by Patrick Ness
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 10 disks
read by Nick Podehl
genre: teen dystopian fiction
Oh. My. Word. This was so intense and different from other books I've read! I went onto Wikipedia to find out how the rest of the series goes. The suspense is too much! It was both horrifying and fascinating. When I first started listening to it (Podehl does an excellent job narrating), I wasn't sure of the setting - Earth or somewhere else? When? What the heck?
Settlers on New World have developed their own communities. Todd Hewitt has grown up as the youngest boy in Prentisstown, believing what he's been told. As he approaches his birthday (thirteen years of thirteen months each), he looks forward to becoming a man. On a random day in the swamp, though, he and his dog Manchee hear something unusual, and his life unravels into a crazy run from the evil men who want to take him.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Deadly
by Julie Chibbaro
Hennepin County Library paperback 293 pages
genre: historical fiction
Prudence Galewski is sixteen and interested in science. Her father left for the Spanish-American war in 1898 after her brother Benny died. She and her mother have been waiting for him to come back for eight years.
Interesting story (especially in connection with reading Yellow Death and Zeitoun the same weekend - the study of disease and an unjust imprisonment) but ultimately a bit too slow for me. I liked the journaling-style storytelling, but Prudence was too cautious a heroine for me. I can't picture my readers connecting with her. I enjoyed the author's notes at the end. An interesting task - to make Typhoid Mary seem more human and understandable. Again, I'm incredibly glad to live in an era of more advanced scientific understanding than the turn of that century!
Hennepin County Library paperback 293 pages
genre: historical fiction
Prudence Galewski is sixteen and interested in science. Her father left for the Spanish-American war in 1898 after her brother Benny died. She and her mother have been waiting for him to come back for eight years.
Interesting story (especially in connection with reading Yellow Death and Zeitoun the same weekend - the study of disease and an unjust imprisonment) but ultimately a bit too slow for me. I liked the journaling-style storytelling, but Prudence was too cautious a heroine for me. I can't picture my readers connecting with her. I enjoyed the author's notes at the end. An interesting task - to make Typhoid Mary seem more human and understandable. Again, I'm incredibly glad to live in an era of more advanced scientific understanding than the turn of that century!
Zeitoun
by Dave Eggers
Hennepin County Library paperback 325 pages
genre: NF, Hurricane Katrina, Muslim American
What a fascinating and awful story. I like how the author wove Abdulrahman Zeitoun's childhood and life story into this chronological tale of Hurricane Katrina. This honest, hardworking businessman stayed in New Orleans to protect his home and business. His wife Kathy took the children and left for safety. As he paddled around in his canoe helping people and feeding abandoned dogs, he began to realize the gravity of the situation and considered leaving. He waited a day too long, though, when National Guardsmen and police arrested him (without notifying him of his rights) and three other men in one of the properties Zeitoun owned. Never given a phone call, his wife assumed him dead. What an incredible story! And so very sad. It's hard to believe things like this actually happened here.
Hennepin County Library paperback 325 pages
genre: NF, Hurricane Katrina, Muslim American
What a fascinating and awful story. I like how the author wove Abdulrahman Zeitoun's childhood and life story into this chronological tale of Hurricane Katrina. This honest, hardworking businessman stayed in New Orleans to protect his home and business. His wife Kathy took the children and left for safety. As he paddled around in his canoe helping people and feeding abandoned dogs, he began to realize the gravity of the situation and considered leaving. He waited a day too long, though, when National Guardsmen and police arrested him (without notifying him of his rights) and three other men in one of the properties Zeitoun owned. Never given a phone call, his wife assumed him dead. What an incredible story! And so very sad. It's hard to believe things like this actually happened here.
The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing
by Suzanne Jurmain
Hennepin County Library hardcover 90 pages
genre: NF children's
Interesting, very quick read. The author makes it as story-like as possible as she tracks the work of Dr. Walter Reed and other doctors in Cuba as they try to figure out how yellow fever is transmitted. One big breakthrough in medical history seems to be that Reed wanted to have the men's permission to use them as subjects in his study. It seems bizarre nowadays that people doubted mosquitoes' role in this disease!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 90 pages
genre: NF children's
Interesting, very quick read. The author makes it as story-like as possible as she tracks the work of Dr. Walter Reed and other doctors in Cuba as they try to figure out how yellow fever is transmitted. One big breakthrough in medical history seems to be that Reed wanted to have the men's permission to use them as subjects in his study. It seems bizarre nowadays that people doubted mosquitoes' role in this disease!
