Perfect Chemistry

by Simone Elkeles
Hennepin County library audiobook 8 CDs
genre: teen romance
readers: Roxanne Hernandez & Blas Kisic

Intriguing. I'd say it's a bit too mature for my students, but I already know of one girl who has read it (a copy she borrowed from another of my students). Brittany is the "perfect" blond cheerleader who doesn't let anyone know her real story. Alex (Alejandro) is the tough but gorgeous gang member who's not really as bad as everyone thinks. Naturally, they fall for one another after being assigned as chemistry partners. There was some nice layering in this story and enough conflict to keep it really interesting. I definitely liked Alex's story better than Brittany's. Neither reader had an overwhelmingly wonderful quality, but they weren't total turnoffs, either. Brittany was a bit too whiny for me. Not sure yet if I'll read the other books in the series, but if I do, it will be the print versions!

One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd

by Jim Fergus
Carver County Library paperback 302 pages
genre: historical fiction

Amazing book. Powerful and painful. I have notes, but I'm too tired to check them now. I didn't have the book read before we discussed it, but I'm so glad I've finished it. I had to put it down at times, because I knew it would come to bad parts. Will write more later.

I'm always amazed when a male author so successfully writes from a woman's perspective.

(added 4/5/13 from notes)
 pages 30/31 - letter "from" her father giving permission for May to participate in the Indian bride program . . . interesting how well she knew her father and how to write this deceptive letter

page 54 - Narcissa White is supposed to be an evangelical Christian, but she's just an awful, judgmental woman. I was so thankful for the character of Brother Anthony to counteract her!

pages 58/59 - the buffalo kill, just for the sport of it. Horrible.

pages 74/75 . . . not sure about this note. Perhaps marking my page from when I had to return the book to the library??? I went back and forth between the print & audio versions.

(added 4/27/13 from other notes . . . I have a lot of clutter in my life right now.)

Captain Bourke
Euphemia
Martha
Susan & Meggie Kelly
Chief Little Wolf
Horse Boy
Reverend Hare
Father Anthony

page 163 - Gertie and May talking about what a person needs - safety . . . security . . . love, perhaps.
 Love - that's the easy part. Don't appreciate what you've got until you don't have it.

Page 255 - white vs. Indian philosophy - ". . . the only true hope for the advancement of the savage is to teach him that he must give up this allegiance to the tribe and look toward his own individual welfare." Great paragraph! The irony of what the "civilizing" of the Indians would mean, in becoming more like the whites and less like their own culture is both painful and amazing.

page 273 - Father Anthony - "The People recognize a holy man by his own actions, and the monk's simple faith and self-denial, his fasts and penances are something the Cheyennes well understand . . . "

Page 293 - Father Anthony's codicil - God is not vengeful - "God is full of Grace, Light, and infinite Mercy."

 

<Above posted 3.22.2013. Below added 10.07.2024.> 

Someone whose judgment I trust recommended this book. I got the audiobook via Libby, but when I opened it the message was that I was 100% done. Hmmm. I started to listen to it from the beginning and recalled the story in part. As I continued listening, I realized that I probably blocked the book from my mind because it horrifies me so much. 

Over and over again, the Cheyennes are described as "savages" and "heathens" while the whites are "civilized" and have so much to teach the Indians. Sadly, over and over again, the whites are barbaric in how they treat the Indians. I know it's a work of fiction, but historically white people HAVE violated treaties and been evil toward natives. This book is well written, but just makes me so sad.

May Dodd is our protagonist and the chronicler of her life's experience. She was a wealthy girl who fell in love with a working man (Harry Ames). She and Harry had two children, William and Hortense. Her father (Harry's former employer) had her committed to an asylum for promiscuity and took her children. Her "out" from the asylum (which was like jail's solitary confinement) was to become a "Brides for Indians" participant.

It's interesting to try to search for info on if such a program ever really existed. What mostly shows up are results about Jim Fergus' books. (He has a sequel to this called The Vengeance of Mothers which is told from the Kelly twins' point of view.) One blurb said that these books were based on "what IF" such a program existed? In any case, it's fascinating and horrifying.

Characters and comments:

• Hortense - May's sister / early letters were written to her / namesake for daughter?
• Euphemia - "Phemie" black former slave determined to become the master of her own life /warrior
• Daisy Lovelace - Southerner with little dog Fern Louise / painfully racist, but changed over the book 
• Helen Flight - British birder, talented artist
• Narcissa White
• Captain John G. Bourke
• Martha - sweet little thing / dependent on May
• Gretchen - Swiss, powerful
• Sarah - young, sweet, truly fell in love with her husband
• Kelly sisters - Susie and Meggie
   

 

Once again, I was saddened by the senselessness of the men on the train shooting the gentle grazing buffalo. They didn't want the meat or the hides; they just wanted the "sport" of killing.

Later in the story, I smiled at the observation that the Cheyennes and whites had something in common - the men sit around and talk while the women do all the work!

Jules Seminole was such an awful skunk! I was disgusted by him throughout the entire book and especially at the end when he falsely told the soldiers that Little Wolf's camp was the camp of warlike Sioux. What an awful human being.

 

When Gretchen was arm wrestling and winning, I didn't remember the outcome of her match with Jules and was so scared she'd be abused by him. I loved that she won! I was sad for her that she was disappointed by her husband's choosing whiskey over her. The whiskey was so incredibly destructive and horrible for the tribe.

 

I didn't like the swearing and using the Lord's name in vain. I especially didn't like characters being evil to other humans. I didn't like the Cheyenne being called "Injuns" and worse. 

 

I liked "Dirty Gertie" (alias Jimmy the driver). She was a fascinating character with a unique perspective.

 

The scene where the Crow horse thieves kidnapped a group of the women was so awful! I'm glad Sarah was able to pull a knife on the man who raped her, but sad that she was killed. It was noble of May to protect Pretty Girl.

 

May married Little Wolf, the chief of that tribe. He also had his wife Quiet One and her daughter Pretty Girl, his second wife Feather on Head and her baby, an old crone (his mother?), and Horse Boy living in his tent. Sounds crowded!

 

I'm a little curious to read Fergus' sequel, but I'm also cautious.  While listening to this, I didn't remember how it ended. As it got to the ending, I think I must have blocked it from my mind because it made me so sad.

Narrators were Laura Hicks and Erik Steele.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach their Kids about Money that the Poor and Middle Class Do Not

by Robert Kiyosaki
Hennepin County Library paperback 183 pages
genre: non-fiction financial literacy

I wish I had kept track of the review I read that recommended this book. I wanted to read it as an educator - what is it that kids in less affluent families need to know? But as I read it, I thought about my own life and financial knowledge (or lack thereof). I still would rather follow Jesus, be poor, bless others, and store up my treasures in heaven. But here are some notes I made (before I return this to the library!) and things I'm still pondering:

page 55 - "Because students leave school without financial skills, millions of educated people pursue their profession successfully, but later find themselves struggling financially. They work harder but don't get ahead. What is missing from their education is not how to make money, but how to manage money. It's called financial aptitude - what you do with the money once you make it, how to keep people from taking it from you, how to keep it longer, and how to make that money work hard for you. Most people don't understand cash flow. A person can be highly educated, professionally successful, and financially illiterate. These people often work harder than they need to because they learned how to work hard, but not how to have their money work hard for them."

page 70 - he says that people like me (and most people) are 1. - working for the company, 2 - working for the government (taxes), and 3 - working for the bank (paying mortgage & interest)

page 112 - "Most people never win because they are afraid of losing. That is why I found school so silly. In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. yet if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk. The same is true for learning to ride a bike. I still have scars on my knees, but today I can ride a bike without thinking. The same is true for getting rich." I agree with him on making mistakes - too often, we're looking for students to "get it right" rather than to actually learn . . .

page 134 (back to theme of willingness to lose) "I've said that falling off my bike was part of learning to ride. I remember falling off only made me more determined to learn to ride, not less. I also said that I have never met a golfer who has never lost a ball. For top professional golfers, losing a ball or a tournament provides the inspiration to be better, to practice harder, to study more. That's what makes them better. For winners, losing inspires them. For losers, losing defeats them."

