by Tammy Swoish
PRMS (book club) paperback 201 pages
genre: YA realistic / paranormal (there's a ghost)
Sami (Samantha) Ames and mom (an author of romance novels) to to Scotland to help cousins save MacKensie Manor. Molly (like a twin to mom) and daughter Fiona (odd duck) are at odds with neighbors the McClintoggs (at least, Fiona is).
Adan McClintogg is a hottie and he takes a shine to Sami. Meanwhile, clans, feuds, ghosts, history, and Medieval living all swirl around young Sami.
Fluffy, not engaging. I'm going to try to keep my mouth shut and let the kids talk about it.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape
by Peggy Orenstein
Hennepin County Library hardcover 236 pages plus endnotes, index, etc.
genre: non-fiction, sexuality
Wow. This was a hard read for me. It made me glad I don't have daughters and wonder how I can make a positive difference in the face of our current culture and "norms" . . . Sigh. It also makes me reflect on my own experiences, attitudes, etc.
This was on our summer reading list, and I would recommend it to parents, counselors, and others who care about teenage girls (and boys!) and their attitudes toward their own bodies. I'm more in the "prude" camp on the issue of girls and sex.
The first part I marked was page 28 - the section on Miley Cyrus and her "twerk" at the 2013 MTV music awards. For girls to see her as a "liberated" hero-type figure makes me sad. Her hypersexualized performances seem more like bondage than liberation to me. For girls to admire her and want to emulate her . . . just makes me sad.
Page 62 - Talking about sex ed . . . she makes some interesting points here. The male anatomy seems more "accessible" somehow. "Even the more comprehensive sex education classes stick with a woman's internal parts - uteri, tubes, ovaries. Those classic diagrams of a woman's reproductive system, the ones shaped like the head of a steer, blur into a gray Y between the legs, as if the vulva and the labia, let alone the clitoris, don't exist. Imagine not clueing a twelve-year-old boy into the existence of his penis! And whereas males' puberty is characterized by ejaculation, masturbation, and the emergence of a near-unstoppable sex drive, females' is defined by . . . periods." I am curious to talk to our personal wellness teacher about this. Girls should have solid information about their own bodies.
Page 77 - "Cashing in the V Card" - wow. Do girls really see virginity as something to get rid of before they go to college? This also makes me sad.
Page 112 - Not sure why I marked this. It's been a busy week.
Page 115 - Ugh. The part on frat houses and degradation of women (and women going along with it!) made me feel physically ill.
Page 181 - More puke-worthy info on sexual assault on college campuses. The Steubenville rape (and the guys' horrid comments, shooting video of it, etc.) are truly horrifying. And people who DEFEND the rapists as "good boys who made a mistake" make me so angry! It's horrible that young women get drunk and cannot stand up for themselves, but it's even more horrible that young men take advantage of them in such hurtful ways. I cannot imagine any of my sons doing this type of thing.
Also, guys commenting that this is "hilarious" scares me. That is so beyond immoral as to seem evil.
Notes I found in my car (added 10/30/16):
pg 185 "Don't tell girls not to drink; tell rapists not to rape."
pg 196 ". . . only perpetrators are responsible for assault, but assertiveness and self-advocacy are crucial defensive skills."
I need to finish pages 201-236 . . . but I'm not going to request the book from the library yet. I'm still trying to play catchup!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 236 pages plus endnotes, index, etc.
genre: non-fiction, sexuality
Wow. This was a hard read for me. It made me glad I don't have daughters and wonder how I can make a positive difference in the face of our current culture and "norms" . . . Sigh. It also makes me reflect on my own experiences, attitudes, etc.
This was on our summer reading list, and I would recommend it to parents, counselors, and others who care about teenage girls (and boys!) and their attitudes toward their own bodies. I'm more in the "prude" camp on the issue of girls and sex.
The first part I marked was page 28 - the section on Miley Cyrus and her "twerk" at the 2013 MTV music awards. For girls to see her as a "liberated" hero-type figure makes me sad. Her hypersexualized performances seem more like bondage than liberation to me. For girls to admire her and want to emulate her . . . just makes me sad.