Water's Edge
by Robert Whitlow
Hennepin County Library paperback 401 pages
genre: Christian fiction / legal thriller
This was a fun read! Legal thrillers aren't my favorite genre, but this had enough human drama and question-mark moments to keep me reading. I had never heard of this author before; I'll definitely look for more of his books.
Tom Crane is a young lawyer in Atlanta, hoping for a promotion. When he's fired instead, his girlfriend dumps him. From bad to worse, he heads back to his small hometown to close down his father's small legal office. His father died in a boating accident. But as he reads and closes files, a mystery comes to light.
Some of the pieces of the story seemed terribly unrealistic (especially the police work . . . ), but it was a good story.
Hennepin County Library paperback 401 pages
genre: Christian fiction / legal thriller
This was a fun read! Legal thrillers aren't my favorite genre, but this had enough human drama and question-mark moments to keep me reading. I had never heard of this author before; I'll definitely look for more of his books.
Tom Crane is a young lawyer in Atlanta, hoping for a promotion. When he's fired instead, his girlfriend dumps him. From bad to worse, he heads back to his small hometown to close down his father's small legal office. His father died in a boating accident. But as he reads and closes files, a mystery comes to light.
Some of the pieces of the story seemed terribly unrealistic (especially the police work . . . ), but it was a good story.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Shine Coconut Moon
by Neesha Meminger
Hennepin County Library, hardcover 253 pages
genre: YA relationships, 9/11 fears
Samar (Sammy) is a normal teenager . . . except that it's just her and her mom. She spends a lot of time with her best friend Molly and Molly's huge extended family. Since I'm double-blogging the LitWits books this summer, here's a repeat of that post:
I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Sammy is a fairly realistic character struggling with her identity, but the post 9/11 arrival of her uncle Sandeep opens her eyes to her Indian and Sikh heritage. I like how she and Molly have their fascination with lingerie and the "Real Deal" moment in their futures. Sammy's relationship with Mike was something teens would probably latch onto. The bullying and racism (and even Sammy's rejection of Bobbi) would make for some good discussion.
Hennepin County Library, hardcover 253 pages
genre: YA relationships, 9/11 fears
Samar (Sammy) is a normal teenager . . . except that it's just her and her mom. She spends a lot of time with her best friend Molly and Molly's huge extended family. Since I'm double-blogging the LitWits books this summer, here's a repeat of that post:
I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Sammy is a fairly realistic character struggling with her identity, but the post 9/11 arrival of her uncle Sandeep opens her eyes to her Indian and Sikh heritage. I like how she and Molly have their fascination with lingerie and the "Real Deal" moment in their futures. Sammy's relationship with Mike was something teens would probably latch onto. The bullying and racism (and even Sammy's rejection of Bobbi) would make for some good discussion.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6 discs
read by Jenna Lamia
genre: YA SciFi, relationships
Also set in the future (southern California has been devastated by massive earthquakes and medical technology has advanced dramatically), this story has a teen girl waking from a coma with no memory of her former life. As bits and pieces come to her, Jenna is faced with a moral dilemma of gigantic proportions.
This is a well-told story. The reader did a splendid job bringing the story to life. I thought there was a follow-up to this story, but perhaps I'm thinking of a different book with a girl's name in the title . . . this book kept me guessing up until the end. I enjoyed it and thought it had some very interesting points to make about life. The author interview at the end was also enlightening.
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6 discs
read by Jenna Lamia
genre: YA SciFi, relationships
Also set in the future (southern California has been devastated by massive earthquakes and medical technology has advanced dramatically), this story has a teen girl waking from a coma with no memory of her former life. As bits and pieces come to her, Jenna is faced with a moral dilemma of gigantic proportions.
This is a well-told story. The reader did a splendid job bringing the story to life. I thought there was a follow-up to this story, but perhaps I'm thinking of a different book with a girl's name in the title . . . this book kept me guessing up until the end. I enjoyed it and thought it had some very interesting points to make about life. The author interview at the end was also enlightening.