Lots to think about and consider. He readily admits that most taxes are paid in by the poor and middle class . . . for me it brings up thoughts of Leona Helmsley - "taxes are for the little people" or whatever she said. Interesting and sad. But he also says that giving is very important and that he and his wife give a lot of money away. But he basically advocates for making money off investments (real estate, stocks) and not paying taxes to the government.

No Easy Day: the Autobiography of a Navy SEAL

by Mark Owen, with Kevin Maurer
Dakota County Library hardcover 299 pages
genre: memoir

This was our book for school book club. It was apparently very controversial because SEALs are supposed to keep everything they do very hush-hush. The author said he got tired of listening to the president and lots of other people who weren't present at the raid on bin Laden's compound talking about the event (and the media for misreporting lots of info). So he wrote his own book talking about the SEALs and their missions, especially the mission to take out bin Laden.

I didn't enjoy this book. It was somewhat interesting, but I do not get excited about prose that is mostly full of military acronyms and "we got these weapons and got on this chopper and took out this target" language. It's just not the kind of language that an author like Cleave uses. And the whole "take out the target" mentality . . . you're murdering people. And whether or not those murders are justified, it's still murder. And think of the little kids who saw these men come into their home and gun down their father. Do you think they're going to grow up to have any willingness to work with Americans? I'm not just referring to the raid on bin Laden's compound - there were lots and lots of other "missions" with "targets" in Afghanistan, Iran, and other places. I can't wrap my head around the mentality that we (Americans) are doing this all around the globe and justifying it as fighting terrorists. I think many people in other countries see us as the terrorists.

My opinions did NOT go over well at book club  . . . . guess I'm in the minority here.

Gold

by Chris Cleave
Hennepin County Library audiobook, 10 CDs
read by Emilia Fox
genre: realistic fiction

Chris Cleave is an amazing author! Although I like Little Bee more than this story, his writing is powerful and gripping. This tale of personal demons and Olympic glories entranced me. I couldn't completely dislike Zoe as she and Kate battled for supremacy in track cycling. Kate's story broke my heart with her love for Jack, daughter Sophie, and even her love for Zoe as a friend. Even though this was due back at the library three days ago, I *had* to finish it!!! I'll gladly pay the fine.

Fox's vocal work was impeccable! She got Tom's Aussie accent, Jack's Scottish brogue, and the women's lovely accents as well. Fantastic all the way around.

Wonder

by R.J. Palacio
PRMS hardcover 315 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction

I read this more than a week ago . . . and truly enjoyed it. I didn't cry as much as I expected to (based on other people's reviews), but it was definitely moving. August (Auggie) has a seriously deformed face but will be starting fifth grade at Beecher Prep school. His sister is also starting a new school and her life's story is intertwined with that of her little brother. Touching, sad, funny . . . this book is a worthwhile read for people of many ages!

All Things New

by Lynn Austin
Hennepin County Library hardcover 412 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Josephine Weatherly (Jo, Missy Jo, Missy, . . . )

I just can't blog right now. Here's the back of the book: "Josephine Weatherly struggles to pick up the pieces of her life when her family returns to their Virginia plantation. But the realities of life after the war cannot be denied; her home and land are but a shell of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken. Her life of privilege, a long-ago dream. Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival - and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak . . . but a bitter hatred fuels her. Can hope - and a battered faith in God - survive amid the devastation?"

We discussed it on Monday. Good story. 

Playground

by 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson III) and Laura Moser
personal paperback 314 pages
genre: realistic fiction

Leslie Geissler gave this to me as a gift! I already had it in my collection, but had not read it yet. Butterball resents his mother for making him live in a town where he doesn't have his old friends or the entertainment of the city where his dad still lives. This is sure to resonate with kids who feel out-of-place and a bit angry with parents or other authority figures. My favorite part of the story is when he sticks up for his little neighbor kid. I disliked the stupid things he did in his anger.

The Looking Glass Wars

by Frank Beddor
PRMS hardcover 358 pages
genre: fantasy adventure

So many people have raved about this book, but it has taken me the longest time to actually read it! What a strange book - what if Alice in Wonderland were a real person? In this book, Alyss Heart is heir to the throne of Wonderland until her Aunt Redd kills Alyss' parents and seizes control. Filled with imagination, adventure, and lots of vivid characters, this story is only book one in a series. Of course, I like the developing romance between Alyss and new captain of the guard, Dodge Anders.

Clockwork Angel

Infernal Devices - book one
by Cassandra Clare
PRMS paperback 478 pages
genre: paranormal romance, steampunk

This was for eighth grade book club. I had to force myself to read it. Yuk. I really do not like this author's work. Other than the romantic tension between Tessa and Will, there wasn't much for me to like about it. Only one of my eighth graders read the whole thing! She truly enjoyed the story. A few of the girls who usually like this genre said they just couldn't get in to it . . . and some didn't expect to like it and didn't get past chapter one.

Tessa has come to England after the death of her aunt in New York. All she has left is her brother Nate. But there are two sisters who greet her at the docks, saying they were sent by her brother. Soon Tessa is locked up and being "taught" / forced to use her special powers to change into other people.
The Nephilim are angel warriors from Heaven (but with all the attributes of human attitude - these angels have nothing to do with glorifying God) and of them all, Will is stunningly gorgeous and a powerful fighter with a reckless attitude. Jem (James) is his best friend and the only one to whom Will shows gentleness.

One thing I liked were all the references to literature and reading. On page 94, Will says, "I've never seen anyone get so excited over books before. You'd think they were diamonds." It's a nice scene (though their reading tastes are somewhat different from one another's).

One thing that makes me crazy - why point out that vampires have no hearts, no lungs, no need to breathe, and then have the battle scene be full of vampires being cut and bleeding all over! Or they explode or spurt or burst with blood . . . what? That's just a strange mixing of ideas.

Pretty Little Liars

by Sara Shepard
Hennepin County Library hardcover 286 pages
genre: realistic (?) fiction (what I call "mean girls")

What I liked: . . . good question. I really tried to keep an open mind. I think Aria was my favorite character.

What I disliked:  the meanness of the girls' "friendship" - based on lies, coercion, threats, and taunting; the fact that "The Jenna Thing" was never explained; the ugly behaviors (drinking, smoking pot, shoplifting, sleeping around, bulimia, drunk driving, . . . and NO apparent negative repercussions for negative behavior other than the censure of their peers); the shallow and materialistic focus on shopping, name-brands, etc.; . . .

Why I read it at all:  for a few years, I've just said "no" when kids have asked about this series. This year, I've had more requests than ever and lots of disappointment when I said "no." Then I thought perhaps I was being unfairly biased. I'd never actually read one of the books or watched the tv show . . . I ought to at least try. So I got this and was ready to stop at chapter five. What garbage! Then I pondered WHY I hated it so much. After all, I have other books in this collection that include teenage drinking and promiscuity. I have other books I don't "like." So I decided to read through to the end. Yuk. What an awful book! I'm not sure why it's so popular.

A Stolen Life

by Jaycee Lee Dugard
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6 discs
read by the author
genre: memoir

This was SO hard to listen to! I give her kudos for sharing her story and not letting Garrido off the hook for what he did. It just makes me so incredibly sad that ANY child has ever had to endure such terror, loss, and confusion. She tells her story in a childlike voice and with fairly simple, straightforward writing style. I found myself actually hoping that Phillip Garrido has received treatment from fellow inmates in prison that would help him understand a little bit of what he did to an eleven-year-old girl . . . . but I know that I shouldn't think that way.

I also hated that he would read the Bible and put his own sick twist on it. Hearing from "demon angels" and blaming his evil acts on them . . . again, it makes me so angry. I suppose I should have more compassion and forgiveness for someone who is truly messed up. But one cannot overlook the evil he (and his wife Nancy!) inflicted on this courageous young woman.

