by Ben Hatke
Hennepin County Library paperback 205 pages
genre: YA graphic novel fantasy
I loved this one! A jack-in-the-beanstalk story that includes a sister with autism and killer plants, I would definitely recommend this for middle school readers. Love it!
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
by Brene' Brown
Amazon purchase, paperback, 130 pages
genre: non-fiction, wholeheartedness
This wasn't quite what I expected, but there were some interesting observations. Brown is a researcher and down-to-earth person who started studying the areas of guilt and shame, but turned to wholeheartedness as she interviewed more and more people and saw some interesting connections.
Although I underlined a lot, I want to give it to someone else for whom I think it will resonate more than it did for me. I just want to record her "guideposts" here.
1 - Cultivating Authenticity (Letting go of what people think)
2 - Cultivating Self-Compassion (Letting go of perfectionism)
3 - Cultivating a Resilient Spirit (Letting go of numbing and powerlessness)
4 - Cultivating Gratitude and Joy (Letting go of scarcity and fear of the dark)
5 - Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith (Letting go of the need for certainty)
6 - Cultivating Creativity (Letting go of comparison)
7 - Cultivating Play and Rest (Letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth)
8 - Cultivating Calm and Stillness (Letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle)
9 - Cultivating Meaningful Work (Letting go of self-doubt and "supposed to")
10 - Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance (Letting go of being cool and "always in control")
One part I marked is page 90 - "I also learned that it's not always the scientists who struggle with faith and the religious who fully embrace uncertainty. Many forms of fundamentalism and extremism are about choosing certainty over faith." As a Christian, I am okay with "not knowing" all the answers . . . yet at the same time, there are things about life that I am extremely confident in because of my faith in God.
I like her guideposts, but this was not a book that resonated deeply for me. I feel as though I'm in a different place in my life right now . . . and this might have been more helpful a decade ago. I had also thought that it was a Christian book, and though she talks about spirituality and prayer, it's not quite what I had expected.
Amazon purchase, paperback, 130 pages
genre: non-fiction, wholeheartedness
This wasn't quite what I expected, but there were some interesting observations. Brown is a researcher and down-to-earth person who started studying the areas of guilt and shame, but turned to wholeheartedness as she interviewed more and more people and saw some interesting connections.
Although I underlined a lot, I want to give it to someone else for whom I think it will resonate more than it did for me. I just want to record her "guideposts" here.
1 - Cultivating Authenticity (Letting go of what people think)
2 - Cultivating Self-Compassion (Letting go of perfectionism)
3 - Cultivating a Resilient Spirit (Letting go of numbing and powerlessness)
4 - Cultivating Gratitude and Joy (Letting go of scarcity and fear of the dark)
5 - Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith (Letting go of the need for certainty)
6 - Cultivating Creativity (Letting go of comparison)
7 - Cultivating Play and Rest (Letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth)
8 - Cultivating Calm and Stillness (Letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle)
9 - Cultivating Meaningful Work (Letting go of self-doubt and "supposed to")
10 - Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance (Letting go of being cool and "always in control")
One part I marked is page 90 - "I also learned that it's not always the scientists who struggle with faith and the religious who fully embrace uncertainty. Many forms of fundamentalism and extremism are about choosing certainty over faith." As a Christian, I am okay with "not knowing" all the answers . . . yet at the same time, there are things about life that I am extremely confident in because of my faith in God.
I like her guideposts, but this was not a book that resonated deeply for me. I feel as though I'm in a different place in my life right now . . . and this might have been more helpful a decade ago. I had also thought that it was a Christian book, and though she talks about spirituality and prayer, it's not quite what I had expected.
Prez: Corndog-in-Chief (volume 1)
by Mark Russell (and others)
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: YA graphic novel
I'm so glad I read the "old" Prez and this new version together! Again, what a commentary on politics and modern society. An election via Twitter, the youth vote, crooked politicians . . . and we end up with a teenage president. Health care is only for the wealthy, violence and racism are rampant, and the new president just wants to make the world a better place.
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: YA graphic novel
I'm so glad I read the "old" Prez and this new version together! Again, what a commentary on politics and modern society. An election via Twitter, the youth vote, crooked politicians . . . and we end up with a teenage president. Health care is only for the wealthy, violence and racism are rampant, and the new president just wants to make the world a better place.
Prez: The First Teen President
by Joe Simon (and others)
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: graphic novel
I got this when the "new" Prez comic showed up on my summer reading list. This is a product of the 1970s, but very interesting. It reminds me of reading MAD magazine back in the 70s . . . Boss Smiley and others help to make some pointed observations about crooked politicians. The additional Prez stories at the end definitely highlighted other peoples' opinions and styles. The one by Ed Brubaker and Eric Shanower was especially harsh, filled with F-bombs and nudity.
I'm glad I read it, especially along with the new Prez.
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: graphic novel
I got this when the "new" Prez comic showed up on my summer reading list. This is a product of the 1970s, but very interesting. It reminds me of reading MAD magazine back in the 70s . . . Boss Smiley and others help to make some pointed observations about crooked politicians. The additional Prez stories at the end definitely highlighted other peoples' opinions and styles. The one by Ed Brubaker and Eric Shanower was especially harsh, filled with F-bombs and nudity.
I'm glad I read it, especially along with the new Prez.
Monday, May 08, 2017
Power Up
by Kate Leth and Matt Cummings
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: YA superhero graphic novel
Although I like the idea of "alternative" superheroes, this one didn't work for me. I think my readers would love it, and I'd definitely buy it for the collection if I had money. I didn't really understand the scene where they got their powers. I should probably re-read it, but I'd rather not.
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: YA superhero graphic novel
Although I like the idea of "alternative" superheroes, this one didn't work for me. I think my readers would love it, and I'd definitely buy it for the collection if I had money. I didn't really understand the scene where they got their powers. I should probably re-read it, but I'd rather not.
Princess Princess Ever After
by Katie O'Neill
Hennepin County paperback
genre: YA graphic novel
Superficial story with an odd mix of really young (geared to early elementary?) and mature. Fairy tale with Amira (captain / warrior princess) and Sadie (girly princess, relegated to a tower a la Rapunzel by her evil sister, who calls Sadie a "fat silly crybaby."
