by Peter Mayle
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 discs
read by Erik Davies
genre: mystery
I grabbed this one for our trip to the lake and found it boring. Louie liked it, though, so that's nice!
Lots of very expensive wine gets stolen from the wine cellar of egomaniac jerk Danny Roth (LA entertainment lawyer). The insurance company sends Sam Levitt to investigate. Sam goes to Bordeaux and works with sexy French (but engaged to be married) Sophie to find out what happened to the wine. It had it's moments of humor and intrigue, but didn't keep me awake. I'm glad my husband liked it. Davies' vocal work was fine; I just didn't like the story.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
The Tent
by Gary Paulsen
PRMS hardcover 86 pages
genre: YA fiction (historical?)
This is super short, with only 86 pages and lots of white space. As I've been weeding my collection, it's so hard for me to get rid of books that seem interesting and/or were written by authors I admire. This one had lots of stereotypes (preachers with big hair, phony messages, etc.) but a wonderful change of heart that surprised and delighted me.
Basically, a teenager named Steve and his dad Corey are dirt poor with tough prospects. Corey decides to become a traveling preacher and get rich. Steve thinks he's kidding but goes along with it. They end up becoming very successful financially, while pushing aside their reservations about the right or wrong of what they're doing.
Chapter headings:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also
Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money)
A man's life consists not in the abundance of things which he possesses
Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction
Take heed and beware of covetousness (greed)
Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation
A corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in choke the Word
pages 68/69 have Steven contemplating their wealth and standard of living. "Was it bad, he thought, to tell people about God and get money for it?" "And his objections went." "And he changed." The transition from a kid with a conscience to a kid who's all about what he can get . . . was disheartening.
pages 78-84 Corey and Steven catch one another's eyes in the tent. "The same look. The edge, the hard cut of guilt, of doubt . . . " I love how the story changes here! What a lovely surprise ending.
PRMS hardcover 86 pages
genre: YA fiction (historical?)
This is super short, with only 86 pages and lots of white space. As I've been weeding my collection, it's so hard for me to get rid of books that seem interesting and/or were written by authors I admire. This one had lots of stereotypes (preachers with big hair, phony messages, etc.) but a wonderful change of heart that surprised and delighted me.
Basically, a teenager named Steve and his dad Corey are dirt poor with tough prospects. Corey decides to become a traveling preacher and get rich. Steve thinks he's kidding but goes along with it. They end up becoming very successful financially, while pushing aside their reservations about the right or wrong of what they're doing.
Chapter headings:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also
Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money)
A man's life consists not in the abundance of things which he possesses
Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction
Take heed and beware of covetousness (greed)
Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation
A corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in choke the Word
pages 68/69 have Steven contemplating their wealth and standard of living. "Was it bad, he thought, to tell people about God and get money for it?" "And his objections went." "And he changed." The transition from a kid with a conscience to a kid who's all about what he can get . . . was disheartening.
pages 78-84 Corey and Steven catch one another's eyes in the tent. "The same look. The edge, the hard cut of guilt, of doubt . . . " I love how the story changes here! What a lovely surprise ending.
The One Good Thing
by Kevin Alan Milne
Hennepin County Library paperback 363 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships
We're discussing this at book club tonight! The prologue didn't grab my attention, but when I got to know the characters (Nathan, Halley, Ty, and Alice) I was drawn in. I couldn't believe the book had me crying in the first quarter of it! I don't usually care enough about the characters to cry at the start of the book.
page 168 - Madeline's school experience broke my heart. I know too many students who go here: "I didn't cry. I was used to it, sort of numb. This wasn't any worse than what I experienced on a daily basis. But still, right then I could feel something inside of me sort of . . . crumble, I guess. Or burst. Or evaporate. I think it was my will. From that moment on, I stopped caring. About anything. After hearing how awful I was so many times, I concluded that everyone else must be right."
page 312 - Alice *knowing* that Madeline was hiding something. I think Alice was my favorite character. "I don't know how a seventh-grader knows I'm lying, but I do know that the look on her face and the sound of her voice is killing me." Ah! I don't want to write any spoilers! Suffice it to say, that when deception is used, it generally makes things worse instead of better.
page 330 - Grandpa and Ty are talking by the rock polisher. Ty - "How did he do it? How did he help so many people?" Grandpa - "The only way you can, one person at a time." I loved the stones and the symbolism of making a conscious choice to get out of your comfort zone to help others.
Author's Note - " . . . opportunities for kindness, service, selflessness, and love of our fellow man abound, so long as we're willing to open our hearts and lend a hand." So very true! I love that this message was well-delivered without being preachy. What a cool and wonderful book! I would like to find others by this author.