Science Verse

by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith
Hennepin County hardcover picture book w/ CD
genre: snappy science poetry

These two are so creative and smart! I love their work, but I'm glad I read this from the library before buying it for school. It's an odd mix of too simple & yet too-over-kids'-heads. But I may not be giving my students enough credit. I love the literary allusions. Very clever!

Every Soul a Star

by Wendy Mass
PRMS paperback 322 pages
genre: realistic fiction, relationships, coming of age

Eighth grade book club will discuss this today; glad I finished it last night! I liked the three perspectives - Ally, Bree, and Jack - though I didn't find the girls' scenarios to be very realistic. The author did an amazing job of weaving the astronomy and wonder of science throughout the book. I think our earth science teachers might enjoy this book . . .

Ryan - has changed from Ally's reliable friend to a workout-focused guy looking for "hotties"
Melanie - Bree's positive, energetic little sister who's unconcerned with peer pressure, societal norms, etc.
Kenny - Ally's brainiac little brother who loves bugs
Stella - the little old lady who befriends Jack, then Bree; knits a red scarf

The Unusuals - interesting, yet also a little too New Age-y for me . . .

The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean

by Susan Casey
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 9 discs
read by: Kirsten Potter
genre: non-fiction, science (sort of)

Likes: lots of interesting stories and information, Potter's voice work is great

Dislikes: seemed to be 80% surfing . . . which got really, really old. Info on tsunamis was minimal (and I still question the accuracy of her wave height information in relation to tsunamis).

My dad wants to re-listen to it.

Zita the Spacegirl

by Ben Hatke
PRMS paperback 184 pages
genre: YA graphic novel fantasy adventure

Love it! Already know the kids I'll recommend it to, and looking forward to re-reading it. Hatke's storyline and artwork effectively tell an enchanting tale full of (clean) adventure, drama, and friendship. Wonderful book!

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

by Liz Kessler
CMSE hardcover 209  pages
genre: YA fantasy

Emily finds out she's a mermaid! She has adventures with her new mermaid friend Shona, rescues her mother from the evil Mr. Beeston who has been wiping mom's memory and spying on them for years, rescues her dad from the merpeople prison, and convinces Neptune to change his tune on human / mer love relationships. Perfect for dreamy sixth graders. I won't read the sequels, but at least now I "get" why some kids love them.

Debt Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About

by Kevin Trudeau
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 9 discs
genre: non-fiction financial advice

What I liked:
He pointed out that if you pay your bill in full, any new charges do not accrue interest for thirty days. BUT if you have a balance from one month to the next, any new charges start accruing interest immediately. I hadn't really thought about that . . . all the more reason to pay credit cards off completely!

What I disliked:
- he's a blowhard whose vitriolic speech is NOT helpful
- he read his own book - fine. BUT he paces his reading ineffectively and unprofessionally. You can also hear the rustling of papers in the background. Not a high quality audiobook.
- in the intro, he implies that anyone who is listening to his book doesn't read or can't read . . . insulting. There are commuters who listen to audiobooks while they drive!
- he keeps saying what he's going to tell us about / teach us. It got to the point where I wanted to scream "just say it, then!" Very similar to the last audiobook I tried about financial advice.
- he is terribly unethical, advising people to unload old debts by lying. I cannot imagine trying to get out of paying for things that I charged.
- he doesn't seem to think that consumers need to have any kind of personal responsibility for their choices. It's all about the evil consumer credit industry and the evil government conspiring to screw us out of our money and keep us enslaved . . .

I couldn't even finish disc two. This guy was just too obnoxious. Any good points he might have to offer are lost in his inflammatory language and ineffective communication style.

Bad Island

By Doug Ten Napel
PRMS paperback ? pages
genre: YA fantasy adventure

A family goes on a sailing trip but encounters a huge storm. They end up on a strange island with unusual flora and fauna. The teen son, Reese?, ends up being a pretty cool hero. The whiny daughter carries her dead snake around - nasty. It was a little jarring when the space fight story interrupted the family story, but it all worked out in the end. I really like Napel's work! I will re-read this one, but it's already checked out to an avid graphic novel reader.

Broken for You

by Stephanie Kallos
Mary's paperback 372 pages
genre: realistic fiction

This was a get-under-your-skin book on so many levels! Margaret Hughes is elderly and has a tumor in her brain. Wanda Schulz is by turns an efficient stage manager and a sobbing basket case. Both women have past hurts hidden deeply. The day they break Margaret's wedding china (on purpose), their lives start to change in significant ways. Mosaics, Detective Lorenzini, Michael (aka MJ), Paris, Gus, Susan and Bruce, August (Augie), dreams, Irma, bowling, and of course Troy! What an amazing wonderful challenging book. I had to keep wiping my tears away at the end.

What a Difference a Dog Makes: big lessons on life, love and healing from a small pooch

by Dana Jennings
Hennepin County library audioCDs 3 discs
read by the author
genre: memoir, pets, cancer

Quick read. I mostly liked it. It was irritating when he practically deified dogs . . . they're just dogs, not mystic entities. I liked where he talked about dogs living in the "now" - that's definitely a wonderful trait!

Too distracted right now to write . . . too many people asking me questions and needing things. Tiring day. I appreciate the author's candidness about his prostate cancer and how it affected him. I was surprised that he included so little about his wife in this book.

Canned

by Alex Shearer
PRMS paperback 237 pages
genre: YA mystery

What an odd book. Written by a Brit, I love the language differences - taking things to the "dip" rather than the dump, a grocery trolley rather than cart, . . . Fergal Bamfield is a strange boy. He doesn't really have friends, but he does have a reputation for being clever. When he starts collecting cans (unlabeled, sealed, bargain-bin cans), his parents tolerate it for a while. But when he finds some strange things in a few cans, he doesn't share it with his parents. Or the police. Enter Charlotte, another strange child with a can-collecting hobby.

It will be interesting to hear what my sixth grade book club thinks of this one. I enjoyed it but didn't love it.

The Eleventh Plague

by Jeff Hirsch
Hennepin County library audioCDs 6 discs
read by Dan Bittner
genre: dystopian adventure

Liked: characters and their growth, especially Stephen and Jenny. Loved Violet, Marcus, and Jackson & their family dynamics.

Disliked: more depressing futuristic nihilism (sp?) / lack of explanation of the actual plague and its immediate aftermath / Mr. Tuttle and his 1950s-style of "education" . . . seriously?

The story opens with Stephen and his father burying grandpa, whose strength and discipline have ruled their lives since the Collapse. When Stephen and his father encounter some nasty Slavers, things go from uncertain to downright scary. Entering Settlers Landing is like going into a whole new world.

Bittner's vocal work is quite good, but I think I might have enjoyed this story more if I were reading rather than listening, especially in the suspenseful parts.

The Horse Boy

by Rupert Isaacson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 9 discs
genre: memoir, autism, spiritualism
read by the author

Too tired to blog now. Son has severe autism. Wife is vegetarian Buddhist. Author has excellent accent (British). He seeks healing for his son via shamanism. They travel to Mongolia to visit different shamans. Interesting and thought-provoking.

Just read a review here: http://the-word-of-jeff.blogspot.com/2009/07/horse-boy-book-review.html

1/15/13 note:
One thing that bothered me with this book was how he would use the Lord's name in vain and then be praying to God in the next sentence. Isaacson's theology seems to be a hodge-podge of New Age spiritualism and a dash of anything that may work for him. It was disconcerting to hear him using the Lord's name as a swearword, and then praying to the Lord for his son's healing. Anyhow, this book made me appreciate more than ever how healthy my own children are! It also made me wonder (a lot) about the causes and treatments for autism.

Thunder and Rain

by Charles Martin
Hennepin County Library hardcover 367 pages
genre: Christian fiction, adventure

Tyler Steele is a third generation Texas Ranger who pretty much sees life in black and white. The story of his life is engaging and I enjoyed it for the most part. There was a little too much gun-love, Texas-love, and Ranger-love for me . . . but it was balanced out with a great cast of characters (I love Georgia and Dumps!) and his love for Andie as well as for Samantha created a lot of tension. Brodie and Hope were great kid characters, but Hope's journal often sounded much, much, much too mature and reflective for a ten-year-old.

