban immigrant on a reality tv show. Pedro was 17 when he was diagnosed and 22 when he died. He was passionate about AIDS education and impacted a lot of people's lives.
The graphic novel is wonderful, but I think most appropriate for a high school collection. I especially liked the repetition of Pedro's tag line from his public speaking appearances: "Be safe, and remember to love each other." I also liked how the author explored his own biases and preconceived notions before getting to know Pedro and growing to appreciate him as a human being.
180 pages, Carver County
Well, in 1994, I sure wasn't watching MTV's "The Real World." This comic book author roomed with Pedro, an HIV-positive Cuban immigrant on a reality tv show. Pedro was 17 when he was diagnosed and 22 when he died. He was passionate about AIDS education and impacted a lot of people's lives.
The graphic novel is wonderful, but I think most appropriate for a high school collection. I especially liked the repetition of Pedro's tag line from his public speaking appearances: "Be safe, and remember to love each other." I also liked how the author explored his own biases and preconceived notions before getting to know Pedro and growing to appreciate him as a human being.
All the Way Home by Ann Tatlock
447 pages, Carver County
I actually had four copies checked out from the Carver County library simultaneously! Apparently, it was out of print so I got a bunch for book club readers. I actually read this a week ago (finishing it 15 minutes before the book club met!) and really enjoyed it.
The story centers around Augusta (Augie) Schuler and her friend Hatsune (Sunny) Yamagata. Augie's mom neglects her and her Uncle Finn is an angry man. When ChiChi and HaHa open their home to her, she thinks that being Japanese must be the best thing in the world. When Pearl Harbor is bombed, the Yamagata family is sent to Manzanar. Augie grows up isolating herself from others.
Twenty years later, she goes to Mississippi to interview Helen Fulton about the civil rights movement, only to discover her childhood friend. Surgically transformed to a white woman, Sunny welcomes Augie into her loving family once again.
The thing I liked best about this story was the overriding power of love. The hatred toward the Japanese during WWII and the hatred in the South during the 1960s were real and powerful, but this novel shows how love can overpower the hatred. The only part that was a bit too much of a "reach" for me was how quickly and easily they re-enter their friendship after twenty years of no contact. My favorite part was at the end when ChiChi and HaHa came to see Augie, their long-lost daughter (Musume).
I actually had four copies checked out from the Carver County library simultaneously! Apparently, it was out of print so I got a bunch for book club readers. I actually read this a week ago (finishing it 15 minutes before the book club met!) and really enjoyed it.
The story centers around Augusta (Augie) Schuler and her friend Hatsune (Sunny) Yamagata. Augie's mom neglects her and her Uncle Finn is an angry man. When ChiChi and HaHa open their home to her, she thinks that being Japanese must be the best thing in the world. When Pearl Harbor is bombed, the Yamagata family is sent to Manzanar. Augie grows up isolating herself from others.
Twenty years later, she goes to Mississippi to interview Helen Fulton about the civil rights movement, only to discover her childhood friend. Surgically transformed to a white woman, Sunny welcomes Augie into her loving family once again.
The thing I liked best about this story was the overriding power of love. The hatred toward the Japanese during WWII and the hatred in the South during the 1960s were real and powerful, but this novel shows how love can overpower the hatred. The only part that was a bit too much of a "reach" for me was how quickly and easily they re-enter their friendship after twenty years of no contact. My favorite part was at the end when ChiChi and HaHa came to see Augie, their long-lost daughter (Musume).
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Garage Band
by Gipi
Carver County Library
graphic novel, unpaged
I did NOT like this. Both the artwork and the writing are just too edgy for me. Of the four members of the band, there was only one who didn't creep me out. This just was definitely not my style. And I'm really glad that none of my children are like these kids.
My least favorite character: Alex, who is a fan of Hitler and treats his mom and aunt like slaves.
Carver County Library
graphic novel, unpaged
I did NOT like this. Both the artwork and the writing are just too edgy for me. Of the four members of the band, there was only one who didn't creep me out. This just was definitely not my style. And I'm really glad that none of my children are like these kids.