I think the author is trying to do too much without going deep - body identity, fat shaming, parental manipulation, feminism, LGBTQ, gender roles (Prince ??? I forgot the derogatory nickname for him, doesn't like his lot in life either) . . . The artwork is lovely, but this one just didn't do much for me.
Hennepin County paperback
genre: YA graphic novel
Superficial story with an odd mix of really young (geared to early elementary?) and mature. Fairy tale with Amira (captain / warrior princess) and Sadie (girly princess, relegated to a tower a la Rapunzel by her evil sister, who calls Sadie a "fat silly crybaby."
I think the author is trying to do too much without going deep - body identity, fat shaming, parental manipulation, feminism, LGBTQ, gender roles (Prince ??? I forgot the derogatory nickname for him, doesn't like his lot in life either) . . . The artwork is lovely, but this one just didn't do much for me.
Saving Amelie
By Cathy Gohlke
Hennepin County Library paperback 429 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Since I was only halfway done with this when my book club discussed it, I missed out on a lot of meaning. Then I've had to force myself to finish reading it. Set during WWII, this book takes a look at the eugenics programs at the time. Main character Rachel Kramer was adopted as an infant and raised in the United States.
If you want a summary - visit Amazon. I don't think I can do a good job with this blog entry.
Pages that stood out and I put post-its on:
117 - "Even with the Nazis' heavy censoring, enough came through to New York that it should have infuriated the country. Where was his 'Christian nation,' anyway? Weren't they supposed to help the oppressed and needy?" I cannot imagine what it was like for people in 1939 in America . . . or why so many of us aren't outraged at current-day atrocities around the globe. It makes me sad and curious about humanity.
136 - "She lifted her head. But it's not the end. No, I have the children's choir and I have Oma, and I will hold this day." Lea amazes me with her courage and strength! I need to work on having this kind of deep faith and hope. It's so hard when you're feeling discouraged by things in life.
138 - Lea feels as though things are going *too* well and something is wrong. Her grandmother is an encourager! "Joy is the gift of God, and you are His child. He loves you so."
163 - I love the inclusion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the story. "But we've come to practice cheap grace - grace that appears as a godly form but costs us nothing - and that is an abomination, a stench in the nostrils of God!" I have started reading a book about Bonhoeffer, but would like to read the book he wrote on grace sometime . . .
208 - "It was dangerous to be an individual in the Reich today - dangerous to be committed to or allied with anyone but Hitler and the Nazi Party. And that made aligning yourself with the radical Jesus dangerous." This made me think of the song "Rabble-rousing radical man" . . . I love thinking of Jesus this way. The radical Jesus is someone my mom would have loved! (And perhaps she got to know him before the end of her physical life.)
301 - I just love the language here: "So much craziness, so many lies to sort out, and all of them woven, like plaits, into her mind." Sometimes lately, I wonder how much my thinking can change. So much of what's in my head is in how I was raised. (In addition to nature and nurture, aging and conscious choices shape us.)
303 - "Such a vast network to keep straight and so many lives at stake - Curate Bauer spent more time than ever on his knees." Prayer is so important! I should be spending more time praying, not less, when I feel busy and stressed out!
401 - "Amelie sighed. It was happiness to be loved and wanted." Yes.
Hennepin County Library paperback 429 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Since I was only halfway done with this when my book club discussed it, I missed out on a lot of meaning. Then I've had to force myself to finish reading it. Set during WWII, this book takes a look at the eugenics programs at the time. Main character Rachel Kramer was adopted as an infant and raised in the United States.
If you want a summary - visit Amazon. I don't think I can do a good job with this blog entry.
Pages that stood out and I put post-its on:
117 - "Even with the Nazis' heavy censoring, enough came through to New York that it should have infuriated the country. Where was his 'Christian nation,' anyway? Weren't they supposed to help the oppressed and needy?" I cannot imagine what it was like for people in 1939 in America . . . or why so many of us aren't outraged at current-day atrocities around the globe. It makes me sad and curious about humanity.
136 - "She lifted her head. But it's not the end. No, I have the children's choir and I have Oma, and I will hold this day." Lea amazes me with her courage and strength! I need to work on having this kind of deep faith and hope. It's so hard when you're feeling discouraged by things in life.
138 - Lea feels as though things are going *too* well and something is wrong. Her grandmother is an encourager! "Joy is the gift of God, and you are His child. He loves you so."
163 - I love the inclusion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the story. "But we've come to practice cheap grace - grace that appears as a godly form but costs us nothing - and that is an abomination, a stench in the nostrils of God!" I have started reading a book about Bonhoeffer, but would like to read the book he wrote on grace sometime . . .
208 - "It was dangerous to be an individual in the Reich today - dangerous to be committed to or allied with anyone but Hitler and the Nazi Party. And that made aligning yourself with the radical Jesus dangerous." This made me think of the song "Rabble-rousing radical man" . . . I love thinking of Jesus this way. The radical Jesus is someone my mom would have loved! (And perhaps she got to know him before the end of her physical life.)
301 - I just love the language here: "So much craziness, so many lies to sort out, and all of them woven, like plaits, into her mind." Sometimes lately, I wonder how much my thinking can change. So much of what's in my head is in how I was raised. (In addition to nature and nurture, aging and conscious choices shape us.)
303 - "Such a vast network to keep straight and so many lives at stake - Curate Bauer spent more time than ever on his knees." Prayer is so important! I should be spending more time praying, not less, when I feel busy and stressed out!
401 - "Amelie sighed. It was happiness to be loved and wanted." Yes.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
by Jacqueline Kelly
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by Natalie Ross
genre: YA historical fiction
I "read" this a few weeks ago, so these are just random notes and memories of the book.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by Natalie Ross
genre: YA historical fiction
I "read" this a few weeks ago, so these are just random notes and memories of the book.
- set in 1899 . . . hard for most of my students to relate to
- Origin of Species / library - oh! I hate it when the librarians are nasty. I understand that there are people like that (especially more than one hundred years ago, but still - yuk!) I agree with Callie's comment "Some people aren't fit to be librarians!"