Page 62 - Talking about sex ed . . . she makes some interesting points here. The male anatomy seems more "accessible" somehow. "Even the more comprehensive sex education classes stick with a woman's internal parts - uteri, tubes, ovaries. Those classic diagrams of a woman's reproductive system, the ones shaped like the head of a steer, blur into a gray Y between the legs, as if the vulva and the labia, let alone the clitoris, don't exist. Imagine not clueing a twelve-year-old boy into the existence of his penis! And whereas males' puberty is characterized by ejaculation, masturbation, and the emergence of a near-unstoppable sex drive, females' is defined by . . . periods." I am curious to talk to our personal wellness teacher about this. Girls should have solid information about their own bodies.
Page 77 - "Cashing in the V Card" - wow. Do girls really see virginity as something to get rid of before they go to college? This also makes me sad.
Page 112 - Not sure why I marked this. It's been a busy week.
Page 115 - Ugh. The part on frat houses and degradation of women (and women going along with it!) made me feel physically ill.
Page 181 - More puke-worthy info on sexual assault on college campuses. The Steubenville rape (and the guys' horrid comments, shooting video of it, etc.) are truly horrifying. And people who DEFEND the rapists as "good boys who made a mistake" make me so angry! It's horrible that young women get drunk and cannot stand up for themselves, but it's even more horrible that young men take advantage of them in such hurtful ways. I cannot imagine any of my sons doing this type of thing.
Also, guys commenting that this is "hilarious" scares me. That is so beyond immoral as to seem evil.
Notes I found in my car (added 10/30/16):
pg 185 "Don't tell girls not to drink; tell rapists not to rape."
pg 196 ". . . only perpetrators are responsible for assault, but assertiveness and self-advocacy are crucial defensive skills."
I need to finish pages 201-236 . . . but I'm not going to request the book from the library yet. I'm still trying to play catchup!
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Choices
by Deborah Lynn Jacobs
PRMS hardcover 189 pages
genre: YA SciFi, alternate universes
Wondered if I should put this in realistic, SciFi, paranormal . . . ? So I brought it home to read it. It was a quick read, but not especially compelling. Kathleen is a straight-laced high school senior. When her brother is killed in a car accident while coming to get her from a New Year's Eve party, she is distraught and finds herself experiencing events from different perspectives. Since it hasn't been checked out by a single student in the nine years it's been in my collection, I think I'll just remove it. Not sure if it was fun or odd that she had so many Wisconsin-specific details . . . pierogies, etc.
PRMS hardcover 189 pages
genre: YA SciFi, alternate universes
Wondered if I should put this in realistic, SciFi, paranormal . . . ? So I brought it home to read it. It was a quick read, but not especially compelling. Kathleen is a straight-laced high school senior. When her brother is killed in a car accident while coming to get her from a New Year's Eve party, she is distraught and finds herself experiencing events from different perspectives. Since it hasn't been checked out by a single student in the nine years it's been in my collection, I think I'll just remove it. Not sure if it was fun or odd that she had so many Wisconsin-specific details . . . pierogies, etc.
Sew What! Bags: 18 Pattern-Free Projects You Can Customize to Meet Your Needs
by Lexie Barnes
Hennepin County Library hardcover 151 pages (incl index)
genre: non-fiction sewing
I didn't read this cover to cover, but I love her writing style, attitude, and designs. I should put this in my Amazon cart and buy it, but I have too much going on right now. I love this book and am eager to make some Christmas gift bags using her designs. Wonderful illustrations, photos, directions!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 151 pages (incl index)
genre: non-fiction sewing
I didn't read this cover to cover, but I love her writing style, attitude, and designs. I should put this in my Amazon cart and buy it, but I have too much going on right now. I love this book and am eager to make some Christmas gift bags using her designs. Wonderful illustrations, photos, directions!
Friday, September 23, 2016
Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential within us all
by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
Hennepin County Library hardcover 256 pages plus endnotes and index
genre: non-fiction motivational
This book was so powerful, I ordered a copy off Amazon. Some of what I read in here resonates with what we're doing at PRMS. Some of it really challenges me to get out of my comfort zone and off my duff!
Stanford d school . . . K-12 education . . . could I do this?