Birthmarked
by Caragh M. O'Brien
PRMS paperback 359 pages
genre: YA dystopian mystery/adventure/relationships
Set in the future (2390 and on), water is a scarce commodity and "unlake" Superior is a dry bed with boulders and some plant growth. The Enclave is full of the privileged people while Gaia and her family live outside the wall. She has learned the art of midwifery from her mother. Then things get crazy. Her parents are arrested, she is interrogated, and she decides to sneak inside to save her parents.
I didn't exactly enjoy reading this, but I found it fascinating. The author's questions at the end are amazing - I really want to do this as a book club with 8th graders! I am curious to read the next book in the trilogy, but simply have too many books on my reading list right now. I want to see Leon safe and back with Gaia.
PRMS paperback 359 pages
genre: YA dystopian mystery/adventure/relationships
Set in the future (2390 and on), water is a scarce commodity and "unlake" Superior is a dry bed with boulders and some plant growth. The Enclave is full of the privileged people while Gaia and her family live outside the wall. She has learned the art of midwifery from her mother. Then things get crazy. Her parents are arrested, she is interrogated, and she decides to sneak inside to save her parents.
I didn't exactly enjoy reading this, but I found it fascinating. The author's questions at the end are amazing - I really want to do this as a book club with 8th graders! I am curious to read the next book in the trilogy, but simply have too many books on my reading list right now. I want to see Leon safe and back with Gaia.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Defending Jacob
by William Landay
Hennepin County Library hardcover 421 pages
genre: suspense, courtroom murder
I'm not generally a big fan of courtroom dramas, but this will be a fun one to discuss this fall (PRMS book club). I've been on hold for it quite a long time and need to get it back to the library for the next person waiting. Andy Barber is an assistant DA and handles most of the murder cases. But when one of his son's classmates is murdered, he sees the case through a father's eyes. As the case proceeds, we learn more and more about Andy and his son Jacob (as well as Andy's ancestors). Is there such a thing as a "murder gene"? This will be an interesting book to talk about with other educators!
Laurie - liking to talk about things
Ben Rifkin - bullying
power of social networks
Jacob's psychology
Duffy - detective friend
Father O'Leary - Barber ex-con "friend"
Leonard Patz - sex offender
Hennepin County Library hardcover 421 pages
genre: suspense, courtroom murder
I'm not generally a big fan of courtroom dramas, but this will be a fun one to discuss this fall (PRMS book club). I've been on hold for it quite a long time and need to get it back to the library for the next person waiting. Andy Barber is an assistant DA and handles most of the murder cases. But when one of his son's classmates is murdered, he sees the case through a father's eyes. As the case proceeds, we learn more and more about Andy and his son Jacob (as well as Andy's ancestors). Is there such a thing as a "murder gene"? This will be an interesting book to talk about with other educators!
Laurie - liking to talk about things
Ben Rifkin - bullying
power of social networks
Jacob's psychology
Duffy - detective friend
Father O'Leary - Barber ex-con "friend"
Leonard Patz - sex offender
Battle Royale
by 2 Japanese guys
Hennepin County Library paperback unpaged
genre: Teen graphic novel, dystopian, violent
Definitely not my cup of tea! This is a lot like The Hunger Games, only much nastier, illustrated, and I dislike reading from right to left. A group of ninth graders (who look much older) have lost / won the "lottery" putting them into the "Program." The man who tells them that they must kill or be killed is a sadistic pervert.
Hennepin County Library paperback unpaged
genre: Teen graphic novel, dystopian, violent
Definitely not my cup of tea! This is a lot like The Hunger Games, only much nastier, illustrated, and I dislike reading from right to left. A group of ninth graders (who look much older) have lost / won the "lottery" putting them into the "Program." The man who tells them that they must kill or be killed is a sadistic pervert.
Friday, July 13, 2012
The Three Questions
written & illustrated by Jon J Muth, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy
Hennepin County Library, hardcover ~32 page picture book
genre: children's book, philosophy
I enjoyed this more than I anticipated. The main character, Nikolai, has three questions:
When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?
His friends have different advice, so he goes to see wise old Leo. He already knows the answers to the questions, but needs Leo's guidance to figure it all out.
A wonderful story! I can definitely see this being used in 8th grade world history during the world religions unit. I should buy a copy for PRMS.
Hennepin County Library, hardcover ~32 page picture book
genre: children's book, philosophy
I enjoyed this more than I anticipated. The main character, Nikolai, has three questions:
When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?