Hennepin County Library paperback 363 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships
We're discussing this at book club tonight! The prologue didn't grab my attention, but when I got to know the characters (Nathan, Halley, Ty, and Alice) I was drawn in. I couldn't believe the book had me crying in the first quarter of it! I don't usually care enough about the characters to cry at the start of the book.
page 168 - Madeline's school experience broke my heart. I know too many students who go here: "I didn't cry. I was used to it, sort of numb. This wasn't any worse than what I experienced on a daily basis. But still, right then I could feel something inside of me sort of . . . crumble, I guess. Or burst. Or evaporate. I think it was my will. From that moment on, I stopped caring. About anything. After hearing how awful I was so many times, I concluded that everyone else must be right."
page 312 - Alice *knowing* that Madeline was hiding something. I think Alice was my favorite character. "I don't know how a seventh-grader knows I'm lying, but I do know that the look on her face and the sound of her voice is killing me." Ah! I don't want to write any spoilers! Suffice it to say, that when deception is used, it generally makes things worse instead of better.
page 330 - Grandpa and Ty are talking by the rock polisher. Ty - "How did he do it? How did he help so many people?" Grandpa - "The only way you can, one person at a time." I loved the stones and the symbolism of making a conscious choice to get out of your comfort zone to help others.
Author's Note - " . . . opportunities for kindness, service, selflessness, and love of our fellow man abound, so long as we're willing to open our hearts and lend a hand." So very true! I love that this message was well-delivered without being preachy. What a cool and wonderful book! I would like to find others by this author.
Monday, May 23, 2016
3 Days Off
by Susie Morgenstern
PRMS (deleting) Hardcover 89 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
The reason I'm deleting this one from the collection is that it is not one likely to be a hit with my students. Although it's quite short, there are no chapter breaks - just the three days of suspension. It's written from the perspective of a high school boy in France. He's not exceptional until his teacher pushes him one day to share what he's thinking / daydreaming about . . . and he blurts out, "I'd like to rip your skirt off and see what I find underneath."
Thus begins his three-day suspension from school. There were parts of this book I liked. "The idea of adding more to her (his mother's) misery made him feel bad. It would be one abandonment on top of another. Misery must be an even heavier burden to bear than a future." "He felt terrible. But he said nothing. Life wasn't like a rough draft on the computer. You couldn't erase your mistakes by saying you were sorry."
When he spends time helping the two men unload crates, that really resonated. "He had no idea how much money could ever repay the backbreaking work they did every day. The constant physical effort, the strain. No amount of money could compensate for that continuous agony." I love that he feels a strong connection to them when they part. "He felt like he had met two of the best people on earth, and felt a tug at his heart to watch them go."
But my favorite line is on page 10: "She (Mademoiselle March) had seen Dead Poets Society and wished she were a teacher like Robin Williams in the movie. She had all the motivation but not the talent. Not everyone can be gifted. One day people will realize that a good teacher is above all a virtuoso."
Basically, William is a hormonal teenager who thinks about (but doesn't have) sex all the time. This is actually a fairly contemplative book for older, more cynical teens.
PRMS (deleting) Hardcover 89 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
The reason I'm deleting this one from the collection is that it is not one likely to be a hit with my students. Although it's quite short, there are no chapter breaks - just the three days of suspension. It's written from the perspective of a high school boy in France. He's not exceptional until his teacher pushes him one day to share what he's thinking / daydreaming about . . . and he blurts out, "I'd like to rip your skirt off and see what I find underneath."
Thus begins his three-day suspension from school. There were parts of this book I liked. "The idea of adding more to her (his mother's) misery made him feel bad. It would be one abandonment on top of another. Misery must be an even heavier burden to bear than a future." "He felt terrible. But he said nothing. Life wasn't like a rough draft on the computer. You couldn't erase your mistakes by saying you were sorry."
When he spends time helping the two men unload crates, that really resonated. "He had no idea how much money could ever repay the backbreaking work they did every day. The constant physical effort, the strain. No amount of money could compensate for that continuous agony." I love that he feels a strong connection to them when they part. "He felt like he had met two of the best people on earth, and felt a tug at his heart to watch them go."
But my favorite line is on page 10: "She (Mademoiselle March) had seen Dead Poets Society and wished she were a teacher like Robin Williams in the movie. She had all the motivation but not the talent. Not everyone can be gifted. One day people will realize that a good teacher is above all a virtuoso."