Growth mindset is crucial. It's "a passport to new adventures."
page 54 - losing confidence in creativity as a child. This immediately made me think of a "creativity" "test" given to me in school - elementary or middle school, I don't remember - with a series of circles to draw things. Being told that I wasn't very creative (because I stayed within the circles) . . . very discouraging. Almost a turning point in my life, certainly in how I viewed myself and my abilities.
page 218 - the importance of writing ideas down right away! They can be elusive, like dreams. Jot notes and capture them.
page 220-221 My comment from earlier comes full circle! I wish I knew which teacher in Bloomington convinced me I had just failed a creativity test . . . I'd like to chew them out.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 256 pages plus endnotes and index
genre: non-fiction motivational
This book was so powerful, I ordered a copy off Amazon. Some of what I read in here resonates with what we're doing at PRMS. Some of it really challenges me to get out of my comfort zone and off my duff!
Stanford d school . . . K-12 education . . . could I do this?
Growth mindset is crucial. It's "a passport to new adventures."
page 54 - losing confidence in creativity as a child. This immediately made me think of a "creativity" "test" given to me in school - elementary or middle school, I don't remember - with a series of circles to draw things. Being told that I wasn't very creative (because I stayed within the circles) . . . very discouraging. Almost a turning point in my life, certainly in how I viewed myself and my abilities.
page 218 - the importance of writing ideas down right away! They can be elusive, like dreams. Jot notes and capture them.
page 220-221 My comment from earlier comes full circle! I wish I knew which teacher in Bloomington convinced me I had just failed a creativity test . . . I'd like to chew them out.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
I Hunt Killers
by Barry Lyga
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by Charlie Thurston
genre: YA murder mystery
This book creeped me out more than I anticipated. Jasper Dent is the main character. He was raised by notorious serial killer Billy Dent, who was finally caught and sent to prison after 124(?) victims. Billy's "voice" lives in Jasper's head, as do all the grisly things the boy saw his dad do. So how does a seventeen-year-old with that kind of heritage have a normal life? He doesn't.
Early in the story, I tried to guess the identity of the new killer on the loose in Lobo's Nod(?). I thought The Impressionist was the new deputy, Erickson, or perhaps the odd doctor IDing Billy Dent's MO on television, or the creepy reporter (I almost wanted it to be him), or perhaps Fulton . . . see spoiler alert at the end of this post if you want.
Note - "constant self-recrimination gets old" / As Jasper kept questioning his own motives and potential to do evil as his father did, I got irritated. I was glad when Connie blew up at him. "Stop the pity party!" Amen, sister.
Grandma's evil words were so hard to hear, too. She was a nasty piece of work. I wish Melissa had been able to get Jasper into a different situation.
The scene about Rusty and Jasper's crying . . . that was truly horrifying. I can't believe a boy could grow up into someone as nice and normal as Jasper with that sociopath raising him. The part where Billy is talking about being precise vs accurate was downright eerie. "Dear old dad" was effective in his role!
The narrator did a fantastic job with the voices, making each person distinctive. G William was a good guy. Howie and the tattoos . . . great details, wonderful writing. (Even the self-recriminations that bugged me so much - "Her death was all my fault . . . " that added tension when Jaz was with the dying Ginny (?) Davis. I actually thought he might strangle her to bring an end to her suffering.
I probably won't read book two or three, but this one is intense and now I know what kind of reader to "talk" it to.
In my notes that I jotted, I put "Fulton? Dad grief. (red herring?) . . . yup. Not actually Fulton, whose daughter had been one of Billy's victims, but a serial killer pretending to be Fulton.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by Charlie Thurston
genre: YA murder mystery
This book creeped me out more than I anticipated. Jasper Dent is the main character. He was raised by notorious serial killer Billy Dent, who was finally caught and sent to prison after 124(?) victims. Billy's "voice" lives in Jasper's head, as do all the grisly things the boy saw his dad do. So how does a seventeen-year-old with that kind of heritage have a normal life? He doesn't.
Early in the story, I tried to guess the identity of the new killer on the loose in Lobo's Nod(?). I thought The Impressionist was the new deputy, Erickson, or perhaps the odd doctor IDing Billy Dent's MO on television, or the creepy reporter (I almost wanted it to be him), or perhaps Fulton . . . see spoiler alert at the end of this post if you want.
Note - "constant self-recrimination gets old" / As Jasper kept questioning his own motives and potential to do evil as his father did, I got irritated. I was glad when Connie blew up at him. "Stop the pity party!" Amen, sister.
Grandma's evil words were so hard to hear, too. She was a nasty piece of work. I wish Melissa had been able to get Jasper into a different situation.