His friends have different advice, so he goes to see wise old Leo. He already knows the answers to the questions, but needs Leo's guidance to figure it all out.
A wonderful story! I can definitely see this being used in 8th grade world history during the world religions unit. I should buy a copy for PRMS.
The Outside of a Horse
by Ginny Rorby
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 7 discs
read by Emily Bauer
genre: YA coming-of-age, horses, war
This story was almost ruined for me by the reader. Her voice was too girlish and peppy (to fit the 13-year-old protagonist) for me, but she also varied her volume so much that I missed parts or had my ears blasted. I was constantly changing the volume as I listened in my car.
The title comes from an old English proverb (which I listened to three or four times before I heard it): ‘There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.’ Hannah's mother died from cancer when she was nine, her dad is fighting in Iraq, and her stepmother wants her to help with baby Jeffy. Hannah escapes to the nearby ranch to watch the horses and ends up being an unpaid worker there.
Once I got into the story and got over the narrator's voice bugging me, I really enjoyed this story. The horses, her dad's recovery, her growth as an adolescent, . . . Very nice. I would have liked it better when I was young and in my own "horse" phase. Her dad's transformation was the best part of the story.
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 7 discs
read by Emily Bauer
genre: YA coming-of-age, horses, war
This story was almost ruined for me by the reader. Her voice was too girlish and peppy (to fit the 13-year-old protagonist) for me, but she also varied her volume so much that I missed parts or had my ears blasted. I was constantly changing the volume as I listened in my car.
The title comes from an old English proverb (which I listened to three or four times before I heard it): ‘There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.’ Hannah's mother died from cancer when she was nine, her dad is fighting in Iraq, and her stepmother wants her to help with baby Jeffy. Hannah escapes to the nearby ranch to watch the horses and ends up being an unpaid worker there.
Once I got into the story and got over the narrator's voice bugging me, I really enjoyed this story. The horses, her dad's recovery, her growth as an adolescent, . . . Very nice. I would have liked it better when I was young and in my own "horse" phase. Her dad's transformation was the best part of the story.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Princess
by Lori Wick
personal paperback 294 pages
genre: Christian romance
I'm not sure who gave this to me, but I was trying to de-clutter and contemplating just getting rid of it. Then I decided to give it a look-see. Then I went from "contrived" to "I need to finish reading this." It's a very odd mix of romance and witnessing the power of Jesus Christ in people's lives. I think I'll bring it up to the lake for when I want to re-read it.
Shelby decides to marry the widowed prince Nicolai (because the county's law declares the heir to the throne must be married by his 26th birthday) based on her parents' encouragement and the king's and queen's kindness. Never having seen him face-to-face (and wearing a blushing veil on her Big Day), they are virtual strangers. Like I said, contrived. But somewhere along the way, I grew to care about the characters and the story. I'm glad I read it (and have a tiny bit less clutter in my bedroom).
personal paperback 294 pages
genre: Christian romance
I'm not sure who gave this to me, but I was trying to de-clutter and contemplating just getting rid of it. Then I decided to give it a look-see. Then I went from "contrived" to "I need to finish reading this." It's a very odd mix of romance and witnessing the power of Jesus Christ in people's lives. I think I'll bring it up to the lake for when I want to re-read it.
Shelby decides to marry the widowed prince Nicolai (because the county's law declares the heir to the throne must be married by his 26th birthday) based on her parents' encouragement and the king's and queen's kindness. Never having seen him face-to-face (and wearing a blushing veil on her Big Day), they are virtual strangers. Like I said, contrived. But somewhere along the way, I grew to care about the characters and the story. I'm glad I read it (and have a tiny bit less clutter in my bedroom).
"Doing School" How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students
by Denise Clark Pope
Hennepin County Library hardcover 205 pages
genre: non-fiction, educational reform
What an interesting book. She followed five students for a school year and conducted numerous interviews with them. They were all success-oriented students in a fairly success-oriented school. However, virtually all of them excelled more for the end goals of a good college and a good career rather than for the joy of learning. (Shocking, right?)
I enjoyed reading this book and thinking about my students, my children, myself. She is effective at identifying the problem (to a certain degree), but does not really suggest how to effect reform the system. It reminded me of watching a Michael Moore movie . . . after I saw Bowling at Columbine, I was SO frustrated that he did not really have any solutions or suggestions at all. He never even adequately explained WHY the U.S. has so much more of a gun culture than European countries or Canada. This book felt the same way. The author railed about the situation, but didn't suggest a way out of it.