My least favorite character: Alex, who is a fan of Hitler and treats his mom and aunt like slaves.
Between Sundays
by Karen Kingsbury
audiobook, Carver County Library, 10 CDs
Oh. My. Word.
I've read a couple of other Kingsbury stories and have thoroughly enjoyed them. But this one? Not so much!
Smarmy. Trite. Predictable. Annoying. Cloying.
Part of it might have been the reader's voice. Kathy Garver read it in an overpronounced, kindergarten teacher voice. Yuk. I listened all the way to the end and guess what? I was right - the 49ers won the Superbowl, Aaron Hill got saved, he really was Cory's dad, Aaron & Megan got married, and everyone lived happily ever after. Yawn.
Okay, the two things I really did like about this story were the emphasis on foster children and the author's note at the end. It made me think about the kids, especially teenagers, who languish in the "system" and then are on their own when they turn 18. I wonder if Louie and I will get to the point in our lives where we start adopting children who need a family and some extra love.
audiobook, Carver County Library, 10 CDs
Oh. My. Word.
I've read a couple of other Kingsbury stories and have thoroughly enjoyed them. But this one? Not so much!
Smarmy. Trite. Predictable. Annoying. Cloying.
Part of it might have been the reader's voice. Kathy Garver read it in an overpronounced, kindergarten teacher voice. Yuk. I listened all the way to the end and guess what? I was right - the 49ers won the Superbowl, Aaron Hill got saved, he really was Cory's dad, Aaron & Megan got married, and everyone lived happily ever after. Yawn.
Okay, the two things I really did like about this story were the emphasis on foster children and the author's note at the end. It made me think about the kids, especially teenagers, who languish in the "system" and then are on their own when they turn 18. I wonder if Louie and I will get to the point in our lives where we start adopting children who need a family and some extra love.
Jack
by A.M. Homes
paperback, district 112, 220 pages
I read this book for SEED class (diversity). It's about a boy who learns that his father is gay. Jack is a wonderful character. He is very realistic as he struggles with everything from driver's ed to how to understand his father's new life with his boyfriend Bob. Jack's friend Max Burka is rude and insensitive. As the story develops, Jack gets a look at what's really going on in Max's "perfect" family and it's a harsh wakeup call for him.
This is a delightful story - honest and sweet and a little bit painful.
paperback, district 112, 220 pages
I read this book for SEED class (diversity). It's about a boy who learns that his father is gay. Jack is a wonderful character. He is very realistic as he struggles with everything from driver's ed to how to understand his father's new life with his boyfriend Bob. Jack's friend Max Burka is rude and insensitive. As the story develops, Jack gets a look at what's really going on in Max's "perfect" family and it's a harsh wakeup call for him.
This is a delightful story - honest and sweet and a little bit painful.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Plain Janes
by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Carver County library, paperback, unpaged
This was a wonderful book! I really enjoyed the story and will buy it for CMSW even though the protagonists are in high school. I had tried to buy this last spring (?) after reading a review, but it wasnt' available yet and I forgot about it. It's a graphic novel that deals with conformity, individualism, friendship, art, life, security, etc. Jane is a wonderful main character! Delightful book.
Carver County library, paperback, unpaged
This was a wonderful book! I really enjoyed the story and will buy it for CMSW even though the protagonists are in high school. I had tried to buy this last spring (?) after reading a review, but it wasnt' available yet and I forgot about it. It's a graphic novel that deals with conformity, individualism, friendship, art, life, security, etc. Jane is a wonderful main character! Delightful book.
Teenage Tales
by Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman
I love this comic! I was laughing out loud (numerous times) and my boys were curious. Nick read it after I did, but I was already in bed when he finished so we didn't get to talk about it. So much of the humor hits the mark for those of us who work with young adolescents!
I love this comic! I was laughing out loud (numerous times) and my boys were curious. Nick read it after I did, but I was already in bed when he finished so we didn't get to talk about it. So much of the humor hits the mark for those of us who work with young adolescents!