The scene about Rusty and Jasper's crying . . . that was truly horrifying. I can't believe a boy could grow up into someone as nice and normal as Jasper with that sociopath raising him. The part where Billy is talking about being precise vs accurate was downright eerie. "Dear old dad" was effective in his role!
The narrator did a fantastic job with the voices, making each person distinctive. G William was a good guy. Howie and the tattoos . . . great details, wonderful writing. (Even the self-recriminations that bugged me so much - "Her death was all my fault . . . " that added tension when Jaz was with the dying Ginny (?) Davis. I actually thought he might strangle her to bring an end to her suffering.
I probably won't read book two or three, but this one is intense and now I know what kind of reader to "talk" it to.
In my notes that I jotted, I put "Fulton? Dad grief. (red herring?) . . . yup. Not actually Fulton, whose daughter had been one of Billy's victims, but a serial killer pretending to be Fulton.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Twenty Letters to a Friend
by Svetlana Alliluyeva
Hennepin County Library hardcover 246 pages
genre: memoir
I was so curious about this book after I read Stalin's Daughter, but now it doesn't interest me. I only read the first letter about her father's death. Perhaps it's the busy-ness of the start of the school year, but I just don't feel as though I have the time to dedicate to reading this right now. I do like the fact that she was able to publish a book and express herself. I cannot imagine having lived such a strange life, with the repressiveness of the Soviet regime (that her own dad created!) and yet the privileges that came with being Stalin's daughter. Perhaps another day I will delve.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 246 pages
genre: memoir
I was so curious about this book after I read Stalin's Daughter, but now it doesn't interest me. I only read the first letter about her father's death. Perhaps it's the busy-ness of the start of the school year, but I just don't feel as though I have the time to dedicate to reading this right now. I do like the fact that she was able to publish a book and express herself. I cannot imagine having lived such a strange life, with the repressiveness of the Soviet regime (that her own dad created!) and yet the privileges that came with being Stalin's daughter. Perhaps another day I will delve.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunny Side Up
by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
PRMS hardcover 216 pages
genre: YA graphic novel realistic fiction
I keep forgetting that the author/illustrator team are siblings and not husband and wife! I love that they took a painful part of their own past (a relative with an addiction) and turned it into an accessible story. Sunny (Sunshine) is ten years old and looking forward to a fun summer. But when her parents send her to Florida to spend the summer with her grandfather, she has an entirely different experience than she expected. Through flashbacks, we learn about events leading up to her trip, with her older brother Dale making bad choices about alcohol, friends, and drugs. This is a very well-told story with believable events and emotions shown all too clearly on Sunny's face.
PRMS hardcover 216 pages
genre: YA graphic novel realistic fiction
I keep forgetting that the author/illustrator team are siblings and not husband and wife! I love that they took a painful part of their own past (a relative with an addiction) and turned it into an accessible story. Sunny (Sunshine) is ten years old and looking forward to a fun summer. But when her parents send her to Florida to spend the summer with her grandfather, she has an entirely different experience than she expected. Through flashbacks, we learn about events leading up to her trip, with her older brother Dale making bad choices about alcohol, friends, and drugs. This is a very well-told story with believable events and emotions shown all too clearly on Sunny's face.
The Books of Magic
by Neil Gaiman (writer)
Illustrated by John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Charles Vess, Paul Johnson
Lettered by Todd Klein
Hennepin County Library hardcover 198 pages
genre: graphic novel
I was curious to read Sandman (a classic, yet I've never read it!) but it wasn't in when I checked out books so I got this. Neil Gaiman is legendary and this work has so much in it - the universe, time, magic and science . . . Yet it didn't resonate for me. I think I would have really enjoyed it as a teenager. At this point in my life, I could appreciate all that went into creating this story of a teen boy - Timothy Hunter - who is approached by four mysterious men (an unnamed man shows him the past, John Constantine introduces him to other magicians, Doctor Occult / Rose shows him the far lands (fairyland), and Mister E shows him the future).