- "wind machine" - a kerosene powered fan! Crazy - I never knew such a thing existed!
- "princely pecans" - I like that! (And I love pecan pies . . . )
- I had to re-listen to the CD a few times to get this down: ". . . a carved whale's tooth etched with a bosomy lady not exactly contained by her corset." (One of Callie's observations when she's allowed into Grandfather's library.)
- Grandpa telling her about the Civil War - powerful
- LOL on alcohol test!!! I love grandpa!
- mom's attitude toward living in same house with father-in-law . . . yeah. I can relate.
- grandpa - importance of "husbanding" one's time and spending it on worthy pursuits. Didn't learn this until he was age 50 . . . wisdom comes with age . . . again, I can relate. I want to spend my time on worthwhile pursuits also.
- Kids - Harry (17), Sam Houston (15?), Lamar (13?), Calpurnia (12), Travis (10, tender-hearted, has cats), Saul Ross (8), Jim Bowie (5, "JB")
- Her moment of revelation when talking to Lula - "I want to go to the university." Powerful! (Much different than her parents giving her "The Science of Housewifery" as a Christmas gift.) A feminist 12-year-old in 1899 . . . interesting!
- *loved* when Callie Vee truly realized Viola's meaning in her life! "Viola never lied to me." / Hugged her "tiny bird bones" - "It was interesting that such a slight frame could contain so large a person."
Thursday, May 04, 2017
Love 2.0: How our supreme emotion affects everything we feel, think, do, and become
by Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D.
Hennepin library, hardcover 195 pages plus notes
genre: non-fiction, psychology
I got this because it was mentioned in another book I am reading. It sounded interesting, but I won't read it. It's due back to the library today with a waiting list of other readers. My quick-look was enough for me . . . if you don't believe in Jesus Christ, this book might be awesome for you. Love is a powerful experience and Fredrickson defines it and talks about its power in our lives.
Here's the table of contents:
Part I. The Vision
1 - Love, Our Supreme Emotion
2 - What Love Is
3 - Love's Biology
4 - Love's Ripples
Part II. The Guidance
5 - Loving Kindness
6 - Loving Self
7 - Loving Others, in Sickness and in Health
8 - Loving Without Borders
9 - A Closing Loving Glance
As a believer in God's ultimate love for all of us, I'll stick with reading the Bible on this topic. I remember an old boyfriend a long time ago accusing me of being "in love with love." As I struggle with my attitude and negativity, I think I'd rather be guilty of loving love too much! (Though I'm pretty sure he was referring to romanticism . . . )
Hennepin library, hardcover 195 pages plus notes
genre: non-fiction, psychology
I got this because it was mentioned in another book I am reading. It sounded interesting, but I won't read it. It's due back to the library today with a waiting list of other readers. My quick-look was enough for me . . . if you don't believe in Jesus Christ, this book might be awesome for you. Love is a powerful experience and Fredrickson defines it and talks about its power in our lives.
Here's the table of contents:
Part I. The Vision
1 - Love, Our Supreme Emotion
2 - What Love Is
3 - Love's Biology
4 - Love's Ripples
Part II. The Guidance
5 - Loving Kindness
6 - Loving Self
7 - Loving Others, in Sickness and in Health
8 - Loving Without Borders
9 - A Closing Loving Glance
As a believer in God's ultimate love for all of us, I'll stick with reading the Bible on this topic. I remember an old boyfriend a long time ago accusing me of being "in love with love." As I struggle with my attitude and negativity, I think I'd rather be guilty of loving love too much! (Though I'm pretty sure he was referring to romanticism . . . )
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life
by Shauna Niequist
personal copy, paperback 235 pages
genre: NF essays, Christian life
This was recommended by Rachel Culbertson and I ordered a copy for myself from Amazon. Niequist has such a gift for writing! I think I would have *loved* this book as a 30-year-old, but I definitely enjoyed it as a 51-year-old. Some of the essays really impacted me (so I'm scanning two to save and re-read). This is a book to be shared (first with my friend Kim, then with my daughter-in-lay Angela) and given as a gift . . .
page 98 - "One of my deepest secret beliefs is that I am actually not a good person at all, not a talented or helpful person in any way, and that someday everyone will find out . . . " I've been struggling lately with feelings of inadequacy (at work and as a human being) and her experience resonated with me.
page 134 - her sentiments on writing also resonate for me . . . and procrastinating . . . and her final sentence here "After I've been writing for a while, I get sort of sensitive and strange, like a theater kid in high school." I can so relate!
Her essay "Broken Bottles" on pages 139-144 is one that I need to copy, re-read, and keep. It's about a trip she took to Africa and the impact it had on her. What a powerful and personal story!
page 195 - "Writing is about choosing the one narrow thing and following it as far as it will take me, instead of chasing all the snaps and crackles in my head."
"Writing in Pencil" is the other essay that really spoke to me! I think I need to scan and save this one, too. I sure marked it up a lot. I love how Niequist is honest and not a holier-than-thou type of Christian. Clearly, she loves the Lord and her faith is vital to her. But I think her genuine style of writing will resonate, especially with younger people. In the author interview in the back, it sounds as though she's gotten flak for not being spiritual enough . . . but she isn't trying to be someone she's not - she's sharing her joy and struggles and life. Authenticity rings through.
pages 234-5 . . . I want to read this aloud in church. I bookmarked it to ask Pastor Jamie. This is part of her "Cold Tangerines" essay. What a great ending to a wonderful little book!
personal copy, paperback 235 pages
genre: NF essays, Christian life
This was recommended by Rachel Culbertson and I ordered a copy for myself from Amazon. Niequist has such a gift for writing! I think I would have *loved* this book as a 30-year-old, but I definitely enjoyed it as a 51-year-old. Some of the essays really impacted me (so I'm scanning two to save and re-read). This is a book to be shared (first with my friend Kim, then with my daughter-in-lay Angela) and given as a gift . . .
page 98 - "One of my deepest secret beliefs is that I am actually not a good person at all, not a talented or helpful person in any way, and that someday everyone will find out . . . " I've been struggling lately with feelings of inadequacy (at work and as a human being) and her experience resonated with me.
page 134 - her sentiments on writing also resonate for me . . . and procrastinating . . . and her final sentence here "After I've been writing for a while, I get sort of sensitive and strange, like a theater kid in high school." I can so relate!