Basically, William is a hormonal teenager who thinks about (but doesn't have) sex all the time. This is actually a fairly contemplative book for older, more cynical teens.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
13 Gifts
by Wendy Mass
Hennepin County Library audiobook 9 discs
read by Kathleen McInerney
genre: YA realistic with some magic / fantasy elements
I am only on disc 3, but I have to blog some of my thoughts! I don't know if it's because I went from a kick-butt teen book (Dorothy Must Die) to a tween "oh no! What will I do?" angsty thing or if this book just really sucks . . .
Tara, the seventh grade protagonist, cannot speak up for herself. At all. Irritating! Her parents are overprotective, making her wear pads and a helmet just to ride her bicycle, but then on the spur of the moment, they send her alone on a train to spend months with relatives she barely knows?
She doesn't want to impose on her aunt and uncle by telling them that her cell phone, iPod, and $200 spending money were stolen from her on the train!!!!! But she does concoct a scheme to steal some of her uncle's "extra" collectible comics to sell to have spending money . . . how could she possibly be so deluded?
This book is bugging the heck out of me. It's almost painful to listen to, and it's not because of the reader who has a fine voice. The story does NOT resonate for me in any way. I'm sticking with it to see which readers it might appeal to and why. How do I booktalk something I think is stupid???
Okay, now I've finished the entire book. The middle section, where the kids were seeking the items on the list, was a truly enjoyable part of the book. And I *loved* Ray, the Aussie "house help" at her aunt and uncle's house.
However, I still ended the book jotting "Stupid!!" on my car notes pad of paper. Emily goes into Tara's suitcase and mails her letters without permission. "I hope you don't mind . . . " Arg! These people have no idea how to just communicate with one another! And her parents putting an offer in on a house after promising "no more moves." And adults (her mother specifically) making irrational decisions because of a love potion twenty-five years earlier???!?!? I am so glad I'm done with this book! Clearly, it is written for younger readers. I will booktalk this to my sixth grade girls, playing up the friendship piece, the odd things that happen, and young movie star Jake Harrison . . . .
Hennepin County Library audiobook 9 discs
read by Kathleen McInerney
genre: YA realistic with some magic / fantasy elements
I am only on disc 3, but I have to blog some of my thoughts! I don't know if it's because I went from a kick-butt teen book (Dorothy Must Die) to a tween "oh no! What will I do?" angsty thing or if this book just really sucks . . .
Tara, the seventh grade protagonist, cannot speak up for herself. At all. Irritating! Her parents are overprotective, making her wear pads and a helmet just to ride her bicycle, but then on the spur of the moment, they send her alone on a train to spend months with relatives she barely knows?
She doesn't want to impose on her aunt and uncle by telling them that her cell phone, iPod, and $200 spending money were stolen from her on the train!!!!! But she does concoct a scheme to steal some of her uncle's "extra" collectible comics to sell to have spending money . . . how could she possibly be so deluded?
This book is bugging the heck out of me. It's almost painful to listen to, and it's not because of the reader who has a fine voice. The story does NOT resonate for me in any way. I'm sticking with it to see which readers it might appeal to and why. How do I booktalk something I think is stupid???
Okay, now I've finished the entire book. The middle section, where the kids were seeking the items on the list, was a truly enjoyable part of the book. And I *loved* Ray, the Aussie "house help" at her aunt and uncle's house.
However, I still ended the book jotting "Stupid!!" on my car notes pad of paper. Emily goes into Tara's suitcase and mails her letters without permission. "I hope you don't mind . . . " Arg! These people have no idea how to just communicate with one another! And her parents putting an offer in on a house after promising "no more moves." And adults (her mother specifically) making irrational decisions because of a love potion twenty-five years earlier???!?!? I am so glad I'm done with this book! Clearly, it is written for younger readers. I will booktalk this to my sixth grade girls, playing up the friendship piece, the odd things that happen, and young movie star Jake Harrison . . . .
Caregiving: the Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal
by Beth Witrogen McLeod
Hennepin County Library paperback 233 plus endpages, index, etc.
genre: non-fiction, caregiving (duh.)
I really tried to get into this, but it simply did not resonate for me. I liked leafing through and reading some people's personal experience stories, but I didn't like the author's philosophical blah blah blah. It has some rave reviews, so I have to conclude that it simply isn't the "right book at the right time" for me. Everyone's experience is different; I don't think my experience resonates much for others. (Though a colleague said I should blog about some of the things I've dealt with over the last five and a half years, caring for elderly parents. I'm seriously considering it.)
One page really really spoke to me, so I scanned it to include it here:
I don't think I've reached my limits, but I've definitely been pushed far, far out of my comfort zone. I believe I'll need to write a letter to send to my three siblings-in-law . . . but I'll clear it with Louie after writing / before sending. The stresses are not just me being selfish. I'm not a huge fan of the multigenerational household, but I'm grateful to God that we are able to provide a home for Lou.