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The Adventures of Nicholas
adapted by Helen Siiteri
photocopied by a former NP colleague
I can't believe I've had this for about four or five years! Time to return it, so I read it in under an hour. It's a version of how Santa Claus came to be (sort of - he dies at the end of the story). It's kind of cheesy and simplistic (and saccharine), but also very sweet. It actually brought tears to my eyes. It was fun to see how the author brought traditional elements - stockings, Christmas trees, holly, etc. into the narrative.
I found it (full text) at http://books.google.com - very cool!
photocopied by a former NP colleague
I can't believe I've had this for about four or five years! Time to return it, so I read it in under an hour. It's a version of how Santa Claus came to be (sort of - he dies at the end of the story). It's kind of cheesy and simplistic (and saccharine), but also very sweet. It actually brought tears to my eyes. It was fun to see how the author brought traditional elements - stockings, Christmas trees, holly, etc. into the narrative.
I found it (full text) at http://books.google.com - very cool!
Saturday, March 08, 2008
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
Subtitled: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
by Anne Fadiman
Carver County Library, 330 pages
I actually read most of this back in December for Diversity class. I hadn't finished it by the time the class met, though, and intended to complete it. Well, I finally checked it out from the library and finished it today. It was a wonderful book that made me think hard. I love that the author didn't demonize the American doctors or oversimplify the events in the Lee family's lives.
Lia Lee's transformation from a relatively healthy baby with epilepsy to a vegetable is so terribly sad! It is especially frustrating to see how so much heartache and sorrow could have been avoided with better communication and understanding. In some ways, it's tempting to think that if not for our CIA and our actions in southeast Asia during the 1960s, a lot of people's lives would have been far, far better. Not that we could ever know or go back in time. . .
Probably the hardest part of this book for me was my own knee-jerk reaction to the Hmong religious practices. Reading about the spirits and the rituals to deal with them isn't really that much different from my reliance on the Holy Spirit and crying out to Jesus for deliverance. It just seems so very contrary to my beliefs.
The author has done a sensational job of researching this book and really looking at the situation from multiple perspectives. I hope that it is required reading for med students!
by Anne Fadiman
Carver County Library, 330 pages
I actually read most of this back in December for Diversity class. I hadn't finished it by the time the class met, though, and intended to complete it. Well, I finally checked it out from the library and finished it today. It was a wonderful book that made me think hard. I love that the author didn't demonize the American doctors or oversimplify the events in the Lee family's lives.
Lia Lee's transformation from a relatively healthy baby with epilepsy to a vegetable is so terribly sad! It is especially frustrating to see how so much heartache and sorrow could have been avoided with better communication and understanding. In some ways, it's tempting to think that if not for our CIA and our actions in southeast Asia during the 1960s, a lot of people's lives would have been far, far better. Not that we could ever know or go back in time. . .
Probably the hardest part of this book for me was my own knee-jerk reaction to the Hmong religious practices. Reading about the spirits and the rituals to deal with them isn't really that much different from my reliance on the Holy Spirit and crying out to Jesus for deliverance. It just seems so very contrary to my beliefs.
The author has done a sensational job of researching this book and really looking at the situation from multiple perspectives. I hope that it is required reading for med students!
On the Wrong Tracks
by Steve Hockensmith
CD, Carver County, 9.5 hours
Read by William Dufris
I picked this because I thought Louie and the boys would enjoy it on our drive up to Strawberry Lake. Alex ignored it, but Morgan and Louie got a few chuckles. (I fell asleep.) Now that Louie and I have each finished listening to it, it's time to blog.
Very funny and a little "off" humor! Gustav & Otto Amlingmeyer are trying to work as detectives on the Southern Pacific railway. Lots of colorful characters and strange occurrences make this a rollicking story. Apparently, this is a sequel to "Holmes on the Range." I mostly liked it, but wish the author hadn't used quite so much swearing. For a family-friendly jacket and description, it needed some soap-washing of mouths. Still, it was an engaging enough mystery and adventure story to keep my attention to the very end.