Her essay "Broken Bottles" on pages 139-144 is one that I need to copy, re-read, and keep. It's about a trip she took to Africa and the impact it had on her. What a powerful and personal story!
page 195 - "Writing is about choosing the one narrow thing and following it as far as it will take me, instead of chasing all the snaps and crackles in my head."
"Writing in Pencil" is the other essay that really spoke to me! I think I need to scan and save this one, too. I sure marked it up a lot. I love how Niequist is honest and not a holier-than-thou type of Christian. Clearly, she loves the Lord and her faith is vital to her. But I think her genuine style of writing will resonate, especially with younger people. In the author interview in the back, it sounds as though she's gotten flak for not being spiritual enough . . . but she isn't trying to be someone she's not - she's sharing her joy and struggles and life. Authenticity rings through.
pages 234-5 . . . I want to read this aloud in church. I bookmarked it to ask Pastor Jamie. This is part of her "Cold Tangerines" essay. What a great ending to a wonderful little book!
Monday, April 17, 2017
Tetris: The Games People Play
by Box Brown
Hennepin County Library paperback 253 pages
genre: YA graphic novel non-fiction
I had not heard of Box Brown before this title started showing up on recommendation lists (and he's an author at next month's Teen Lit Con). I am not a huge fan of his art style, but I found the story very interesting. It was hard to keep all the "players" straight, but the Russian who truly created Tetris (Alexey Pajitnov) was definitely my favorite. His love of games, logic, and desire to share something cool he had made was the best!
The larger history of games and humanity didn't engage me as much . . . but there was definitely some interesting history from the Ancient Egyptians to the start of the Nintendo company (trading cards, then video games). I'm not sure if I would buy this for a middle school collection - the non-fiction aspect is harder for me to "sell" to my readers - but they would be drawn to the video game theme.
Hennepin County Library paperback 253 pages
genre: YA graphic novel non-fiction
I had not heard of Box Brown before this title started showing up on recommendation lists (and he's an author at next month's Teen Lit Con). I am not a huge fan of his art style, but I found the story very interesting. It was hard to keep all the "players" straight, but the Russian who truly created Tetris (Alexey Pajitnov) was definitely my favorite. His love of games, logic, and desire to share something cool he had made was the best!
The larger history of games and humanity didn't engage me as much . . . but there was definitely some interesting history from the Ancient Egyptians to the start of the Nintendo company (trading cards, then video games). I'm not sure if I would buy this for a middle school collection - the non-fiction aspect is harder for me to "sell" to my readers - but they would be drawn to the video game theme.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz
by Michael Bornstein and Debbie Bornstein Holinstat
Hennepin County Library hardcover 318 pages plus pictures and index
genre: autobiographical
This is two days overdue and has a waiting list! I finished it last night and must get it back. I had read a review and am glad I've read it even though I've been too sad lately to read a Holocaust book . . . The author and his daughter did a lot of research and wrote an incredible story. I love that they were able to find other survivors, photos, stories, etc. and were willing to write and share this story! (Though the thought of Mr. Bornstein seeing the photo of himself as a child on a website "disproving" the horrors of the Holocaust appalls me.)
Page 44 - "Hilda! No more risks. No more daring escapes. . . . Hilda, this situation in Poland can't last. You need to stay in Warsaw until the war ends, my sweet daughter. The conflict will be over soon enough." It makes me unbelievably sad to think of how many people thought it would soon be over . . . and yet the suffering, pain, and innocents' deaths just kept happening. What fortitude to not only survive this era, but to keep a positive attitude! I loved how so many of the adults in young Michael's life had a "this too shall pass" / "look forward, not behind" attitude. Wow!
He was born on May 2, 1940 and experienced life in a Nazi-controlled town, then a ghetto, then Auschwitz, then a post-WWII Poland and Germany that largely still hated Jews, then America with no money . . . what an amazing man to share his story and his optimism and faith!
Page 158 - "Heartbreak was starting to feel as natural as hunger and fear to me. I was numb with hurt." This after his mother was sent to a different work camp. I'm so glad his grandma was able to stay with him and protect him! Again, he survived due to many, many unique situations. What a blessing! I'm so glad his daughter worked with him to tell this story.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 318 pages plus pictures and index
genre: autobiographical
This is two days overdue and has a waiting list! I finished it last night and must get it back. I had read a review and am glad I've read it even though I've been too sad lately to read a Holocaust book . . . The author and his daughter did a lot of research and wrote an incredible story. I love that they were able to find other survivors, photos, stories, etc. and were willing to write and share this story! (Though the thought of Mr. Bornstein seeing the photo of himself as a child on a website "disproving" the horrors of the Holocaust appalls me.)
Page 44 - "Hilda! No more risks. No more daring escapes. . . . Hilda, this situation in Poland can't last. You need to stay in Warsaw until the war ends, my sweet daughter. The conflict will be over soon enough." It makes me unbelievably sad to think of how many people thought it would soon be over . . . and yet the suffering, pain, and innocents' deaths just kept happening. What fortitude to not only survive this era, but to keep a positive attitude! I loved how so many of the adults in young Michael's life had a "this too shall pass" / "look forward, not behind" attitude. Wow!
He was born on May 2, 1940 and experienced life in a Nazi-controlled town, then a ghetto, then Auschwitz, then a post-WWII Poland and Germany that largely still hated Jews, then America with no money . . . what an amazing man to share his story and his optimism and faith!
Page 158 - "Heartbreak was starting to feel as natural as hunger and fear to me. I was numb with hurt." This after his mother was sent to a different work camp. I'm so glad his grandma was able to stay with him and protect him! Again, he survived due to many, many unique situations. What a blessing! I'm so glad his daughter worked with him to tell this story.