Hennepin County Library paperback 233 plus endpages, index, etc.
genre: non-fiction, caregiving (duh.)
I really tried to get into this, but it simply did not resonate for me. I liked leafing through and reading some people's personal experience stories, but I didn't like the author's philosophical blah blah blah. It has some rave reviews, so I have to conclude that it simply isn't the "right book at the right time" for me. Everyone's experience is different; I don't think my experience resonates much for others. (Though a colleague said I should blog about some of the things I've dealt with over the last five and a half years, caring for elderly parents. I'm seriously considering it.)
One page really really spoke to me, so I scanned it to include it here:
I don't think I've reached my limits, but I've definitely been pushed far, far out of my comfort zone. I believe I'll need to write a letter to send to my three siblings-in-law . . . but I'll clear it with Louie after writing / before sending. The stresses are not just me being selfish. I'm not a huge fan of the multigenerational household, but I'm grateful to God that we are able to provide a home for Lou.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game
by John Coy, illustrated by Randy DuBurke
Hennepin County Library hardcover unpaged
genre: Everybody / Non-fiction / sports history
This is the first book I've read from our Summer 2016 Litwits titles! It was very interesting . . . and courageous for both coaches! This was three years before Jackie Robinson integrated baseball and six years before the NBA was integrated. I'm so glad Coy wrote this book. What an incredible part of history that is probably unheard of for most Americans. The illustrations show such expressiveness on the players' faces as they move from uncertainty and trepidation to confidence and joy in the game. The artist's palette also adds so much tone and mood to the story through the darks and lights. Great book!
Hennepin County Library hardcover unpaged
genre: Everybody / Non-fiction / sports history
This is the first book I've read from our Summer 2016 Litwits titles! It was very interesting . . . and courageous for both coaches! This was three years before Jackie Robinson integrated baseball and six years before the NBA was integrated. I'm so glad Coy wrote this book. What an incredible part of history that is probably unheard of for most Americans. The illustrations show such expressiveness on the players' faces as they move from uncertainty and trepidation to confidence and joy in the game. The artist's palette also adds so much tone and mood to the story through the darks and lights. Great book!
Monday, May 16, 2016
Fairy Tail 1 / Fairy Tail: Blue Mistral 1 / Fairy Tail: Ice Trail 1
by Hiro Mashima / Hiro Mashima and art by Rui Watanabe / Yuusuke Shirate
Hennepin County Library, paperbacks, approx 200 pages each
genre: YA manga fantasy action
I really, really dislike manga. But I have students who *love* it, so I continue to read and consider their recommendations. I have very little money to spend, so I am really not in the market to invest in a new series this year.
Fairy Tail - the usual boobs, big eyes, fighting, and strange noises. Wizards, powerful objects, and magic guilds. Lucy connects with Natsu and Happy (his cat with wings sidekick). The storytelling is meh. This is just not something I enjoy. I did like the author's choice to explain honorifics and his choice to include them in the story.
Fairy Tail: Blue Mistral - more of a middle-school version. The witches are 12-year-olds. I didn't read the whole thing because I got the gist of the story from the Fairy Tail original. "She may only be 12 years old, but Wendy Marvell is already a member of the magical guild Fairy Tail, and a powerful dragon slayer wizard. Even so, she's a little nervous when she sets out for the town of Nanalu for her first solo job: to discover why some of the locals have been mysteriously disappearing!"
Fairy Tail: Ice Trail - I read almost half of this one. Lots of fighting. Much, much more fighting. Nano Leaf is a girl who can speed up time inside an egg (that's her power). The evil Chrono-guy (don't remember his name) wants her to quickly incubate a demon's egg so he can continue with his evil plans. The mysterious boy who has the "magic of freedom" gets involved in saving her and defeating the bad guys. When the most evil guy is released from a high-security prison and he releases all the other prisoners, telling them to murder the guards . . . I decided I'd had enough.
If I had a LOT of money, I think I'd buy the Blue Mistral series . . . but I think students would like the original Fairy Tail the best.
Hennepin County Library, paperbacks, approx 200 pages each
genre: YA manga fantasy action
I really, really dislike manga. But I have students who *love* it, so I continue to read and consider their recommendations. I have very little money to spend, so I am really not in the market to invest in a new series this year.
Fairy Tail - the usual boobs, big eyes, fighting, and strange noises. Wizards, powerful objects, and magic guilds. Lucy connects with Natsu and Happy (his cat with wings sidekick). The storytelling is meh. This is just not something I enjoy. I did like the author's choice to explain honorifics and his choice to include them in the story.