CD, Carver County, 9.5 hours
Read by William Dufris
I picked this because I thought Louie and the boys would enjoy it on our drive up to Strawberry Lake. Alex ignored it, but Morgan and Louie got a few chuckles. (I fell asleep.) Now that Louie and I have each finished listening to it, it's time to blog.
Very funny and a little "off" humor! Gustav & Otto Amlingmeyer are trying to work as detectives on the Southern Pacific railway. Lots of colorful characters and strange occurrences make this a rollicking story. Apparently, this is a sequel to "Holmes on the Range." I mostly liked it, but wish the author hadn't used quite so much swearing. For a family-friendly jacket and description, it needed some soap-washing of mouths. Still, it was an engaging enough mystery and adventure story to keep my attention to the very end.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Stuck in the Middle
subtitled: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age
edited by Ariel Schrag
Carver County, paperback, 210 pages
Well I'm glad I got this from the public library. I was debating whether or not to buy it for CMSW. In some ways, I think there are kids for whom these stories would really resonate. In other ways, it comes across as too cynical and harsh. Yes, many middle schoolers struggle with feelings of inferiority, teasing, acne, meanness, etc. but this is just a tough read if you're looking for positives. Plus, some of them use the f--k mode a little too freely.
My favorite stories were "Tips for Surviving Middle School" by Jace Smith, "Tina Roti" by Cole Johnson, "Hit Me" by Gabrielle Bell, "Crater Face" by Dash Shaw, and "Never Go Home" by Robyn Chapman.
edited by Ariel Schrag
Carver County, paperback, 210 pages
Well I'm glad I got this from the public library. I was debating whether or not to buy it for CMSW. In some ways, I think there are kids for whom these stories would really resonate. In other ways, it comes across as too cynical and harsh. Yes, many middle schoolers struggle with feelings of inferiority, teasing, acne, meanness, etc. but this is just a tough read if you're looking for positives. Plus, some of them use the f--k mode a little too freely.
My favorite stories were "Tips for Surviving Middle School" by Jace Smith, "Tina Roti" by Cole Johnson, "Hit Me" by Gabrielle Bell, "Crater Face" by Dash Shaw, and "Never Go Home" by Robyn Chapman.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club: Diary of a 60th Year
Written by Virginia Ironside and read by Sian Phillips, Carver County, audiobook
I didn't finish this book. I was on CD #2 and not really getting into it. Maybe it would resonate more for me if I were closer to 60. Usually, I "soldier on" even when I'm not enjoying a book, but yesterday at Book Club we talked about that mentality and it made me think that I tend to be a bit militant about finishing books even when I'm not really enjoying them.
So, basically, she's writing in diary format about her life. She's thrilled to be turning 60 and figures it makes her "a young old person" rather than "an old young person." In general, she's pretty pessimistic and I couldn't keep track of all the characters.
So - I'm moving on to the other half dozen books I'm trying to finish up. . .
I didn't finish this book. I was on CD #2 and not really getting into it. Maybe it would resonate more for me if I were closer to 60. Usually, I "soldier on" even when I'm not enjoying a book, but yesterday at Book Club we talked about that mentality and it made me think that I tend to be a bit militant about finishing books even when I'm not really enjoying them.
So, basically, she's writing in diary format about her life. She's thrilled to be turning 60 and figures it makes her "a young old person" rather than "an old young person." In general, she's pretty pessimistic and I couldn't keep track of all the characters.
So - I'm moving on to the other half dozen books I'm trying to finish up. . .
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
If We Kiss
by Rachel Vail
paperback, CMSW, 259 pages with extras after
What a fun story! It looks like a fluffy piece, but it has some neat ideas in it. There were so many clever jokes that made me laugh out loud (like the cow part at the beginning), but I wonder if teenagers will "get" them.