Illustrated by John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Charles Vess, Paul Johnson
Lettered by Todd Klein
Hennepin County Library hardcover 198 pages
genre: graphic novel
I was curious to read Sandman (a classic, yet I've never read it!) but it wasn't in when I checked out books so I got this. Neil Gaiman is legendary and this work has so much in it - the universe, time, magic and science . . . Yet it didn't resonate for me. I think I would have really enjoyed it as a teenager. At this point in my life, I could appreciate all that went into creating this story of a teen boy - Timothy Hunter - who is approached by four mysterious men (an unnamed man shows him the past, John Constantine introduces him to other magicians, Doctor Occult / Rose shows him the far lands (fairyland), and Mister E shows him the future).
Wednesday, September 07, 2016
Kill the Boy Band
by Goldy Moldavsky
Hennepin County Library hardcover 312 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
I read this in July, just found my notes yesterday (9/6/16).
Apple, Isabel, Erin, Narrator (name? not sure. She likes 80s movies, is a good girl, a writer, her dad died, and she has struggled with mental health issues)
Plus:
relevant - I know girls like this mystery / whodunit style
The narrator's use of the word "Bless" in place of swearing . . . at times.
Minus:
LOTS of F-bombs and other ugly language
girls' friendships are so fake / nasty
page 60-1: "Why Did I love the Ruperts?" . . . "Did I love them because . . . " "Did I love them because they were the only boys in my life who consistently told me I was beautiful? Probably." How many girls fall in love with singers because of this experience of feeling valued?
page 63: "The joy you find as a teen, however frivolous and dumb, is pure, and meaningful. It doesn't matter that it might ferment and taste different when you're older. That's the whole point of being a teenager - not worrying about the future."
page 152: Narrator: "You're the one who always said boy bands have a shelf life of two to four years." Erin: "That's my entire teenage life!" I think it can be hard for teens to put things in perspective when they feel so passionately but don't have enough life experience.
page 157 "Those girls outside the hotel could overthrow governments with their passion! They have the potential to do so much more." Erin says this (as she's tearing down her "best" friend.)
What is "stan" and "stanning"? I'll have to look this up. stan
is an avid fan and supporter of a celebrity, franchise, film, or group, often a rock/pop musician.>
page 194 "It made me long for grown-ups in a way I thought I'd grown out of. I wanted an adult to swoop in and help us, take care of everything, clean up our mess and tell us it would be okay."
This book had too breezy a tone for me when it was dealing with obsessions, murder, and back-stabbing friends. It just did not work for this reader.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 312 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
I read this in July, just found my notes yesterday (9/6/16).
Apple, Isabel, Erin, Narrator (name? not sure. She likes 80s movies, is a good girl, a writer, her dad died, and she has struggled with mental health issues)
Plus:
relevant - I know girls like this mystery / whodunit style
The narrator's use of the word "Bless" in place of swearing . . . at times.
Minus:
LOTS of F-bombs and other ugly language
girls' friendships are so fake / nasty
page 60-1: "Why Did I love the Ruperts?" . . . "Did I love them because . . . " "Did I love them because they were the only boys in my life who consistently told me I was beautiful? Probably." How many girls fall in love with singers because of this experience of feeling valued?
page 63: "The joy you find as a teen, however frivolous and dumb, is pure, and meaningful. It doesn't matter that it might ferment and taste different when you're older. That's the whole point of being a teenager - not worrying about the future."
page 152: Narrator: "You're the one who always said boy bands have a shelf life of two to four years." Erin: "That's my entire teenage life!" I think it can be hard for teens to put things in perspective when they feel so passionately but don't have enough life experience.
page 157 "Those girls outside the hotel could overthrow governments with their passion! They have the potential to do so much more." Erin says this (as she's tearing down her "best" friend.)
What is "stan" and "stanning"? I'll have to look this up. stan
is an avid fan and supporter of a celebrity, franchise, film, or group, often a rock/pop musician.>
page 194 "It made me long for grown-ups in a way I thought I'd grown out of. I wanted an adult to swoop in and help us, take care of everything, clean up our mess and tell us it would be okay."
This book had too breezy a tone for me when it was dealing with obsessions, murder, and back-stabbing friends. It just did not work for this reader.
Carry On
by Rainbow Rowell
Hennepin County Library hardcover 517 pages
genre: YA fantasy, relationships
I read this in July, just found my notes yesterday (9/6/16).
Makes me curious to read her Fangirl book. Not what I expected. Very similar to Harry Potter at the start, but I don't think it would appeal to my typical fantasy readers.