Fairy Tail: Blue Mistral - more of a middle-school version. The witches are 12-year-olds. I didn't read the whole thing because I got the gist of the story from the Fairy Tail original. "She may only be 12 years old, but Wendy Marvell is already a member of the magical guild Fairy Tail, and a powerful dragon slayer wizard. Even so, she's a little nervous when she sets out for the town of Nanalu for her first solo job: to discover why some of the locals have been mysteriously disappearing!"
Fairy Tail: Ice Trail - I read almost half of this one. Lots of fighting. Much, much more fighting. Nano Leaf is a girl who can speed up time inside an egg (that's her power). The evil Chrono-guy (don't remember his name) wants her to quickly incubate a demon's egg so he can continue with his evil plans. The mysterious boy who has the "magic of freedom" gets involved in saving her and defeating the bad guys. When the most evil guy is released from a high-security prison and he releases all the other prisoners, telling them to murder the guards . . . I decided I'd had enough.
If I had a LOT of money, I think I'd buy the Blue Mistral series . . . but I think students would like the original Fairy Tail the best.
Caregiver's Handbook: A Practical, Visual Guide for the Home Caregiver
by several contributers at Dorling Kindersley
Hennepin County Library paperback 219 pages
genre: Non-fiction self-help caregiving
This was concise and interesting. The contents include:
Becoming a caregiver
Making changes to the home
Diet and health
Social and mental well-being
Maintaining and aiding mobility
Comfort in bed
Personal care
Day-to-day nursing
First aid emergencies
End-of-life care
Resources
I actually got kind of agitated reading this. I "get" that many, many people in my generation are caregivers for elderly parents . . . but I still struggle with the role. I struggle with my siblings in-law and their lack of understanding about how much our lives have changed by having my father-in-law living with us. I spent five and a half years (along with my three siblings) caring for our elderly parents. I'm so grateful we all chipped in and took turns! I'm so glad all three of my sons helped out when they could. I wish I could convince my siblings-in-law to step up and help us out. I'm glad my father-in-law doesn't need nursing care (yet).
Page 201 had a section on "caring for yourself." It's actually in the section on bereavement. Since my dad was still alive four months ago (Jan. 16), I sometimes forget to cut myself some slack. "Don't expect too much from yourself. Giver yourself permission to be disorganized and make mistakes for a while." It's just hard right now, at the end of the school year, to take this advice to heart.
Hennepin County Library paperback 219 pages
genre: Non-fiction self-help caregiving
This was concise and interesting. The contents include:
Becoming a caregiver
Making changes to the home
Diet and health
Social and mental well-being
Maintaining and aiding mobility
Comfort in bed
Personal care
Day-to-day nursing
First aid emergencies
End-of-life care
Resources
I actually got kind of agitated reading this. I "get" that many, many people in my generation are caregivers for elderly parents . . . but I still struggle with the role. I struggle with my siblings in-law and their lack of understanding about how much our lives have changed by having my father-in-law living with us. I spent five and a half years (along with my three siblings) caring for our elderly parents. I'm so grateful we all chipped in and took turns! I'm so glad all three of my sons helped out when they could. I wish I could convince my siblings-in-law to step up and help us out. I'm glad my father-in-law doesn't need nursing care (yet).
Page 201 had a section on "caring for yourself." It's actually in the section on bereavement. Since my dad was still alive four months ago (Jan. 16), I sometimes forget to cut myself some slack. "Don't expect too much from yourself. Giver yourself permission to be disorganized and make mistakes for a while." It's just hard right now, at the end of the school year, to take this advice to heart.
Dorothy Must Die
by D.M. Paige
Hennepin County Library paperback 452 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I'm not sure who recommended this book, but I wish I knew so I could discuss it with them! In this weird tale, Amy Gumm (a nobody from Kansas) transports to Oz in a tornado. Only Oz was revisited by the legendary Dorothy, who has taken control and is trying to steal all the magic in the land.
Liked:
- inventiveness of story
- twists I didn't anticipate
- action
- drew me in!
Disliked:
- Amy making so many stupid decisions that endangered other creatures' lives
- Amy as protagonist . . . strong or weak? determined or wishy-washy?
- from reading the back flap, I *knew* the story would get drawn out for several books . . . I wish they would have left it more up in the air.
I don't know whether I want to read the rest or not. I would definitely buy this series for a high school collection. Although many of my middle schoolers could handle the swearing and length, it might be daunting for the majority (and I have almost no book budget).