Basically, Charlotte (aka "Charlie") starts a crush on Kevin (after a quick first kissing session) but before she can tell her best friend, Tess and Kevin are an "item." The pressure builds as Charlie's mom starts dating Kevin's dad. All she can think about is kissing Kevin!
I know that sounds lame and more shallow than The Great Gatsby, which I just panned, but this book is a sweet YA title. When so many teen romance-style books are downright slutty, this one is a breath of fresh air. Charlie struggles with the selfishness of wanting her own way versus being true to her friend. She grows as a character throughout the story and there are some hard lessons learned about honesty and doing the right thing.
Now I hope I can get kids excited about reading it. Truly, it's a better use of their time than the Meg Cabot books!
paperback, CMSW, 259 pages with extras after
What a fun story! It looks like a fluffy piece, but it has some neat ideas in it. There were so many clever jokes that made me laugh out loud (like the cow part at the beginning), but I wonder if teenagers will "get" them.
Basically, Charlotte (aka "Charlie") starts a crush on Kevin (after a quick first kissing session) but before she can tell her best friend, Tess and Kevin are an "item." The pressure builds as Charlie's mom starts dating Kevin's dad. All she can think about is kissing Kevin!
I know that sounds lame and more shallow than The Great Gatsby, which I just panned, but this book is a sweet YA title. When so many teen romance-style books are downright slutty, this one is a breath of fresh air. Charlie struggles with the selfishness of wanting her own way versus being true to her friend. She grows as a character throughout the story and there are some hard lessons learned about honesty and doing the right thing.
Now I hope I can get kids excited about reading it. Truly, it's a better use of their time than the Meg Cabot books!
The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
on CD (Carver County Library) read by Frank Muller, 4.75 hours
Okay, sometimes I dislike audiobooks. There's no lingering over a phrase, or doing a quick re-read of a section, or seeing names clearly. Although I have read this before, it was in the early 80s and I didn't like it at all. Figuring that I was just too immature of a teenager, I decided to experience this classic work as an adult and see if I could find some appreciation for it.
Not so much. I would really love to talk with someone who's passionate about this work of literature. And I could easily find resources that talk about why it's considered great. But since this is my blog and I get to write about my reaction to it, here's why it bugs me:
1. Tom's hypocrisy, adultery, and cruelty.
2. Daisy's shallowness and insincerity.
3. Wilson killing Gatsby, when Daisy is the one who killed Mrs. Wilson.
4. No one showing up for Gatsby's funeral - what a pathetic life, filled with fair-weather "friends."
5. The way this story reminded me of "Room with a View" - why should I care about the lives of the idle rich?
Okay. So clearly, this is just not my kind of book. Some of the descriptive language is gorgeous. There are many symbolic motifs (and I remember them from high school English class). I really ought to try harder to understand the deeper meaning here, rather than just disliking the story itself.
In a way, it reminds me of "Lord of the Flies." I strongly dislike the story, but recognize what an amazing piece of fiction it is. It's powerful in eliciting a response! Maybe my brain is just getting mushy and I don't want to think that hard.
on CD (Carver County Library) read by Frank Muller, 4.75 hours
Okay, sometimes I dislike audiobooks. There's no lingering over a phrase, or doing a quick re-read of a section, or seeing names clearly. Although I have read this before, it was in the early 80s and I didn't like it at all. Figuring that I was just too immature of a teenager, I decided to experience this classic work as an adult and see if I could find some appreciation for it.
Not so much. I would really love to talk with someone who's passionate about this work of literature. And I could easily find resources that talk about why it's considered great. But since this is my blog and I get to write about my reaction to it, here's why it bugs me:
1. Tom's hypocrisy, adultery, and cruelty.
2. Daisy's shallowness and insincerity.
3. Wilson killing Gatsby, when Daisy is the one who killed Mrs. Wilson.
4. No one showing up for Gatsby's funeral - what a pathetic life, filled with fair-weather "friends."
5. The way this story reminded me of "Room with a View" - why should I care about the lives of the idle rich?
Okay. So clearly, this is just not my kind of book. Some of the descriptive language is gorgeous. There are many symbolic motifs (and I remember them from high school English class). I really ought to try harder to understand the deeper meaning here, rather than just disliking the story itself.
