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!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
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.
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