Hennepin County Library paperback 452 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I'm not sure who recommended this book, but I wish I knew so I could discuss it with them! In this weird tale, Amy Gumm (a nobody from Kansas) transports to Oz in a tornado. Only Oz was revisited by the legendary Dorothy, who has taken control and is trying to steal all the magic in the land.
Liked:
- inventiveness of story
- twists I didn't anticipate
- action
- drew me in!
Disliked:
- Amy making so many stupid decisions that endangered other creatures' lives
- Amy as protagonist . . . strong or weak? determined or wishy-washy?
- from reading the back flap, I *knew* the story would get drawn out for several books . . . I wish they would have left it more up in the air.
I don't know whether I want to read the rest or not. I would definitely buy this series for a high school collection. Although many of my middle schoolers could handle the swearing and length, it might be daunting for the majority (and I have almost no book budget).
Thursday, May 12, 2016
R&R Reading
While we were at the lake over the weekend with April 30th, I also read two of the Mrs. Pollifax books. I'm not sure why I enjoy them so much . . . and it's weird to read a spy/suspense book multiple times when you already know how it turns out. I guess this is like vegging out in front of a tv.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Smart and Simple Financial Strategies for Busy People
by Jane Bryant Quinn
HC hard 227 pages
genre: NF, financial planning
I need to just go out and buy her books! Even though this is an older title, there's a waiting list and I've barely started. Writing this entry at the library before I drop it in the returns bin.
I have a short to-do list from the part I did read, but it's not here with me.
Seriously. I like her writing style, her no-nonsense advice, and starting to wrap my brain around this important stuff. Since I have a B&N gift card, I should just treat myself to one or two of her books.
HC hard 227 pages
genre: NF, financial planning
I need to just go out and buy her books! Even though this is an older title, there's a waiting list and I've barely started. Writing this entry at the library before I drop it in the returns bin.
I have a short to-do list from the part I did read, but it's not here with me.
Seriously. I like her writing style, her no-nonsense advice, and starting to wrap my brain around this important stuff. Since I have a B&N gift card, I should just treat myself to one or two of her books.
Monday, May 09, 2016
The Prodigy
by Alton Gansky
PRMS discard paperback 340 pages
genre: Christian fiction
I couldn't tell by reading the blurb if this would appeal to my students or not, so I started reading it at lunch time. I decided to remove it from my collection, but really enjoyed it. The story opens with teenage Mary giving birth to a boy she names Toby. The boy's father is MIA (and violent when he does come around) and by the time he is six, Toby and his mom are headed across country to avoid dad's cruelty.
Toby is special in that he can sense people's emotions and detect when something is wrong with them. He also can heal. This book was not at all what I expected and I really enjoyed it - the suspense, the characters' lives coming together (Thomas, Pratt, etc.) I'm going to see if anyone at book club wants it.
page 132 really resonated with me. "As the dark of the predawn surrendered to the pressing light of daybreak, a new and troubling realization surfaced in Pratt's mind. What troubled him was not Thomas but a nerve that the young student had struck. Was he, Dr. Aaron Pratt, professor of theology, paddling around in the shallows? Did he still have the youthful zeal to know and experience God that Thomas York possessed? A disturbing thought began to ache in his soul. He could recite scores of Bible passages, converse intelligently about church history, and shed light on every nuance of theological debate. So what? Did that make him a good Christian?"
page 333 on the airplane (the climax of the action for sure) - I love when Toby confronts Wellman and the evil "shadow man." When he quotes Scripture, I was so glad Thomas gave him his own Bible. A voracious reader, Toby soaked up knowledge quickly.
A very cool book. About 15 years old, but I like the suspense and storytelling style.
Wow. Um. As I finished this entry and was putting the author's name as the label, I saw that I already had "Gansky" in my blog. Hmm! After I posted, I searched the name . . .. and found that I read and blogged this exact title seven years ago! How could I have enjoyed the book (both times) yet have NO memory of ever reading it before? That's kind of sad, but also why I blog my books. I read a lot, but I also forget a lot.
PRMS discard paperback 340 pages
genre: Christian fiction
I couldn't tell by reading the blurb if this would appeal to my students or not, so I started reading it at lunch time. I decided to remove it from my collection, but really enjoyed it. The story opens with teenage Mary giving birth to a boy she names Toby. The boy's father is MIA (and violent when he does come around) and by the time he is six, Toby and his mom are headed across country to avoid dad's cruelty.