Every Time a Rainbow Dies
by Rita Williams-Garcia
PRMS hardcover 166 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
I picked up this book because a student really liked another book by Williams-Garcia. (Diamondland, which is nigh impossible to find . . . due to Scholastic using it in a basal reader??? I've *never* had such a hard time finding a book! 64 page novella . . . in a library in Missouri and for over $100 on any book-selling site with used books. Really?!? I'm so tempted to write to the author and ask if she has any extra copies for my kiddo.)
Williams-Garcia wasn't really on my radar until my advisee's reading teacher paraprofessional mentioned the above reponse. The student in question struggles to read and doesn't like it . . . but raved about Diamondland! (The excerpt provided in the Scholastic reader, anyhow.) So I read this book.
And I'm not really sure what to do with it. The jacket blurb says, "Ever since the night he found her battered and raped, in the alley near his home, Thulani has not been able to think about anything but Ysa." This is most definitely a book for more mature readers, but it has grief, family relationships, identity, violence, sexuality, and so much more!
Page 15 - "Spending his days on his rooftop did not make him ignorant of the streets below. He had seen enough to know how to carry himself and was determined to pass without being stopped by cops looking for a suspect." This makes me so sad! For black teenagers, working at (and even being aware of) *not* appearing suspicious is part of "normal" life! Thulani is a wonderful young man, raising pigeons and dealing with the loss of his mother when he was 13. But the author drops this nugget in . . . while he is trying to connect with Ysa, he is also aware of not seeming suspicious.
Page 149 - I was so upset when I read this! (Don't want to put a spoiler here.) The author is brilliant at getting you inside Thulani's head and life so that you care about what he cares about. I am so glad I read this book, but it is definitely not for my "average" middle school reader. I'm not going to remove it from the shelf, but I may need to warn Belle that some of the books are *quite* mature.
PRMS hardcover 166 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
I picked up this book because a student really liked another book by Williams-Garcia. (Diamondland, which is nigh impossible to find . . . due to Scholastic using it in a basal reader??? I've *never* had such a hard time finding a book! 64 page novella . . . in a library in Missouri and for over $100 on any book-selling site with used books. Really?!? I'm so tempted to write to the author and ask if she has any extra copies for my kiddo.)
Williams-Garcia wasn't really on my radar until my advisee's reading teacher paraprofessional mentioned the above reponse. The student in question struggles to read and doesn't like it . . . but raved about Diamondland! (The excerpt provided in the Scholastic reader, anyhow.) So I read this book.
And I'm not really sure what to do with it. The jacket blurb says, "Ever since the night he found her battered and raped, in the alley near his home, Thulani has not been able to think about anything but Ysa." This is most definitely a book for more mature readers, but it has grief, family relationships, identity, violence, sexuality, and so much more!
Page 15 - "Spending his days on his rooftop did not make him ignorant of the streets below. He had seen enough to know how to carry himself and was determined to pass without being stopped by cops looking for a suspect." This makes me so sad! For black teenagers, working at (and even being aware of) *not* appearing suspicious is part of "normal" life! Thulani is a wonderful young man, raising pigeons and dealing with the loss of his mother when he was 13. But the author drops this nugget in . . . while he is trying to connect with Ysa, he is also aware of not seeming suspicious.
Page 149 - I was so upset when I read this! (Don't want to put a spoiler here.) The author is brilliant at getting you inside Thulani's head and life so that you care about what he cares about. I am so glad I read this book, but it is definitely not for my "average" middle school reader. I'm not going to remove it from the shelf, but I may need to warn Belle that some of the books are *quite* mature.
Friday, April 07, 2017
The Cruelest Month
by Louise Penny
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 CDs
read by
genre: mystery fiction
I'm glad this is the third one of her stories I've listened to . . . because had it been the first, I don't think I would have finished it, much less read others. My recommendation to readers who haven't read any Louise Penny "Gamache / Three Pines" books? READ THEM IN ORDER! (I've now read #4, #1, and #3 . . . I do *not* recommend this method.)
A seance on Good Friday . . . not an auspicious start. Mr. Beliveau, the grocer - I predicted the story would "hinge" on him . . . not so much. The Hadley House. Clara - both sensible and sensitive. (I still don't understand Peter's motivations, though we get a bit more of his back story.)
Odile and Giles? Hazel and Madeline? Sophie? Why is April the cruelest month? The weather? Easter? Sometimes I think I miss too much when I listen to the audiobook rather than actually reading the text. (Love the allusion to T.S. Eliot's poem The Cruelest Month . . . but now I have to look it up and re-read it!)
Ugh! Which woman died?! I hate when Penny does this . . . but yes, it builds suspense and makes me think about the characters and events. Brebeuf and the odd phone calls . . . I don't like where this is going.
Author drops clues and leaves the reader hanging! Seance . . . wouldn't have read this author's other books if I'd started with this one.
Gamache - back to the Hadley house. . . really? And why so much personification of the house? It's like another character in the book.
"The near enemy" . . . is one's self. Hmmm. Earlier, the near enemy was one's closest friend.
"Fairies at the end of the garden . . . Oliviet and Gabri - ha! Ruth makes me laugh.
Found this site: http://gamacheseries.com/ to help me spell character names!
Another note from my car: competition (between Hazel and Madeline as well as between Brebeuf and Gamache) is a big theme in this story. I still can't understand how two friends who have been through so much together could turn on one another!
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 CDs
read by
genre: mystery fiction
I'm glad this is the third one of her stories I've listened to . . . because had it been the first, I don't think I would have finished it, much less read others. My recommendation to readers who haven't read any Louise Penny "Gamache / Three Pines" books? READ THEM IN ORDER! (I've now read #4, #1, and #3 . . . I do *not* recommend this method.)
A seance on Good Friday . . . not an auspicious start. Mr. Beliveau, the grocer - I predicted the story would "hinge" on him . . . not so much. The Hadley House. Clara - both sensible and sensitive. (I still don't understand Peter's motivations, though we get a bit more of his back story.)