The mystery and relationships (Simon Snow, Baz, Penelope, Agatha, the Mage, Ebb, etc.) were engaging. The magic and words / spells connections were interesting.
I liked it a lot, but am worried about my slim budget! I definitely got drawn in to the story.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 517 pages
genre: YA fantasy, relationships
I read this in July, just found my notes yesterday (9/6/16).
Makes me curious to read her Fangirl book. Not what I expected. Very similar to Harry Potter at the start, but I don't think it would appeal to my typical fantasy readers.
The mystery and relationships (Simon Snow, Baz, Penelope, Agatha, the Mage, Ebb, etc.) were engaging. The magic and words / spells connections were interesting.
I liked it a lot, but am worried about my slim budget! I definitely got drawn in to the story.
Dumplin': Go Big or Go Home
by Julie Murphy
Hennepin County Library hardcover 371 pages
genre: YA realistic
Read this in July and made notes. Just found notes yesterday . . .
Plus:
interesting characters (Mitch - sweet, Millie, Bo, Hannah (angry girl) . . . )
Willowdean's connection to Aunt Lucy
Texas stuff - football, pageants . . .
drag queen show / humor
W & E re-friending page 338-9 and *talking* to one another again
Minus:
Willowdean's confidence vs. fear, her treatment of El (Best Friend!), Mitch, mom . . .
page 124 - she has a hot guy totally into her and THAT makes her body-conscious?!
Too much teen angst / I don't really "get" her message about self-esteem and empowerment
Dolly Parton stuff - fun
This just didn't really work for me, but it was okay. I'm trying to think of readers who would enjoy it . . . not sure it would get read much.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 371 pages
genre: YA realistic
Read this in July and made notes. Just found notes yesterday . . .
Plus:
interesting characters (Mitch - sweet, Millie, Bo, Hannah (angry girl) . . . )
Willowdean's connection to Aunt Lucy
Texas stuff - football, pageants . . .
drag queen show / humor
W & E re-friending page 338-9 and *talking* to one another again
Minus:
Willowdean's confidence vs. fear, her treatment of El (Best Friend!), Mitch, mom . . .
page 124 - she has a hot guy totally into her and THAT makes her body-conscious?!
Too much teen angst / I don't really "get" her message about self-esteem and empowerment
Dolly Parton stuff - fun
This just didn't really work for me, but it was okay. I'm trying to think of readers who would enjoy it . . . not sure it would get read much.
Tuesday, September 06, 2016
The Nameless City
by Faith Erin Hicks
PRMS paperback 232 pages
genre: YA fiction graphic novel
I love this!
Wonderful story of Kaidu (Dao boy warrior) and street girl Rat. It's a Nameless City because each conqueror gives it a new name and none of the names are meaningful to the people who live there. Joah, the monk, cares for Rat. There action, friendship, dilemmas, and the wonderful artwork Hicks continues to produce. I can hardly wait for the next book!
PRMS paperback 232 pages
genre: YA fiction graphic novel
I love this!
Wonderful story of Kaidu (Dao boy warrior) and street girl Rat. It's a Nameless City because each conqueror gives it a new name and none of the names are meaningful to the people who live there. Joah, the monk, cares for Rat. There action, friendship, dilemmas, and the wonderful artwork Hicks continues to produce. I can hardly wait for the next book!
Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)
by Sarah Maas
Hennepin County Library paperback 418 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I don't like reading series books out of order! When I read book one in this series, I wasn't super impressed. Then last summer, book three was on a reading list . . . or part of the YAC program . . . or something. So I read book three. Again, I didn't love it, but definitely got drawn into the story. I will have to read book four to find out what happens! (With my luck, it's going to be a ten book series . . . )
I'm not sure why I *still* don't totally love the protagonist, a kick-butt heroine who happens to be an assassin. It is because I'm not sure how to pronounce her name? ("Celaena" . . . "Selena"?) I definitely get drawn into the stories. I put on the car light so I could keep reading on our way up to the lake!
I'm glad that it filled in my gap of what happened with Nehemia, Chaol, Dorian, Asher, and even Sam (I barely remember book one at all.). I have book four on hold at the library!