Toby is special in that he can sense people's emotions and detect when something is wrong with them. He also can heal. This book was not at all what I expected and I really enjoyed it - the suspense, the characters' lives coming together (Thomas, Pratt, etc.) I'm going to see if anyone at book club wants it.
page 132 really resonated with me. "As the dark of the predawn surrendered to the pressing light of daybreak, a new and troubling realization surfaced in Pratt's mind. What troubled him was not Thomas but a nerve that the young student had struck. Was he, Dr. Aaron Pratt, professor of theology, paddling around in the shallows? Did he still have the youthful zeal to know and experience God that Thomas York possessed? A disturbing thought began to ache in his soul. He could recite scores of Bible passages, converse intelligently about church history, and shed light on every nuance of theological debate. So what? Did that make him a good Christian?"
page 333 on the airplane (the climax of the action for sure) - I love when Toby confronts Wellman and the evil "shadow man." When he quotes Scripture, I was so glad Thomas gave him his own Bible. A voracious reader, Toby soaked up knowledge quickly.
A very cool book. About 15 years old, but I like the suspense and storytelling style.
Wow. Um. As I finished this entry and was putting the author's name as the label, I saw that I already had "Gansky" in my blog. Hmm! After I posted, I searched the name . . .. and found that I read and blogged this exact title seven years ago! How could I have enjoyed the book (both times) yet have NO memory of ever reading it before? That's kind of sad, but also why I blog my books. I read a lot, but I also forget a lot.
Friday, May 06, 2016
F-Stop: A Love Story in Pictures
by Antony Johnston and Matthew Loux
Hennepin County Library paperback 167 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, realistic
Although this is marketed to teens, I see the target audience as 20-somethings. The main character, Nick Stoppard, is a college graduate trying to make a living as a photographer (though he isn't a good one, with his degree in English and a lack of training). He meets a model and gets thrust into the high-fashion world with his "new" style (various body parts) and a fear of being found a fraud. Nice story. I enjoyed the story more than the art (very angular). I definitely wouldn't buy it for my middle school collection, but it is a nice story about being true to yourself and your friends.
Hennepin County Library paperback 167 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, realistic
Although this is marketed to teens, I see the target audience as 20-somethings. The main character, Nick Stoppard, is a college graduate trying to make a living as a photographer (though he isn't a good one, with his degree in English and a lack of training). He meets a model and gets thrust into the high-fashion world with his "new" style (various body parts) and a fear of being found a fraud. Nice story. I enjoyed the story more than the art (very angular). I definitely wouldn't buy it for my middle school collection, but it is a nice story about being true to yourself and your friends.
Monday, May 02, 2016
Sabriel
by Garth Nix
PRMS hardcover 292 pages
Hennepin County Library audiobook with Tim Curry doing vocal work
genre: YA fantasy
I started this on audiobook, but disc three kept skipping and I couldn't clean it well enough so I just grabbed the book off my shelf.
This is old-school fantasy, with magic, necromancers, and an evil creeping over the land. Sabriel is eighteen and she can travel into Death. She inherits her father's bells and bandolier (and super cool sword), but that means he's in trouble. She travels into the Old Kingdom to find his body to try to reunite his spirit with it. I'm still not sure if I liked this book or not . . . I am glad I read it and I am curious to read the next book, but I am so short on time!
PRMS hardcover 292 pages
Hennepin County Library audiobook with Tim Curry doing vocal work
genre: YA fantasy
I started this on audiobook, but disc three kept skipping and I couldn't clean it well enough so I just grabbed the book off my shelf.
This is old-school fantasy, with magic, necromancers, and an evil creeping over the land. Sabriel is eighteen and she can travel into Death. She inherits her father's bells and bandolier (and super cool sword), but that means he's in trouble. She travels into the Old Kingdom to find his body to try to reunite his spirit with it. I'm still not sure if I liked this book or not . . . I am glad I read it and I am curious to read the next book, but I am so short on time!
Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry
PRMS hardcover 137
genre: YA historical fiction
I had to re-read this because it has been two or three DECADES since I last picked it up. A student of mine is playing Annemarie at Stages Theatre this month. It is such a short little book, but covers the changes in Denmark at the start of WWII. The occupation by German soldiers, the scarcity of foodstuffs, the dangers for the Jews, . . . Annemarie and her best friend Ellen are affected by it all.
little sister Kirsti, dead older sister Lise, Lise's fiance Peter, Uncle Henrik, . . . the fishing boats, Norway.
I'm kind of curious to do some research on the Danish resistance, but lack the time.
Now that it's refreshed in my memory, I need to get tickets to see the show!
PRMS hardcover 137
genre: YA historical fiction
I had to re-read this because it has been two or three DECADES since I last picked it up. A student of mine is playing Annemarie at Stages Theatre this month. It is such a short little book, but covers the changes in Denmark at the start of WWII. The occupation by German soldiers, the scarcity of foodstuffs, the dangers for the Jews, . . . Annemarie and her best friend Ellen are affected by it all.
little sister Kirsti, dead older sister Lise, Lise's fiance Peter, Uncle Henrik, . . . the fishing boats, Norway.