Odile and Giles? Hazel and Madeline? Sophie? Why is April the cruelest month? The weather? Easter? Sometimes I think I miss too much when I listen to the audiobook rather than actually reading the text. (Love the allusion to T.S. Eliot's poem The Cruelest Month . . . but now I have to look it up and re-read it!)
Ugh! Which woman died?! I hate when Penny does this . . . but yes, it builds suspense and makes me think about the characters and events. Brebeuf and the odd phone calls . . . I don't like where this is going.
Author drops clues and leaves the reader hanging! Seance . . . wouldn't have read this author's other books if I'd started with this one.
Gamache - back to the Hadley house. . . really? And why so much personification of the house? It's like another character in the book.
"The near enemy" . . . is one's self. Hmmm. Earlier, the near enemy was one's closest friend.
"Fairies at the end of the garden . . . Oliviet and Gabri - ha! Ruth makes me laugh.
Found this site: http://gamacheseries.com/ to help me spell character names!
Another note from my car: competition (between Hazel and Madeline as well as between Brebeuf and Gamache) is a big theme in this story. I still can't understand how two friends who have been through so much together could turn on one another!
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
The Silver Star
by Jeannette Walls
Hennepin County Library audiobook 7 discs
read by the author
genre: realistic historical fiction
Oh my! I thought this might be a "lighter" / "easier" book than her memoir or the stories of her grandmother's life . . . not so much. Walls has an amazing gift of storytelling!
Jerry Maddox - yuk! Awful person! He creeps me out! Bank accounts - don't trust him! Good girl, Jean! Get your pay in cash. (Made me think of Financial Peace University. Grin.)
Historic background, opinion vs fact, Maddox is a slimeball! I had such a strong visceral reaction to the story that I had to stop the CD at times. I simply couldn't keep listening!
"There was only one thing to do. I had to kill Jerry Maddox." Uh-oh . . . I know how you feel, but this isn't a great plan.
The trial was awful! Even worse than I was expecting!
Love love love Miss Jarvis providing a safe haven in her classroom for all the "misfits" . . . gathering up the outcasts. She's my kind of teacher!
Loved the emu roundup!
So intense! Maddox / justice / emus home / heard a bear . . .
From Goodreads:
It is 1970 in a small town in California. “Bean” Holladay is twelve and her sister, Liz, is fifteen when their artistic mother, Charlotte, takes off to find herself, leaving her girls enough money to last a month or two. When Bean returns from school one day and sees a police car outside the house, she and Liz decide to take the bus to Virginia, where their widowed Uncle Tinsley lives in the decaying mansion that’s been in Charlotte’s family for generations.
An impetuous optimist, Bean soon discovers who her father was, and hears stories about why their mother left Virginia in the first place. Money is tight, and the sisters start babysitting and doing office work for Jerry Maddox, foreman of the mill in town, who bullies his workers, his tenants, his children, and his wife. Liz is whip-smart--an inventor of word games, reader of Edgar Allan Poe, nonconformist, but when school starts in the fall, it’s Bean who easily adjusts, and Liz who becomes increasingly withdrawn. And then something happens to Liz in the car with Maddox.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 7 discs
read by the author
genre: realistic historical fiction
Oh my! I thought this might be a "lighter" / "easier" book than her memoir or the stories of her grandmother's life . . . not so much. Walls has an amazing gift of storytelling!
Jerry Maddox - yuk! Awful person! He creeps me out! Bank accounts - don't trust him! Good girl, Jean! Get your pay in cash. (Made me think of Financial Peace University. Grin.)
Historic background, opinion vs fact, Maddox is a slimeball! I had such a strong visceral reaction to the story that I had to stop the CD at times. I simply couldn't keep listening!
"There was only one thing to do. I had to kill Jerry Maddox." Uh-oh . . . I know how you feel, but this isn't a great plan.
The trial was awful! Even worse than I was expecting!
Love love love Miss Jarvis providing a safe haven in her classroom for all the "misfits" . . . gathering up the outcasts. She's my kind of teacher!
Loved the emu roundup!
So intense! Maddox / justice / emus home / heard a bear . . .
From Goodreads:
It is 1970 in a small town in California. “Bean” Holladay is twelve and her sister, Liz, is fifteen when their artistic mother, Charlotte, takes off to find herself, leaving her girls enough money to last a month or two. When Bean returns from school one day and sees a police car outside the house, she and Liz decide to take the bus to Virginia, where their widowed Uncle Tinsley lives in the decaying mansion that’s been in Charlotte’s family for generations.
An impetuous optimist, Bean soon discovers who her father was, and hears stories about why their mother left Virginia in the first place. Money is tight, and the sisters start babysitting and doing office work for Jerry Maddox, foreman of the mill in town, who bullies his workers, his tenants, his children, and his wife. Liz is whip-smart--an inventor of word games, reader of Edgar Allan Poe, nonconformist, but when school starts in the fall, it’s Bean who easily adjusts, and Liz who becomes increasingly withdrawn. And then something happens to Liz in the car with Maddox.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Child of the River
by Irma Joubert
Hennepin County Library paperback 388 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
*Atypical review! Filled with spoilers and my own strange notations. I don't feel like blogging at all, but I want to return this book to the library! *
Overall reaction - loved the author's writing style, but was distressed by the story itself. Book club discussion was frustrating - half the table hadn't read the book and just chatted (I would have enjoyed that!) and the other half had read it but we had such different opinions and some of them bordered on political / social . . .
South Africa, mid-1930s through the 1960s. Apartheid rising. Afrikaaners.
Page 107 - I had already suspected, but "knew" that Mr. Fourie was Persomi's dad when I read this.
"Mr. Fourie?" Persomi called.
He stopped and turned, his face a thundercloud.
She looked him in the eye. "Thank you, Mr. Fourie," she said. "You're good to us, even if we can't help you on the farm anymore."
He looked at her steadily.
"Thank you," she said again.
"It's okay," he said and turned to go.
But for a moment, just before he turned his back on her, she thought she saw a strange expression in his eyes.
Page 117 - I loved Beth's witness to Persomi. "Whether you pray or not, He is in control," Beth said. "He will always be there for you." Beth was only a temporary figure, but she helped develop Persomi's narrative.