Grace Kelly: American Princess

By Elizabeth Gillen Surcouf
PRMS withdrawn / hardcover 64 pages
genre: non-fiction biography

This is one of the books I weeded out of the collection at school this fall. It was interesting, but fairly superficial. I enjoyed reading it both out of curiosity and because the photographs are stunning (of Princess Grace and of Monaco). She was a gorgeous woman. I would have liked more details about her life and death. The author doesn't really even explain how her daughter survived the car accident that took Grace's life.

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

by Barry Deutsch
PRMS paperback 139 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, adventure & fantasy

Interesting title, but not destined to become one of my favorites. Tag on the top of the front cover: "Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl." Hmmm. Mirka is likable enough. It is instructive without being overbearing in regard to Jewish customs. The plot just seemed a bit too awkward to me, though.

Slumdog Millionaire

by Vikas Swarup
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 9 discs
read by Christopher Simpson
genre: realistic fiction

This was a re-listen. What an incredible story! Mr. Simpson voices it very effectively. The tale of Ram Mohammed Thomas and his unlikely success winning a billion rupees amazes me in its intricacy and beauty amidst the horrors. In searching online to find out how to spell his unusual name (to satisfy the expectations of three different faith leaders), I'm horrified that his name is different in the movie version. Yet another reason NOT to watch the movie! The story of his name is one of my favorites in this wonderful book of storytelling.

Twisted

by Laurie Halse Anderson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 5 discs
read by Mike Chamberlain
genre: YA coming-of-age

It always surprises me when an author's protagonist of the opposite gender hits the nail on the head. Tyler has transformed from a nobody nerd to a troublemaker with muscles. One dumb act of vandalism has changed his life; hormones and growth do the rest. I just don't feel like blogging now. Good book. Intense. Deals with a LOT of teen topics including suicide (thoughts and attempts), sex, drugs, bullying, family violence, etc. Chamberlain's vocal work was excellent.

Odd Apocalypse

by Dean R. Koontz
Hennepin County Library hardcover 355 pages
genre: paranormal mystery

I was on the waiting list for this for a looooong time so it was gratifying to get it and have time to read it (on the bus to TIES and waiting for a tire rotation). Odd and Annamaria have ended up at Roseland, an impressive estate with something very wrong. As Odd lets his psychic magnetism guide him, the dangers mount on all sides. I love the role Nikola Tesla played in this story. I find it amusing that Alfred Hitchcock is manifesting to Odd in this tale. Koontz has woven many current pop culture references in this story (including Justin Bieber). Delightful story, though I'll probably take a listen to it again when it comes out on audio. I simply adore the vocal work that David Aaron Baker does!

Vampire Knight

by Matsuri Hino
Dakota County Library paperback less than 200 pages
genre: YA manga paranormal romance

Surprisingly, though this one had the creepiest cover, I liked it best of the four I read recently. The school in this story has day classes and night classes (for vampires only, though that's top secret). Two students are members of the disciplinary committee - making sure students don't go in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yuki Cross (who looks shockingly young for so much responsibility) and Zero Kiryu (hot & older, naturally) have a strange mix of attraction and frustration toward one another.

Kitchen Princess

manga by Natsumi Ando & story by Miyuki Kobayashi
Dakota County Library paperback 200ish pages
genre: YA manga romance

I actually kind of liked this one - it's emphasis on food anyhow. Shocker - there are two boys interested in the same girl. The girl looks waaaay too young to be interested in older guys (she's middle school; they seem older teen / early 20s). I liked the drawings of the different desserts and the recipes at the end.

Story basics - Najika is in the Seika Academy and entered in a baking contest. The youngest contestant there, the academy's director points out that she's the daughter of two famous (but dead) pastry chefs. He basically wants to use her for marketing for his school. She's in love with one of the director's sons, but the other son is interested in her too.

Gakuen Alice

by Tachibana Higuchi
Dakota County Library paperback 200ish pages
genre: YA manga, fantasy

Sigh. In this one, best friends Mikan (looks like Alice in Wonderland) and Hotaru are separated when Hotaru goes to a special "Alice" school. Heart-broken, Mikan decides to go find her. Lo and behold, the school is for students with special giftings (called "Alices" - even for the boys). Turns out whiny Mikan has a special talent, too, only she doesn't even know what it is.

At least this one had some suspense and adventure in it, but it still isn't my cup of tea! I'm trying to find something that will meet the needs of my girls who keep asking for The Black Butler (because he's hot, basically, in a graphic sense of the word).

Land of the Blindfolded

by Sakura Tsukuba
Dakota County Library paperback 202 pages
genre: YA manga paranormal romance

"Kanade can sometimes see the future and Arou can always see the past. Even with the chemistry they feel, it's impossible to forecast what will become of their relationship. Adding to the tension, Namiki (a new student who can also see the future) develops a crush on Kanade."

My reactions to this (and other manga of this style):
1. I don't really get it or like it.
2. Why is the female drawn like a little girl and the guys drawn like hot teenagers? That's just creepy.
3. What is it with the female crying like an idiot every two seconds?

Nuff said.

Why I Fight

by J. Adams Oaks
sort of PRMS (long story) paperback 228 pages
genre: realistic fiction (gritty)

Twelve-year-old Wyatt is a neglected kid. When he accidentally burns down his house after being left alone for several days in a row, his uncle takes him out of the shelter where he ended up with "Fever" (his father) and Ma. Uncle Spade is not exactly a wonderful role model or parent figure for Wyatt. This book is well-written but made me sad. Wyatt is uneducated, unloved, and used for his size and strength. Spade has Wyatt train as a bare-fist fighter and lies about his age. Wyatt navigates the confusion of cities, Spade's "lady friends," grandma's strange religious rants, and the neglect of his own parents by zoning out.

Since it has been drawn on and is no longer officially in the collection, I read it to decide whether or not I'd replace it. It's worth replacing, but I'm not sure I will. Not many kids will be able to relate to the kind of life Wyatt is leading.

Cardboard

by Doug TenNapel
PRMS paperback 283 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, fantasy

Loved it! I need to buy the author's book that I don't yet own. Cam's unemployed carpenter dad gives him a cardboard box for his birthday. When the two of them make a cardboard boxer that comes to life, things quickly get out of hand. The evil neighbor Marcus adds much to the story!

Let Love Find You

by Johanna Lindsey
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 8 discs
read by Anne Flosnik
genre: historical romance

I might have enjoyed this story more, but the reader's voice was irritating and over-the-top on the romantic scenes. It ended up being more silly than romantic. I don't really know why I grab romance novels . . . with the exception of Lavyrle Spencer, I usually find the stories hopelessly lacking in good storytelling.

Amanda Locke is on her third season (almost an old maid at age 20!) and Devin Baldwin is the gorgeous, blunt bastard who makes her angry. Yeah, they end up together. No surprises in this genre. I wonder / think . . . would have I enjoyed it more if I had read the text instead of listening to Ms. Flosnik? Yes, but not much.

The Fireman's Wife

by Susan Farren
PRMS hardcover 200 pages
genre: memoir

Caught my eye when I was weeding. Interesting look at the life of a fireman's wife - the challenges, fears, and frustrations as well as the joys and celebrations. A great inside look at the life of firefighters from a spouse's perspective!

It's Not Summer WIthout You

by Jenny Han
PRMS hardcover 277 pages
genre: YA romance, coming-of-age

This story continues with Belly spending her first ever summer at home rather than at Cousins Beach until Jeremiah asks her to help find his brother Conrad. Details (such as what happened on that winter night at the very end of book one when Belly and Conrad take off in the middle of the night) are filled in as the story develops. Flashbacks, two pov (Belly & Jere), and other techniques tell us about Susannah's death, relationships, and grieving. Not great, but good. And now I'm curious to read book three . . .