I'm kind of curious to do some research on the Danish resistance, but lack the time.
Now that it's refreshed in my memory, I need to get tickets to see the show!
Stars Over Sunset Boulevard
by Susan Meissner
Hennepin County Library paperback 352 pages
genre: historical fiction
I read this over a week ago and book club discussed it exactly a week ago. Upshot? Not Meissner's best, but pleasant enough. The modern-day frame story was not very effective or purposeful; it's just a Meissner technique that actually distracts in this book.
Violet Mayfield heads to Hollywood in 1938 after "her dream of becoming a wife and mother falls apart." She gets a job as a secretary, meets and moves in with Audrey Duvall (almost a decade older, far more glamorous and worldly, but also a secretary). The two women share their stories and lives bit by bit until jealousy and lies wreak havoc. It's a bit overwrought.
There was definitely a theme of being wanted. "It's intoxicating to be treated like you're a rare gem. There's no other feeling in the world like it." (page 14) When Audrey is talking about what Selznick did to get Clark Gable to play Rhett in Gone with the Wind, she says, "Can you imagine being wanted that way? Can you imagine what that must feel like?"
There were two places where I wondered if proofreaders exist any more. Page 132 has "Audrey watched Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara continue her search for Dr. Meade. She imagined herself in the drab . . . " (Shouldn't it be "continued"?) And on page 276, "Why are you are here?" (Verbatim. Read it aloud.)
Page 252 resonated very strongly for me. Violet is parenting little Lainie solo AND caring for her mother-in-law while Bert is off in the military. Her resentment toward her m-i-l . . . yeah. I get that.
On page 322 (and in other spots), I was struck by the strong bond of friendship between these two women. That made Violet's pettiness seem even more pointless.
I loved this! "'That hat is the color of envy and greed,' Violet murmured. 'Not always. Not today.' Audrey took her hand in a gesture of solidarity. 'Today green is the color of life springing up out of the earth, Violet. Today it's the color of new beginnings.'"
In the reader's guide and Q and A with the author, I was disappointed in Meissner's comment that fear and love are closely intertwined. I don't agree. I was also surprised that the title of the book didn't seem nearly as significant as something about the nightingale would have been. The book was less Christian that her previous books . . . and Jodi pointed out that she's with a different publisher now. I hope this is not a sign of the "new" Meissner. I like her older books better!
Hennepin County Library paperback 352 pages
genre: historical fiction
I read this over a week ago and book club discussed it exactly a week ago. Upshot? Not Meissner's best, but pleasant enough. The modern-day frame story was not very effective or purposeful; it's just a Meissner technique that actually distracts in this book.
Violet Mayfield heads to Hollywood in 1938 after "her dream of becoming a wife and mother falls apart." She gets a job as a secretary, meets and moves in with Audrey Duvall (almost a decade older, far more glamorous and worldly, but also a secretary). The two women share their stories and lives bit by bit until jealousy and lies wreak havoc. It's a bit overwrought.
There was definitely a theme of being wanted. "It's intoxicating to be treated like you're a rare gem. There's no other feeling in the world like it." (page 14) When Audrey is talking about what Selznick did to get Clark Gable to play Rhett in Gone with the Wind, she says, "Can you imagine being wanted that way? Can you imagine what that must feel like?"
There were two places where I wondered if proofreaders exist any more. Page 132 has "Audrey watched Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara continue her search for Dr. Meade. She imagined herself in the drab . . . " (Shouldn't it be "continued"?) And on page 276, "Why are you are here?" (Verbatim. Read it aloud.)
Page 252 resonated very strongly for me. Violet is parenting little Lainie solo AND caring for her mother-in-law while Bert is off in the military. Her resentment toward her m-i-l . . . yeah. I get that.
On page 322 (and in other spots), I was struck by the strong bond of friendship between these two women. That made Violet's pettiness seem even more pointless.
I loved this! "'That hat is the color of envy and greed,' Violet murmured. 'Not always. Not today.' Audrey took her hand in a gesture of solidarity. 'Today green is the color of life springing up out of the earth, Violet. Today it's the color of new beginnings.'"
In the reader's guide and Q and A with the author, I was disappointed in Meissner's comment that fear and love are closely intertwined. I don't agree. I was also surprised that the title of the book didn't seem nearly as significant as something about the nightingale would have been. The book was less Christian that her previous books . . . and Jodi pointed out that she's with a different publisher now. I hope this is not a sign of the "new" Meissner. I like her older books better!
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