Page 143 - so sad! "She had prayed, every night during quiet time. Only in the vacation she had sometimes forgotten. God hadn't heard. No God of love would have taken Gerbrand. It couldn't be true."
Page 191 - I enjoyed Persomi's friendship with Renier and kept waiting for it to become more! This page was rich with the teasing of their relationship.
Page 203 - Persomi and Boelie arguing about South Africa and the changing laws . . . again. "For goodness' sake, Persomi, this is not their country! They're visitors, laborers. India is their fatherland! They should go back there." Ugh! I could hear the Donald Trump "America First!" rhetoric all over this! When I mentioned that comparison during book club (knowing I should have kept my mouth shut), I got one of those knowing looks indicating I was so very wrong. How did the people from the Netherlands get to decide that South Africa was *their* country and they had more right to it than the native Africans or the Indians who had come generations earlier? Ugh! How does being white and rich make you more right than everyone else?! This aspect of the book made me want to scream! (I was so very, very glad that Persomi was such an incredible woman.)
Page 255 - Tender beautiful scene between Persomi and Boelie. Kiss, darn it!
Page 272 - Painful! She is completely in love with Boelie but breaks up with him because she believes he is her brother BUT she doesn't tell him the real reason! They're both miserable and heart-broken! Tell the truth! Listen to your heart!
Page 288 - *After* Boelie's wedding to Annabel, Mr. De Vos tells Persomi he doesn't want her to spend any more time with Renier . . . because Mr. De Vos is her dad. Bombshell!!!
Page 293 - "It took hours of research and reading to keep track of the proliferating laws of the new government's apartheid policy." Again, this made me think of Trump and his attempts to remake our country into what he wants it to be . . . scary.
Page 309 - The moment when Persomi finally tells Boelie the truth. "I believed you were my brother." Oh my. This scene was powerfully written.
Page 375 - "In the end it wasn't the town council or the government who hurt my grandfather today - more than he had ever been hurt before, including when my eldest brother died. It was me. I think that's what saddens me most, Persomi." So sad! Poor Yusuf!
Hennepin County Library paperback 388 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
*Atypical review! Filled with spoilers and my own strange notations. I don't feel like blogging at all, but I want to return this book to the library! *
Overall reaction - loved the author's writing style, but was distressed by the story itself. Book club discussion was frustrating - half the table hadn't read the book and just chatted (I would have enjoyed that!) and the other half had read it but we had such different opinions and some of them bordered on political / social . . .
South Africa, mid-1930s through the 1960s. Apartheid rising. Afrikaaners.
Page 107 - I had already suspected, but "knew" that Mr. Fourie was Persomi's dad when I read this.
"Mr. Fourie?" Persomi called.
He stopped and turned, his face a thundercloud.
She looked him in the eye. "Thank you, Mr. Fourie," she said. "You're good to us, even if we can't help you on the farm anymore."
He looked at her steadily.
"Thank you," she said again.
"It's okay," he said and turned to go.
But for a moment, just before he turned his back on her, she thought she saw a strange expression in his eyes.
Page 117 - I loved Beth's witness to Persomi. "Whether you pray or not, He is in control," Beth said. "He will always be there for you." Beth was only a temporary figure, but she helped develop Persomi's narrative.
Page 143 - so sad! "She had prayed, every night during quiet time. Only in the vacation she had sometimes forgotten. God hadn't heard. No God of love would have taken Gerbrand. It couldn't be true."
Page 191 - I enjoyed Persomi's friendship with Renier and kept waiting for it to become more! This page was rich with the teasing of their relationship.
Page 203 - Persomi and Boelie arguing about South Africa and the changing laws . . . again. "For goodness' sake, Persomi, this is not their country! They're visitors, laborers. India is their fatherland! They should go back there." Ugh! I could hear the Donald Trump "America First!" rhetoric all over this! When I mentioned that comparison during book club (knowing I should have kept my mouth shut), I got one of those knowing looks indicating I was so very wrong. How did the people from the Netherlands get to decide that South Africa was *their* country and they had more right to it than the native Africans or the Indians who had come generations earlier? Ugh! How does being white and rich make you more right than everyone else?! This aspect of the book made me want to scream! (I was so very, very glad that Persomi was such an incredible woman.)
Page 255 - Tender beautiful scene between Persomi and Boelie. Kiss, darn it!
Page 272 - Painful! She is completely in love with Boelie but breaks up with him because she believes he is her brother BUT she doesn't tell him the real reason! They're both miserable and heart-broken! Tell the truth! Listen to your heart!
Page 288 - *After* Boelie's wedding to Annabel, Mr. De Vos tells Persomi he doesn't want her to spend any more time with Renier . . . because Mr. De Vos is her dad. Bombshell!!!
Page 293 - "It took hours of research and reading to keep track of the proliferating laws of the new government's apartheid policy." Again, this made me think of Trump and his attempts to remake our country into what he wants it to be . . . scary.
Page 309 - The moment when Persomi finally tells Boelie the truth. "I believed you were my brother." Oh my. This scene was powerfully written.
Page 375 - "In the end it wasn't the town council or the government who hurt my grandfather today - more than he had ever been hurt before, including when my eldest brother died. It was me. I think that's what saddens me most, Persomi." So sad! Poor Yusuf!
Sunday, March 19, 2017
The Bronze Key (Magesterium bk 3)
by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
PRMS hardcover 249 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I didn't like this one as well as the first two. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the scene at the end was disappointing (and of course, now I have to read the next book to see . . . )
Alex Strike
Anastasia Tarquin
romance
spy
betrayal
The summer experience for Aaron staying with Call and his dad was such a contrast with the previous summer when Aaron stayed with Tamara.
The scene where the kids talk to the elementals raised more questions than ever. I'll probably keep reading this series, but I did not enjoy this venture quite as much.
PRMS hardcover 249 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I didn't like this one as well as the first two. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the scene at the end was disappointing (and of course, now I have to read the next book to see . . . )
Alex Strike
Anastasia Tarquin
romance
spy
betrayal
The summer experience for Aaron staying with Call and his dad was such a contrast with the previous summer when Aaron stayed with Tamara.