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip

by Nevin Martell
PRMS hardcover 231 pages
genre: biography

How tough it must have been for the author to write about a living person who wanted to be left alone! The book is lacking in information, but it's not for Martell's lack of effort. He talked to anyone who had anything to say about the reclusive Watterson. At times, I almost felt bad about even reading this book . . . if Watterson wants to stay out of the limelight, why not let him? Like the author, though, I have a strong affinity for Calvin and Hobbes (owning all the books except the $150 complete edition set) and am curious about the man who created such an incredible phenomenon. Throughout the book, Martell injects himself and his struggles into the tale. The interview with Watterson's mother truly was a pinnacle moment - at last, something new and substantive. Overall, not a book I'd recommend to anyone except the most diehard C&H fans.

Ostrich Boys

by Keith Gray
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 5 discs
read by Bruce Mann
genre: YA coming-of-age, grief

What an interesting book! I loved the British and Scottish accents (great vocal work by Mann), the way Blake analyzed what was going on in the wake of his best friend Ross' death, and the journey (physical and emotional) that the boys take. I did not like how much swearing and especially the use of the Lord's name in vain that the dialogue included.

Not sure this title would appeal to my readers, but the humor lightens the sadness of the boys' anger and hurt at the loss of their friend. I liked this story quite a bit. I liked Sim's ability to name different collective nouns. This seems to me a good companion story to Thirteen Reasons Why . . .

Two Destinies

by Elizabeth Musser
Hennepin County Library paperback 450ish pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships

The culmination of the trilogy jumps 20 or so years and picks us up with everyone's lives, adding another dozen or so characters. Just as with the first book, I had to force myself to read it for the first 100 pages or so. Then I enjoyed it thoroughly and was drawn into Ophelie's and Rislene's story. I love how El Amin's encounters with others (except Yassir) turned out. Not loving how Musser drops hints for many, many, many pages before finally telling the story of what she's alluding to . . . (e.g. the terrible tragedy that has saddened Remi & Eliane Cebrian, the back story about Bachir, etc.) It's kind of maddening, but overall this was a good story. I like #2 the best, then this one, then the first one. Glad I'm done with them, though.

Stupid Fast

by Geoff Herbach
PRMS paperback 311 pages
genre: YA coming-of-age

I first encountered this book while trying to help an eighth grader write a character sketch. (A tough task, given he'd only read about 27 pages of the book . . . ) I was intrigued enough by the book to put a copy in my online shopping cart. Then a few days later, I met the author at Bookology! Talking with him (and buying a copy on-site for him to sign), I knew I had to finish reading this book! It's got so many layers to it - grief, cliques, romance, talent, suicide, bullying, family dynamics, communication, . . . it's a wonderful book! The author uses the Lord's name in vain and swearing more than I'd like, but I don't think teenagers will have a problem with that. Felton Reinstein goes from "joke to jock" during the summer between his sophomore and junior years in high school. His best friend is in South America visiting an ailing grandparent. His second-best friend would rather hang out with the debate team. His little brother is a piano prodigy. And his mother is changing. Felton just wants to eat, sleep, and grow hair. Highly recommended book.

Sleeping Freshman Never Lie

by David Lubar
PRMS paperback 279 pages
genre: YA coming-of-age

This was a re-read because I remember loving this book, but not the kind of reader to booktalk it to . . . I loved it again and it is pretty funny. I didn't remember, however, that it is about a really smart kid who dislikes PE. Hmmm. I've been trying to "sell" it to the wrong type of reader. This book is smart, funny, wonderful! Scott is a normal kid who is a bit unsure about starting high school. Of his three best friends, one gets a girlfriend, one moves away, and one becomes an athlete. Scott is wondering where he fits. Great themes - touches on friendship, bullying, suicide, literacy, . . . an English teacher is pretty much the adult hero in the book. Sigh. Right up my alley!

Two Testaments

by Elizabeth Musser
Hennepin County Library paperback 476 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Book two in the trilogy, I enjoyed this one much more than the first. Getting David out of Algeria, Hussein at the orphanage, Ophelie's sweet spirit, the future of the orphanage . . . good story! The funeral (I won't say whose!) was the most gripping part of the book. I could barely read for my tears. Loved it. I'm about 100 pages into book three and struggling to enjoy it (like with book one). Book club discusses #2 & #3 next Monday, so I'd better finish!

Feed

by M.T. Anderson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 5 discs
read by David Aaron Baker
genre: dystopian SciFi

I hated this book. It's a magnificent piece of writing. (And I adore David Aaron Baker's interp! He also does the Odd Thomas books. I think I'll see if I can find books read by him, no matter the topic or author.) One of my colleagues looked at me as though I was crazy when I shared my love-hate for this book. Another colleague nodded in understanding. It reminded me of when I was a teenager reading The Lord of the Flies for the first time. Completely sucked in to the story, talking to the characters, traumatized by the events. Feed is also a powerful story, but I didn't "like" it much.

Set in the not-so-very-distant future, Titus is a typical rich American kid. The moon "sucks" and he's pumped to get his own "up-car." Violet has had a very different upbringing, with parents who resisted getting their own feeds and didn't want her to have the implant, either. When her feed was installed, she was older than most children are and her parents bought a budget model. Not good. Intimately affecting people's brains, tracking their interests, controlling their body's systems, the Feed also floods their minds with advertising.

Awesome, horrible book. I took a look at the print version in my library, but I think the audio brings it to life (especially the sensory overload) so much more effectively. Worth a read!

Added 2/6/14:
I did a re-read (of the print version) to get ready for 8th grade book club. It was a little too coarse for my students - one didn't finish it. I had warned them about the swearing, but this wasn't the right book for the readers! I am still impressed by how thought-provoking this book is . . . how much is already true? Could this happen in the future? I marked a lot of pages!

page 8/9 - "You put the 'supper' back in 'suppuration.' . . . and the subsequent reactions by characters.

39 -  "I missed the feed. I don't know when they first had feeds. Like maybe, fifty or a hundred years ago. Before that, they had to use their hands and their eyes. Computers were all outside the body. . . . . "

This entire page! I should just scan and post it! He goes on to talk about the educational advantages and how everyone is smart because they can look things up right away. ". . . like if you want to know which battles of the Civil War George Washington fought in and shit."

54 - "She asked me, 'Do you know how to read?' I nodded. 'I can read. A little. I kind of protested it in school TM (trademark). On the grounds that the silent 'E' is stupid.' 'This is the language called BASIC,' she said."  Just the issue of literacy and what it means to humanity . . . this book really, really resonates with me!

58 - the way the author intersperses "the feed" with the storyline . . . it's amazing how invasive the feed's messages are in these characters' lives. And it's amazing how much like real life with kids and cell phones this really is.

I honestly haven't figured out the role / purpose of the news briefs on world events (which most of the characters are either unaware of or unconcerned about). Only Violet is paying attention. These are the pages I marked with those scenes:  70, 98, 126, 151, 191 (Titus and Violet talking about it), 214, and 223 (when Titus is finally starting to understand).

80 - Violet and Titus at the mall, trying to skew the statistical analysis of their shopping profiles. It absolutely creeps me out how realistic this is! I hate being "sold to" based on past purchases.

90/91 - commentary on education and no one being willing to pay for it!!! "Now that school TM is run by the corporations, it's pretty brag, because it teaches us how the world can be used, like mainly how to use our feeds."

103 - conversation between Violet and Titus' dad about the trees being cut down to build an oxygen factory . . .

116 - the filet mignon farm . . . I actually found this part kind of funny, but also sad if you look at how a lot of food is mass-produced.

133 - Titus deciding to act *exactly* like his father when he is angry. Kids really do learn from our behavior!

192 - Titus' mind is on other things when the news in his upcar includes ". . . the physical and biological integrity of the earth relies at this point upon the dismantling of American-based corporate entities, whatever the cost."

200 - to me, the most heartbreaking moment in the story. "I deleted everything she had sent me."

211 - on their vacation getaway, the romance doesn't happen because Titus says, "I keep picturing you dead already."

219 - Titus starting to realize that commercialism and materialism aren't getting him anywhere.

221 - Violet's dad sharing his struggle with getting the feed for his daughter.