In a way, it reminds me of "Lord of the Flies." I strongly dislike the story, but recognize what an amazing piece of fiction it is. It's powerful in eliciting a response! Maybe my brain is just getting mushy and I don't want to think that hard.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Where My Heart Belongs
by Tracie Peterson
hardcover, 330 pages, Carver County Library
Basically a retelling of the prodigal son story, this book takes place in modern day Kansas. Sunny (aka Amy / Sunshine) took off with her share of the inheritance as an 18-year-old. Her older sister Kathy called off her marriage and stayed on the farm to care for her mother, then her father. Twelve years later, Sunny's return makes new waves for Kathy.
I liked it. Jodi thought it was way too sappy. We had a great discussion at Book Club tonight! I love how we all bring different perceptions and attitudes to the books we read. Yes, this one was a little much at times (and the ending was waaaaaay too pat), but there were some good lessons on forgiveness, judgmentalism, and what it means to live out your faith.
hardcover, 330 pages, Carver County Library
Basically a retelling of the prodigal son story, this book takes place in modern day Kansas. Sunny (aka Amy / Sunshine) took off with her share of the inheritance as an 18-year-old. Her older sister Kathy called off her marriage and stayed on the farm to care for her mother, then her father. Twelve years later, Sunny's return makes new waves for Kathy.
I liked it. Jodi thought it was way too sappy. We had a great discussion at Book Club tonight! I love how we all bring different perceptions and attitudes to the books we read. Yes, this one was a little much at times (and the ending was waaaaaay too pat), but there were some good lessons on forgiveness, judgmentalism, and what it means to live out your faith.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Great Love: The Mary Jo Copeland Story
by Michelle Lynne Peterson
hardcover, 249 pages, Carver County Library
Wow! I have to go to work, so this will be short. I was very impressed with this book. What an amazing story! She went through SO much in her life and she has made such a tremendous impact on others! I would seriously consider buying a copy of this book. It was kind of hard for me to deal with some of the Catholic, holy Mary mother-of-God stuff, but who am I to judge? Her faith in the Lord and her passion to share the love of Jesus with the poor are inspirational. She's living out her faith in a bold and life-changing way. Very, very good book. (Not in the literary sense so much, but definitely worth the time you spend reading!)
hardcover, 249 pages, Carver County Library
Wow! I have to go to work, so this will be short. I was very impressed with this book. What an amazing story! She went through SO much in her life and she has made such a tremendous impact on others! I would seriously consider buying a copy of this book. It was kind of hard for me to deal with some of the Catholic, holy Mary mother-of-God stuff, but who am I to judge? Her faith in the Lord and her passion to share the love of Jesus with the poor are inspirational. She's living out her faith in a bold and life-changing way. Very, very good book. (Not in the literary sense so much, but definitely worth the time you spend reading!)
The Year of Fog
by Michelle Richmond
hardcover, 369 pages, Hennepin County Library
I really liked this book! After hearing Lupe pan it, I didn't have my hopes up. Granted, after about a hundred or so pages, I was sorely tempted to go to the end and find out if they ever found Emma. I resisted temptation, though, and tried to focus on the beauty of the language - very evocative and descriptive. I also got caught up in the analysis of memory and what a tricky thing it can be. What an interesting coincidence that Louie and I just watched "50 First Dates" on Sunday night! Memory is an interesting phenomenon indeed.
It will be really fun to discuss this with book club next week, especially the ending. One thing I really liked: Goofy asking Abby if they can be family. Cool! I also loved the character of Anabelle. Classy.
hardcover, 369 pages, Hennepin County Library
I really liked this book! After hearing Lupe pan it, I didn't have my hopes up. Granted, after about a hundred or so pages, I was sorely tempted to go to the end and find out if they ever found Emma. I resisted temptation, though, and tried to focus on the beauty of the language - very evocative and descriptive. I also got caught up in the analysis of memory and what a tricky thing it can be. What an interesting coincidence that Louie and I just watched "50 First Dates" on Sunday night! Memory is an interesting phenomenon indeed.