Hennepin County Library paperback 418 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I don't like reading series books out of order! When I read book one in this series, I wasn't super impressed. Then last summer, book three was on a reading list . . . or part of the YAC program . . . or something. So I read book three. Again, I didn't love it, but definitely got drawn into the story. I will have to read book four to find out what happens! (With my luck, it's going to be a ten book series . . . )
I'm not sure why I *still* don't totally love the protagonist, a kick-butt heroine who happens to be an assassin. It is because I'm not sure how to pronounce her name? ("Celaena" . . . "Selena"?) I definitely get drawn into the stories. I put on the car light so I could keep reading on our way up to the lake!
I'm glad that it filled in my gap of what happened with Nehemia, Chaol, Dorian, Asher, and even Sam (I barely remember book one at all.). I have book four on hold at the library!
There Is a Tribe of Kids
by Lane Smith
Hennepin County Library hardcover picturebook
genre: children's fiction
I think I got this because I saw a mention of collective nouns. There is so much more going on here than that! The text and artwork are beautifully woven into the story of a boy who travels through different groups until he joins the tribe of kids. Lane Smith is so gifted!
Hennepin County Library hardcover picturebook
genre: children's fiction
I think I got this because I saw a mention of collective nouns. There is so much more going on here than that! The text and artwork are beautifully woven into the story of a boy who travels through different groups until he joins the tribe of kids. Lane Smith is so gifted!
A Unicorn Named Sparkle
by Amy Young
Hennepin County Library hardcover picturebook
genre: children's fiction
Lucy sends for a unicorn for only 25 cents, but when Sparkle is delivered, he's not at all what she envisioned.
Fanciful, adorable, also recommended in the Wild Rumpus newsletter.
Hennepin County Library hardcover picturebook
genre: children's fiction
Lucy sends for a unicorn for only 25 cents, but when Sparkle is delivered, he's not at all what she envisioned.
Fanciful, adorable, also recommended in the Wild Rumpus newsletter.
Wolf Camp
by Andrea Zuill
Hennepin County Library picture book hardcover
genre: children's book
This was so cute! Three dogs go to Wolf Camp and learn about being wolves. I want to buy this for my school . . . It was listed in a Wild Rumpus book list of recommended titles. Glad I picked it up!
Hennepin County Library picture book hardcover
genre: children's book
This was so cute! Three dogs go to Wolf Camp and learn about being wolves. I want to buy this for my school . . . It was listed in a Wild Rumpus book list of recommended titles. Glad I picked it up!
The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius
by Kristine Barnett
Hennepin County Library audiobook 9 discs
read by Kathe Mazur
genre: non-fiction, parenting, autism
I loved this and wish I had the time and energy to blog it well. Comments I made while listening:
- focus on gifts and strengths rather than on weak areas to be improved
- "I'm so far out of my comfort zone, I can't even see it from here."
- The reader, Mazur, was fabulous! At the end of the audiobook, there was an interview with Kristine Barnett. Holy cow! She has a really irritating voice.
His amazing brilliance (taking college classes as a nine-year-old, having an IQ over 170, etc.) was fascinating to read about. But more powerful were his mom's observations of her beautiful son becoming withdrawn and uncommunicative, then having therapies constantly until she pulled him from the system and began homeschooling him. With her unorthodox approach and lots of love, Jacob transformed into a wunderkind.
His autism and what she experienced with him led her to begin "Little Lights" and a Youth Sports for Autism. Actually, it was somewhat overwhelming to read about all the things this woman did while raising three sons . . . she's like superwoman!
Hennepin County Library audiobook 9 discs
read by Kathe Mazur
genre: non-fiction, parenting, autism
I loved this and wish I had the time and energy to blog it well. Comments I made while listening:
- focus on gifts and strengths rather than on weak areas to be improved
- "I'm so far out of my comfort zone, I can't even see it from here."
- The reader, Mazur, was fabulous! At the end of the audiobook, there was an interview with Kristine Barnett. Holy cow! She has a really irritating voice.
His amazing brilliance (taking college classes as a nine-year-old, having an IQ over 170, etc.) was fascinating to read about. But more powerful were his mom's observations of her beautiful son becoming withdrawn and uncommunicative, then having therapies constantly until she pulled him from the system and began homeschooling him. With her unorthodox approach and lots of love, Jacob transformed into a wunderkind.
His autism and what she experienced with him led her to begin "Little Lights" and a Youth Sports for Autism. Actually, it was somewhat overwhelming to read about all the things this woman did while raising three sons . . . she's like superwoman!
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