Paranormalcy

by Kiersten White
PRMS paperback 335 pages
genre: paranormal romance

My 8th grade book club is reading this and our discussion should be lively. So far, I've heard, "This is the worst book ever written!" and "I LOVE this book! It's the best!" Personally, I liked it more than I expected. It's different, quirky. Evelyn (Evie) can see through paranormal creatures' glamours to what is really inside (vampire, werewolf, hag, etc.). She works for the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agreement). Lend is a new creature she's never encountered before. A teenager like her, she is continually drawn to visit him in detainment. Funny, odd, interesting . . . I'm almost curious to read book two. And I'm definitely looking forward to discussing this with my students. BTW, the romance isn't very romantic, but it's still a fun book.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

by Jenny Han
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6 discs
read by Jessica Almasy
genre: realistic fiction, romance, coming-of-age

"Belly" (short for Isabel) is almost 16, has been in love with family friend Conrad (2 years older) for all her life, and is heading to the summer house at Cousins Beach with her mom and brother Steven. Rounding out the summer crowd are Conrad's brother Jeremiah (Belly's best friend) and their mother Susannah. Relationships are key in this story - friendships, siblings, parent-child, and of course, romance!

Almasy's vocal work was perfect for this. Belly was a bit too immature for me, but realistic and believable for a 15-year-old. I'm sort of curious to read the next book to see how the characters develop. The author also left this story with a cliffhanger - Conrad showing up at Belly's house in the winter and the two of them taking off.

My Descent Into Death: a Second Chance at Life

by Howard Storm
error copy, hardcover, 146 pages
genre: memoir, Christian testimony

This book was wrapped in a jacket for Gary Paulsen's Notes from the Dog. The spine on the hardcover under that jacket even had Paulsen's name and title on it! Imagine the confusion of the student who checked it out, then brought it back with a confused, "I don't get this." Mackin quickly replaced it with the correct book.

I, however, have a hard time chucking books into the garbage. So this sat in my home for a few years until I started reading it while I brushed my teeth. Over the past few months, I've read the whole thing with a mix of joy and disbelief. I'm not sure why I have such a strong bias about people's return-from-death stories. . . who am I to doubt another person's experience? And I should just stick with the joy that this former atheist now believes in Jesus. Still, his time hanging out in heaven with Jesus sounds pretty involved, lengthy, and detailed . . . and not as authentic as the rest of his testimony. I'd be curious to have other believers read this and give me their opinion.

The Silent Boy

by Lois Lowry
Hennepin County Library audiobook 4 CDs
read by Karen Allen
genre: YA

I don't remember a lot about this story, but recall that it was touching. I read this four years ago; the title was on the sheet with the info for The Time Machine . . .

The Time Machine

by H. G. Wells
Hennepin County library, paperback 115 pages
genre: SciFi

I read this with my 8th grade book club three (?) years ago . . . or four. Wow! If those kids are seniors now . . . I'm losing some excellent helpers for my book fairs. Here are notes I found that I want to save.

Ch. 1 - gentlemen discuss four dimensions / time travel
2 - dinner guests / time traveler shows up
3 - travel into the future
4 - 802, 701 A.D. exploration / his theories on human development
5 - time machine missing! Panic, exploration, saving Weena, finding Morlocks
6 - time traveler goes down into the Morlocks' tunnels
7 - flowers in pocket / green building / overnight outdoors
8 - the museum (green palace)
9 - the fire / exhaustion & night in the open
10 - the Sphinx and the time machine
11 - 30,000,000 years into the future
12 - finishing his story / disbelief / he goes

Narrator / "I"
Time Traveler
Filby (red hair)
Psychologist
Very Young Man
Provincial Mayor
Medical Man / Doctor
Editor / Blank
Journalist / Dash
Silent Man / Choose
Weena / Eloi
Morlocks / underground

pg. 29 - para 2 last sentence
pg. 35 - para 1 families
pg. 46 - "Occidental" - define
pg. 54 - sun / planets / future
pg. 58-59 - Haves & Have-nots
pg. 70 - Carlovingian (def.)
pg. 74-75 - constellations different
pg. 76 - "Carlyle-like scorn of . . . "
pg. 80- deliquesced

I remember these kids watching the movie. I think they said something like, "H.G. Wells would turn in his grave if he saw that." Nice that they appreciate the literature and see how Hollywood can ruin a story.

Sweet Sanctuary

by Sheila Walsh & Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
Hennepin County Library paperback 302 pages
genre: Christian fiction / relationships

This one took a while to get going for me. The main character, Wren, is delightful (librarian, literary fan) but she is so conflicted about her own life that I want to yell at her (the way I'm always tempted to yell at Hamlet in his indecisiveness). It also frustrates me when the author(s) immediately make it clear that some horrible thing happened . . . but you have to wait to find out what it was. Since it so clearly impacted Wren and her entire life, it's a bit frustrating to wait for it to unfold. Paul was my favorite character. Bradley added a bit of intrigue - liked him.

Families can be maddening.

Matched

by Ally Condie
PRMS paperback ? pages
genre: dystopian romance

My 8th grade book club discussed this today. Since I read it last year, I didn't re-read it. I did okay discussing it with the kids, but was curious to see what my initial response was. Checked my blog for the last year and a half (after searching for the author's name and the title) and came up empty. I never wrote about it! Grrr. How often do I do that? I really, really like having this record of books and impressions so I don't get so darn confused.

Memories:
Liking Ky better than Xander, but feeling kind of bad for the "safe" best friend.
Not liking it as much as Hunger Games.
Comparing grandpa's death in this society to a Logan's Run scenario - the old are killed before they get to be too much of a health expense.
The beauty and power of poetry and literature.
The fearfulness of a tyrannical government (very Big Brother-ish)

The Story of Beautiful Girl

by Rachel Simon
Dakota County Library, hardcover, 340 pages
genre: historical fiction

What an amazing, beautiful story! I can hardly wait until we discus it at book club! Simon follows Beautiful Girl (Lynnie), Number 42 (Homan), the old lady (Martha / Mathilda), and sundry other characters as their lives interact and are ripped apart. Lynnie and Homan are residents of The School (or as he calls it, The Snare), placed there because of their developmental disabilities. Set in the early 1960s, the warehousing of handicapped people was fairly common.

Tonette's death, Clarence's & Smokes' cruelty, Doreen's situation . . . . so many realistic, painful scenarios. But the story never gets confusing; Simon does an amazing job of weaving the different lives together. I love Hannah's role in her sister's life! I love the significance of the lighthouse. I indentified most closely with Kate. This is such an amazing book! Beautifully written!

Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

by Trenton Lee Stewart
Carver County Library audiobook 11 CDs
read by Del Roy
genre: YA mystery / adventure

I would have enjoyed reading this much more than I did listening. The narrator did a fine job, I suppose, but it just didn't work for me. The children seemed too childish and silly. In book one, they were clever and resourceful. In this story, they are headed to visit with Mr. Benedict after six months apart from one another. But they don't get the message warning them not to come. Mr. Benedict and Number Two have been kidnapped! They decide to embark on an adventure to try to save him anyway. Some of the clues and mysteries were engaging; others just irritated me and I know I would have read those sections much more quickly. Will I go on to book three? TBD. Not right now, for sure.

Two Crosses

by Elizabeth Musser
Hennepin County Library paperback 445 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction and romance

Gabriella is an American from Senegal (missionary parents) who is going to school in Castelnau, France in 1963(?). David Hoffman is an American teacher at the school - gorgeous, charming, mysterious, and only 23 years old. Sister Griolet is the elderly nun who runs the orphanage and the small school for American college students. Each of these people has an extensive back story. And there are dozens and dozens of other characters. The Algerian war for independence drives this story and Ali is the murderous man bent on revenge. The first 350 pages - I had to force myself to read. The last 100ish were phenomenal! Enough for me to pick up book two in the trilogy? Probably not.

And I'll bring my French/English dictionary to book club with me tonight because she used a LOT of french expressions. It didn't bother me because I know enough French to muddle by, but if someone really wants to know what something meant, I'd like a reference tool.