It will be really fun to discuss this with book club next week, especially the ending. One thing I really liked: Goofy asking Abby if they can be family. Cool! I also loved the character of Anabelle. Classy.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sharing and Caring Hands: My Mondays with Mary Jo Copeland
Additional subtitle: A Story of Friendship and Conversion
by Nancy Jo Sullivan
Hardcover, 124 pages, Carver County Library
I requested this online via interlibrary loan to show Dan Thompson's students how easy it is to request books, but I'm not sure those sixth graders were ready to do that level of work in finding heroes' biographies. As long as I had this book, I decided to go ahead and read it. I knew a bit about Mary Jo Copeland, but not a lot.
Wow. What an incredible woman! This particular book is much more about the author's life, but I'm also reading another biography of Copeland, so I'm getting a double dose. This book shows clearly her intense love for all God's people. The author herself is moved and affected by her time with Mary Jo, and sees how poor people's lives are transformed as well.
The only thing that bothered me about this book was the continual focus the author placed on her one daughter with Downs syndrome. What about her other two girls? Finally, in a later chapter, she draws one of her other girls into the storytelling. But even her author picture is just her and her daughter Sarah. I wonder - is it because the other two didn't want to be included? It just seemed weird to me - as though she favored Sarah over the other two.
by Nancy Jo Sullivan
Hardcover, 124 pages, Carver County Library
I requested this online via interlibrary loan to show Dan Thompson's students how easy it is to request books, but I'm not sure those sixth graders were ready to do that level of work in finding heroes' biographies. As long as I had this book, I decided to go ahead and read it. I knew a bit about Mary Jo Copeland, but not a lot.
Wow. What an incredible woman! This particular book is much more about the author's life, but I'm also reading another biography of Copeland, so I'm getting a double dose. This book shows clearly her intense love for all God's people. The author herself is moved and affected by her time with Mary Jo, and sees how poor people's lives are transformed as well.
The only thing that bothered me about this book was the continual focus the author placed on her one daughter with Downs syndrome. What about her other two girls? Finally, in a later chapter, she draws one of her other girls into the storytelling. But even her author picture is just her and her daughter Sarah. I wonder - is it because the other two didn't want to be included? It just seemed weird to me - as though she favored Sarah over the other two.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Around the World in a Bad Mood
Subtitled: Confessions of a Flight Attendant
by Rene Foss
paperback, 200 pages, Hennepin County Library
Based on the review I read, I thought this book would be hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny. Not so much. Most of it seemed like a bitter rant about the misery of her job. Quite a few times, I thought about just returning the book to the library without finishing it. I'm glad I stuck it out - it gave me some insight and made me consider my own behavior (not so much on planes, since I don't get to fly often, but anytime I encounter people in the service industry). The last few chapters were the best, and it was interesting to read about this becoming a show. I wonder if the show isn't a bit more enjoyable than the book . . . I especially loved her last few pages. She finished the book on 9/6/01, and was working a flight on 9/11. Her tribute to those who died in the plane crashes brought me to tears.
by Rene Foss
paperback, 200 pages, Hennepin County Library
Based on the review I read, I thought this book would be hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny. Not so much. Most of it seemed like a bitter rant about the misery of her job. Quite a few times, I thought about just returning the book to the library without finishing it. I'm glad I stuck it out - it gave me some insight and made me consider my own behavior (not so much on planes, since I don't get to fly often, but anytime I encounter people in the service industry). The last few chapters were the best, and it was interesting to read about this becoming a show. I wonder if the show isn't a bit more enjoyable than the book . . . I especially loved her last few pages. She finished the book on 9/6/01, and was working a flight on 9/11. Her tribute to those who died in the plane crashes brought me to tears.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Wright 3
by Blue Balliett
Illustrations by Brett Helquist
318 pages, CMSW hardcover
Rene (a student) kept pestering me to read this, so I finally took it home. I had heard people rave about "Chasing Vermeer" and hadn't loved it as much as my students, so I wasn't super excited to read this one.