The scene where the kids talk to the elementals raised more questions than ever. I'll probably keep reading this series, but I did not enjoy this venture quite as much.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
The Copper Gauntlet
by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
PRMS hardcover 284 pages
genre: YA fantasy, magic
Callum assumes the worst when he and his father have a falling out. Call, Aaron, Tamara, and Havoc go out on a self-determined mission but gain Jasper as an unlikely member of their team. Call's ability to communicate with the Chaos-filled humans both scares him and empowers him. A quick, rollicking adventure with a happy ending and notes of caution for what will come next.
PRMS hardcover 284 pages
genre: YA fantasy, magic
Callum assumes the worst when he and his father have a falling out. Call, Aaron, Tamara, and Havoc go out on a self-determined mission but gain Jasper as an unlikely member of their team. Call's ability to communicate with the Chaos-filled humans both scares him and empowers him. A quick, rollicking adventure with a happy ending and notes of caution for what will come next.
The Iron Trial
by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Carver County Library paperback 295 pages
genre: YA fantasy, magic
I enjoyed this far more than I anticipated! Neither of these authors are ones I especially like and the cover looks creepy, but I was pleasantly surprised. Callum "Call" Hunt has grown up with a damaged leg, a pronounced lip, and a sassy mouth. His mother died when he was just an infant and his father has always bad-mouthed the mages and the Magesterium. But when Call is summoned to the Iron Trial and strives to fail the tests, he is accepted by Master Rufus, the same man who trained his parents in the use of magic.
Lots of adventure, mystery, and some lovely coming-of-age moments. Tamara, Aaron, Jasper, Celia, and of course the evil minions and Chaos-ridden creatures all make this an intriguing story. I read book two last night and will have book three done before I go back to school on Monday. When my book club meets to discuss this title, I'll be ready to recommend the rest of the series!
Carver County Library paperback 295 pages
genre: YA fantasy, magic
I enjoyed this far more than I anticipated! Neither of these authors are ones I especially like and the cover looks creepy, but I was pleasantly surprised. Callum "Call" Hunt has grown up with a damaged leg, a pronounced lip, and a sassy mouth. His mother died when he was just an infant and his father has always bad-mouthed the mages and the Magesterium. But when Call is summoned to the Iron Trial and strives to fail the tests, he is accepted by Master Rufus, the same man who trained his parents in the use of magic.
Lots of adventure, mystery, and some lovely coming-of-age moments. Tamara, Aaron, Jasper, Celia, and of course the evil minions and Chaos-ridden creatures all make this an intriguing story. I read book two last night and will have book three done before I go back to school on Monday. When my book club meets to discuss this title, I'll be ready to recommend the rest of the series!
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Leaving Glorytown: One Boy's Struggle Under Castro
by Eduardo F. Calcines
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction memoir, history
Wow! This was so good I'm thinking of buying a personal copy. Calcines tells his personal story from childhood memories prior to the revolution through leaving Cuba at age 14. Powerful, personal narrative from a boy whose family didn't buy in to Castro's revolution. I want to share this with my sister Ann, who visited Cuba in December. I want to share it with Louie's Aunt Cathy and ask her about leaving Cuba. I want to contact the author and thank him for writing this. It's that good!
I will need to see if I can find other things he's written. One of my favorite parts is when his aunt sends a stick of gum from America and he gives half to his little sister who has never tasted gum, then splits the other half with his buddies. It was painful to hear his descriptions of how some of his teachers belittled and ridiculed him for being from a family of dissenters. I loved this book!
From Amazon.com:
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction memoir, history
Wow! This was so good I'm thinking of buying a personal copy. Calcines tells his personal story from childhood memories prior to the revolution through leaving Cuba at age 14. Powerful, personal narrative from a boy whose family didn't buy in to Castro's revolution. I want to share this with my sister Ann, who visited Cuba in December. I want to share it with Louie's Aunt Cathy and ask her about leaving Cuba. I want to contact the author and thank him for writing this. It's that good!
I will need to see if I can find other things he's written. One of my favorite parts is when his aunt sends a stick of gum from America and he gives half to his little sister who has never tasted gum, then splits the other half with his buddies. It was painful to hear his descriptions of how some of his teachers belittled and ridiculed him for being from a family of dissenters. I loved this book!
From Amazon.com:
Eduardo F. Calcines was a child of Fidel
Castro's Cuba; he was just three years old when Castro came to power in
January 1959. After that, everything changed for his family and his
country. When he was ten, his family applied for an exit visa to
emigrate to America and he was ridiculed by his schoolmates and even his
teachers for being a traitor to his country. But even worse, his father
was sent to an agricultural reform camp to do hard labor as punishment
for daring to want to leave Cuba. During the years to come, as he grew
up in Glorytown, a neighborhood in the city of Cienfuegos, Eduardo hoped
with all his might that their exit visa would be granted before he
turned fifteen, the age at which he would be drafted into the army.
In this absorbing memoir, by turns humorous and heartbreaking, Eduardo Calcines recounts his boyhood and chronicles the conditions that led him to wish above all else to leave behind his beloved extended family and his home for a chance at a better future.
I bought the audiobook a while back and shared it with a few people. I re-listened recently and have these notes to add:
In this absorbing memoir, by turns humorous and heartbreaking, Eduardo Calcines recounts his boyhood and chronicles the conditions that led him to wish above all else to leave behind his beloved extended family and his home for a chance at a better future.
I bought the audiobook a while back and shared it with a few people. I re-listened recently and have these notes to add:
- 6110 San Carlos Street in Cienfuegos, Cuba, does not look like his grandparents' home . . . but online maps of Cuba do not have excellent detail. I couldn't find the Hawa(?) Movie House.
- It looks as though he's also written children's books (Rooftop Clubhouse) and is at work on a sequel to this. Titled The Salmon Run, it will deal with his coming of age in America story. I look forward to reading it!
- I would love to find out if he has been able to return to Cuba for a visit.
- His wife's name is Mercy. I love that!
- He is a Christian. I love that even more! It makes me think of the impact his abuelo had on him.
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