Black Butler

written & drawn by Yana Toboso
Hennepin County Library
genre: YA manga

I asked a die-hard manga fan what new series I should buy and she suggested this one. When I got it from the library, it looked okay. I probably shouldn't have read it . . . it's not that "bad" except that I really dislike manga-style comics. The butler is absolutely amazing; efficient, composed, never-stopping. Ciel Phantomhive, though a child, is the head of the Phantomhive company and fortune. Other than the butler, his household help are incredibly inept and always needing the butler Sebastian's help. Sebastian is incredibly handsome as well as efficient and at the end of this story, we learn of the mysterious bond between butler and child. I *so* don't like this book. Will I buy it for PRMS anyway? Or keep looking?

The Squire's Tale

by Gerald Morris
PRMS paperback 209 pages
genre:fantasy

Terrence doesn't know his parents, serves a hermit, and is an excellent cook. The hermit can't remember the past, but he sees the future as "memories." Thus when Gawain shows up, the hermit knows that Terrence will go with him to be his squire. And off they go to King Arthur's court, and off on a series of adventures. Morris' style was not my cup of tea - very episodic and jumpy. But it works well for sixth grade book club, and will help some of the kids to better understand the legendary tales.

Earth (the audiobook): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race

by Jon Stewart and a lot of other people
read by Jon Stewart, Sigourney Weaver, and a bunch of other people
Hennepin County Library audiobook 3 CDs
genre: humor

Written as a guide for aliens after humans have annihilated ourselves, the guide covers earth's geography, history, culture, etc. Some of it is really funny, some of it is bizarre, some of it is just mundane. Stewart is much funnier onscreen. Many of his vocal asides are lost on this audiobook. There were some funny bits, though.

I Am Number Four The Lost Files: The Legacies

by Pittacus Lore
personal paperback 351 pages
genre: fantasy adventure

Much of this is part of the first three books, but this one fleshes out the experiences of six, nine, and numbers one through three a bit more. The third section is told from the point of view of a Mogadorian - Adamus, son of a powerful general. It will be interesting to see where this goes, since he's not quite dead at the end of this book. Good, but I'm ready for the sequel to The Rise of Nine (which has only been out for a month . . . ).

Old Testament - Minor Prophets

Hennepin County audioCDs
many readers
Holy Scripture

One of these days, I'm going to own audio versions of the entire Bible! This one started to get hard to listen to, though, without balancing New Testament, Psalms, etc. The prophets didn't have the cheeriest messages to share . . .

Amulet #5

graphic novel, fantasy adventure

I'm too lazy to go upstairs and get the details off the book. I wasn't going to blog about it at all, but I'm a bit compulsive. I recently re-read books 1-4 and saw this at Barnes & Noble. Great way to be money-wise, huh? I bought it, read it, shelved it. Not as good as the first four - the storytelling felt very jerky - and it just seems to be a bridge for book six. That said, I don't regret buying & having it.

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

by Jordan Sonnenblick
PRMS paperback 273 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction, humorous, cancer

I love this book! This is a re-read, but I was so glad that my eighth grade book club enjoyed it that I had to read it again. Sonnenblick has such a great gift. He really gets middle school kids. I was crying through much of the last half, but there was plenty of humor as Steven navigates the challenges of middle school and having a little brother with leukemia. Beautiful story.

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6 discs
read by Kate Rudd
genre: Teen realistic fiction, coming-of-age, cancer

Amazing. Painful. Beautiful.
I'm too tired to write coherently (conferences last night), but this is due back at the library. The voice work was fantastic - Kate Rudd brought the story to life extremely well. The story itself is very well-crafted. It was hard for me, though, as a Christian, to think about this resonating with kids when the protagonists (and their parents) lack any understanding of God and His love for us. The bleak perspective that Hazel has for her own mortality and Gus' ponderings on the Something that he believes in . . . just made me really sad. Green's writing is profound without being pedantic. I can see why he is so popular with my more capable readers. I actually finished this on Sunday, but haven't blogged lately.

The Hunger Pains: a Parody

by the Harvard Lampoon
Hennepin County Library paperback 157 pages
genre: humor, parody

The funniest part was the naming of characters:
Kantkiss Neverclean (Katniss Everdeen)
Archie Nemesis (Cato)
Jaesar Lenoman (Caesar Flickerman)

etc.

The story - not so funny. Kind of lame, actually. I thought about buying a copy for PRMS, but I don't think it's clever enough.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
PRMS hardcover 403 pages
genre: short stories, geekyness, coming-of-age

Dobbs recommended this to me a year and a half ago! I finally picked it up just over a month ago and have been working my way through the stories. Some of them are fantastic; others didn't appeal to me. I think the beauty of a short story collection is that there are many different types of stories. I am too tired to skim through and list my favorites. Reading this made me realize that I'm really not very geeky at all! But at least I know what Daleks are and have been to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Interesting collection!

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

by Michael Pollan
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 5 discs
read by Scott Brick
genre: non-fiction, nutrition

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

That's the essence of Pollan's latest book. Fascinating but sometimes a little overwhelming, he debunks the last few decades of "nutritionism" and talks about how our country's obsession with eating healthier has actually made us more unhealthy. Amazing look at our culture and what brought us here.

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants. There were a LOT of points under these three topics, but I couldn't write them down while driving (safely), so I guess I'll have to get a print copy of the book. Amazing book. This guy is good!

Some other notes I made on the book:
- eat food your (great) grandmother would recognize
- don't eat food that cannot rot (e.g. Twinkies)
- avoid foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce, more than five ingredients, and/or high fructose corn syrup
- avoid food products that make health claims

The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin

by Joe McGinniss
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 9 discs
read by Arthur Morey
genre: Non-fiction biography

This was an interesting experience. I didn't agree with the author when he criticized Palin's "extreme" religious views, because I wholeheartedly agree that followers of Jesus Christ should pray about decisions and listen to God's leading. What I have a huge problem with is how very different her actions were from what she supposedly believes. There were simply too many people who shared stories of manipulation, intimidation, and outsized egotism on both the parts of Sarah and Todd Palin that I have a hard time understanding how so many people still like and support her. Even before reading this book, she seemed to be an egomaniac, and that is extremely different from what Christ taught.

Very interesting book. McGinniss seems to be a very reputable author who truly loves Alaska and has spent a lot of time there. His research was exhaustive (other than not actually talking with the Palins, who absolutely freaked out about his proximity).

The Wedding Dress

by Rachel Hauck
Hennepin County Library paperback 337 pages
genre: Christian romance

Interesting story and we had a great discussion about it! There are multiple stories interwoven, but  primarily Charlotte's and Emily's. Each is a young woman wanting to marry. Charlotte's story takes place in 1912 as she becomes engaged to Phillip but has Daniel still in love with her. Charlotte is a modern owner of a wedding gown store. In between their lives, Mary Grace (1949) and Hillary (1968) also experience the amazing wedding gown sewn by Taffy Hayes.

Saltonstalls, Mrs. Caruthers, Tim, Katherine, . . . so many people and events but a great story of faith and life. Jodi had us each bring photos of our wedding gowns, so it was fun to share and talk about those, too. I love book club!

I hadn't read anything by this author before . . . but I'll gladly get more of her titles to read!

The Rise of Nine

by Pittacus Lore (pseudonym)
PRMS hardcover 360 pages
genre: YA fantasy adventure

Completely enjoyed this escapist fiction, but wish the author had put the character names at the start of each chapter rather than just changing the font. Can't wait for the next book to come out!!!! Want to know what happened to Sam, meet Number Five, and see what happens to Setrakus Ra. Fun YA lit. No surprise that the U.S. government forms ties with the evil Mogadorians just to get access to technology and weapons . . .

Bedpan Commando: The Story of a Combat Nurse during World War II

by June Wandrey
Mayo Clinic Libraries via ILL, paperback 234 pages
genre: memoir

The author signed the title page, "You honor me when you read my book." I don't suppose she's still alive (22 in 1942), but what an amazing story she has shared. Put together from letters and other documentation (written in 1989), this reads almost like a diary from the war. The story could have used some stronger editing for flow, but it's visceral reality comes through powerfully. She seems to have been a dynamo who didn't necessarily like following the rules.