I really enjoyed it! I liked the mystery elements better than in the Vermeer book. I liked the clues about the house and the Frank Lloyd Wright history that was woven throughout it. The relationship between the three kids was believable and developed nicely.
The sandwich code took me a little while to figure out. At first, I was making it harder than it needed to be. The "sandwich" was just junk letters framing the actual message letters. Once I caught on, it was much quicker to read than the pentiminoes code in the first book.
All in all, a delightful story. And a very quick read.
Illustrations by Brett Helquist
318 pages, CMSW hardcover
Rene (a student) kept pestering me to read this, so I finally took it home. I had heard people rave about "Chasing Vermeer" and hadn't loved it as much as my students, so I wasn't super excited to read this one.
I really enjoyed it! I liked the mystery elements better than in the Vermeer book. I liked the clues about the house and the Frank Lloyd Wright history that was woven throughout it. The relationship between the three kids was believable and developed nicely.
The sandwich code took me a little while to figure out. At first, I was making it harder than it needed to be. The "sandwich" was just junk letters framing the actual message letters. Once I caught on, it was much quicker to read than the pentiminoes code in the first book.
All in all, a delightful story. And a very quick read.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Harmless
by Dana Reinhardt
on CD, Carver County Library, 5:57 on 5 disks
Read by Lynde Houck, Donna Rawlins, and Staci Snell
Spoiler alert! I give away major plot info in this response!
This book was hard to listen to. . . it's about three "good" girls - Emma, Anna, and Mariah - who tell a lie to stay out of trouble. Only the lie grows and gets worse and eventually unravels everything for them.
What I didn't like - Emma losing her virginity to Owen, a virtual stranger, while she was drunk and not really aware of what she was doing. The way people around her didn't really understand why she was withdrawn. It really bugged me when the kids were arrested in class in front of their peers, but then the rationale is given and it does make sense. As I listened, though, I said, "No Way! That just would not happen like that!"
What I did like - the ending! It made me cry when David Allen's statement was read. What a fantastic lesson in forgiveness! I liked the fact that the story showed how actions have consequences. I like how the story was told from all three girls' perspectives and came full circle.
I liked the rich character development, especially for Emma's family members (less so her mom). I loved the character of Silas - I wanted to know him for real!
All in all, I ended up liking it much better than I expected when I started it. If I bought it for CMSW (debatable. . . ), I would only want the 8th graders who are more mature to read it. Definitely a good one to put on the "problem novel" list for lying and first sex as topics.
on CD, Carver County Library, 5:57 on 5 disks
Read by Lynde Houck, Donna Rawlins, and Staci Snell
Spoiler alert! I give away major plot info in this response!
This book was hard to listen to. . . it's about three "good" girls - Emma, Anna, and Mariah - who tell a lie to stay out of trouble. Only the lie grows and gets worse and eventually unravels everything for them.
What I didn't like - Emma losing her virginity to Owen, a virtual stranger, while she was drunk and not really aware of what she was doing. The way people around her didn't really understand why she was withdrawn. It really bugged me when the kids were arrested in class in front of their peers, but then the rationale is given and it does make sense. As I listened, though, I said, "No Way! That just would not happen like that!"
What I did like - the ending! It made me cry when David Allen's statement was read. What a fantastic lesson in forgiveness! I liked the fact that the story showed how actions have consequences. I like how the story was told from all three girls' perspectives and came full circle.
I liked the rich character development, especially for Emma's family members (less so her mom). I loved the character of Silas - I wanted to know him for real!
All in all, I ended up liking it much better than I expected when I started it. If I bought it for CMSW (debatable. . . ), I would only want the 8th graders who are more mature to read it. Definitely a good one to put on the "problem novel" list for lying and first sex as topics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