I enjoyed the students' personal stories, especially Roberto's. What an incredible young man!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 205 pages
genre: non-fiction, educational reform
What an interesting book. She followed five students for a school year and conducted numerous interviews with them. They were all success-oriented students in a fairly success-oriented school. However, virtually all of them excelled more for the end goals of a good college and a good career rather than for the joy of learning. (Shocking, right?)
I enjoyed reading this book and thinking about my students, my children, myself. She is effective at identifying the problem (to a certain degree), but does not really suggest how to effect reform the system. It reminded me of watching a Michael Moore movie . . . after I saw Bowling at Columbine, I was SO frustrated that he did not really have any solutions or suggestions at all. He never even adequately explained WHY the U.S. has so much more of a gun culture than European countries or Canada. This book felt the same way. The author railed about the situation, but didn't suggest a way out of it.
I enjoyed the students' personal stories, especially Roberto's. What an incredible young man!
Friday, July 06, 2012
A Weekend with Mr. Darcy
by Victoria Connelly
Hennepin County Library paperback 343 pages
genre: romance
Enjoyable romance novel about an English professor (Dr. Katherine Roberts) and a shy young woman (Robyn Love) who attend a Jane Austen conference. Each woman connects with a dashing young man (Warwick Lawton, aka Lorna Warwick for Katherine and Dan Harcourt for Robyn).
I saw book two in this series at Kathy Giesen's house and it made me curious. But it's not the best romance I've ever read and I'm not enough of a Jane Austen nut to feel as drawn as these characters are to "Jane" stories. I must admit, though, I'm curious to re-read Persuasion based on what some of the characters in this book said.
Hennepin County Library paperback 343 pages
genre: romance
Enjoyable romance novel about an English professor (Dr. Katherine Roberts) and a shy young woman (Robyn Love) who attend a Jane Austen conference. Each woman connects with a dashing young man (Warwick Lawton, aka Lorna Warwick for Katherine and Dan Harcourt for Robyn).
I saw book two in this series at Kathy Giesen's house and it made me curious. But it's not the best romance I've ever read and I'm not enough of a Jane Austen nut to feel as drawn as these characters are to "Jane" stories. I must admit, though, I'm curious to re-read Persuasion based on what some of the characters in this book said.
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Eldest
by Christopher Paolini
personal copy, hardcover, 668 pages
genre: fantasy
I've been working on re-reading this for quite a while . . . my goal is to have the storyline fresh in my mind when I finally read Inheritance. This was a lot slower and less interesting than I remembered. Roran's story is my favorite part. Eragon's time with the dwarves and the elves should have been edited a LOT more. I'm glad to finally move on. The fight and Murtagh revelation at the end were too quick of a climax to a long, drawn-out story.
personal copy, hardcover, 668 pages
genre: fantasy
I've been working on re-reading this for quite a while . . . my goal is to have the storyline fresh in my mind when I finally read Inheritance. This was a lot slower and less interesting than I remembered. Roran's story is my favorite part. Eragon's time with the dwarves and the elves should have been edited a LOT more. I'm glad to finally move on. The fight and Murtagh revelation at the end were too quick of a climax to a long, drawn-out story.
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Feathers
by Jacqueline Woodson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 3 discs
narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson
genre: realistic fiction, relationships
Woodson is one of my favorite authors, but I may need to re-read this short book. Frannie is a sixth grader during the 1970s. Her older brother Shawn is deaf. Her mother is pregnant again after suffering multiple miscarriages. Hope is the thread running throughout the story. Feathers are an analogy for hope. Samantha, the Jesus Boy, Trevor, Ray-Ray . . . all the children's lives have themes that bring them together. Lyrically beautiful . . . not sure how I would "sell" it to middle schoolers.
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 3 discs
narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson
genre: realistic fiction, relationships
Woodson is one of my favorite authors, but I may need to re-read this short book. Frannie is a sixth grader during the 1970s. Her older brother Shawn is deaf. Her mother is pregnant again after suffering multiple miscarriages. Hope is the thread running throughout the story. Feathers are an analogy for hope. Samantha, the Jesus Boy, Trevor, Ray-Ray . . . all the children's lives have themes that bring them together. Lyrically beautiful . . . not sure how I would "sell" it to middle schoolers.
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