I'd like to write more, but I'll have to get back to it later. One impressive thing about Minnesota libraries - I asked my librarian at the Eden Prairie branch to get this for me. I had looked in Minitex and knew there were copies in the state, but it was so very nice to have her request it for me.

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak
Cina's, paperback, 550 pages
genre: Holocaust fiction

Told from death's point of view, this story is about Liesl, a little girl in the outskirts of Munich, Germany, during WWII. People recommended this to me for ages and I finally decided to get-r-done this summer. (Labor Day weekend still counts as summer, right?) It was powerful and painful. Liesl sees her little brother die right in front of her eyes as her mother is bringing them to be raised by foster parents. Rosa and Hans Hubermann have an odd mixture of love and abuse for the frightened little girl (mostly abuse from Rosa and gentle love from Hans). I didn't like when death's narration gave away key parts of the story (like Rudy's kiss). I will almost certainly re-read this book. It is quite good and has a lot to think about contained in it. But WWII books always make me so sad.

Moonlight on the Millpond

by Lori Wick
personal collection paperback 285 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Not so much. I'll hang on to The Princess for a light re-read, but this one just got on my nerves. Maddie gets forget-100%-of-what-happens after a few ounces of alcohol, though those around her see a woman who carries on conversations, flirts, walks, etc. in a normal manner. She forgets that she got married and slept with her crush? Right. Doesn't work for me. Plus, the hopping between multiple storylines to set things in place is disconcerting. Jace. Maddie. Woody. Eden. Cathy & Doyle. The Muldoons. The Nunleys. This book is heading for the donation bag.

I Suck at Girls

by Justin Halpern
Hennepin County Library hardcover 180 pages
genre: memoir, humor

Not as funny as his first book, this one has more heart. As he contemplates proposing to Amanda, his dad tells him to take a day to reflect. Justin spends the bulk of the book reminiscing about all his experiences with the opposite sex. Sometimes his recollections are funny, but more often they are poignant. He was not the man he hoped to be during his adolescence. An enjoyable read (and interesting for me to think about what my sons' stories might be if they wrote them down). Halpern is a talented author. How fun that his big break came through his Twitter feed!

Sh*t My Dad Says

by Justin Halpern
Hennepin County Library hardcover 158 pages
genre: NF memoir

Oh my. Though extremely profane, this made me laugh! Patty S first told me about Mr. Halpern. I checked it out online and laughed out loud. I don't really remember why I decided to request the book from the library, but it was a quick and enjoyable read. I read some of it out loud to Louise and Ann and was a bit shocked at the profanity coming out of my mouth . . . this will definitely not appeal to everyone.

But there's also a story of a father-son relationship that makes me curious for more. How did Justin become such a seemingly pleasant and creative individual with his dad being so rough all the time? (Though love shines through, too, and some of my favorite parts were when his dad just said "I love you.") It's also fascinating to read about how this book came to be. Halpern started using his dad's unusual sayings as his IM status, then as his Twitter feed. In a very short time, he went from a few followers to hundreds of thousands of followers and the media contacting him for interviews. Crazy!

House of Odd

written by Landry Q Walker and Dean Koontz
illustrated by Queenie Chan
Hennepin County Library paperback unpaged
genre: graphic novel paranormal mystery

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others. Ozzie's friend from Hollywood, Nedra, has bought a mansion near Pico Mundo. It seems to be haunted, so Ozzie sends Odd (and Stormy) to check it out. Nedra has called in a group of "ghostbusters" who do a tv show on hauntings. The three-person team (plus a cat) have interesting personality dynamics. Odd doesn't get his usual psychic magnetism "vibes" and Elvis can't seem to approach the house. Turns out there's a portal to hell and the demons are playing. Weird, but not one I'll re-read. (I usually kind of like weird stories.)

Sparks: an Urban Fairytale

by Lawrence Marvit
Rochester Public Library (ILL Hennepin County)
paperback 410 pages
genre: teen graphic novel, fantasy

Jo (Josephine) is a 20-year-old mechanic with an alcoholic, abusive, police officer father and a continually stupored mother. Jo longs to belong, connect with people, but doesn't fit in well with her peers. She creates a pretend friend with scraps from old cars at the garage where she works. Lightning brings her creation to life. She teaches him language and gets a See and Speak so he has a voice.
Ultimately, I found this to be a very sad - almost tragic - story. Jo's alienation is definitely rooted in her parents' dysfunction. Her attempts to "go out" and do the things other young adults do doesn't turn out very well. The story is brilliantly written and drawn, but too mature in content and language for my middle school.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: and other clinical tales

by Oliver Sacks
Hennepin County Library hardcover 223 pages
genre: clinical psychology

- initially recommended to me about a decade ago by Jody West
- mentioned in Born on a Blue Day
- clinical case studies on many unusual neurological disorders
- lack of face recognition, synesthesia, autism, savants, etc.
- written in 1970s through early 80s, the writing often struck me as archaic (not that I've read LOTS of brain research info)
- interesting how he referenced others' research from the late 1800s through "modern" (early 80s) works
- remarkably NOT politically correct when he refers to morons, idiots, and defectives . . . kind of amusing in a way. One simply does not refer to people with disorders in this manner any more
- interesting to make connections between this book, the audiobook I'm listening to now (The Shallows), Born on a Blue Day, and You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know (10/11).
- many things I wanted to note while I was reading, but I can't think of any now

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

by Laurie Viera Rigler
Hennepin County audioCDs 6 discs
read by Orlagh Cassidy
genre: romance

Again, the legion of Austen fans and their tributes to her work leave me feeling disappointed and only wanting to read Austen's work. In this story, Courtney Stone time-travels to become Jane Mansfield. The out-of-time (a la Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court) fails to connect for me. One of her biggest hangups is not getting to wear makeup. Really? The conclusion was as odd and disappointing as the bulk of the story. Stick with the originals!

Born on a Blue Day

by Daniel Tammet
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 discs
read by Simon Vance
genre: memoir

Daniel is a savant - functioning very high on the autism spectrum. This story of his life is both fascinating and disturbing. His loving parents and his partner Neil seem to be extraordinary people. Not many children so severely affected by a disorder can manage so well. This book also reminded me of a title recommended many years ago - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. That's on my reading shelf now. Daniel shares his personal story very effectively. Vance narrated wonderfully.

Odd Is On Our Side

by Dean Koontz
Hennepin County Library paperback 186 pages
genre: graphic novel, supernatural mystery

Odd Thomas is such a wonderful character! I love how the graphic novels are prequels to the first Odd book. In this one, the ghost of a small trick-or-treater is trying to get Odd's help during the annual Halloween celebration. Little Ozzie's editor is in town and along with Stormy, Elvis, and the rest of the Pico Mundo crew, they solve a mystery and save the town. Great stuff!

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
PRMS hardcover 273 pages
genre: autobiography, invention

For the first few chapters, I was taken aback by the superstitions and tall tales of William Kamkwamba's childhood in Wimbe, Malawi. But it really helped set the story and the culture as he grew up and confronted challenges. The hardest part of the story for me was during the nationwide famine, especially since the president and the greedy people didn't seem to care that their countrymen were suffering so badly.

This is an amazing story of determination and hope. Kamkwamba read books on physics, wondered how things worked (made me think of Alex!), took apart radios, and experimented. Once he built a windmill to generate electricity for his family, his personal story just got bigger and bigger! Great read!

Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls

by Mary Downing Hahn
Hennepin County Library hardcover 330 pages
genre: historical fiction, murder mystery

What an interesting book. I wanted to see justice done. I wanted to see the killer caught. (It reminded me of Lovely Bones in that regard.) I don't want to do any spoilers, but I will say that the author's afterword affected my perception of the story I'd just read. Most of my students seem put off by historical fiction (this is set in the 1950s) and yet it was a more innocent time. Some of Nora's and Ellie's dilemmas fit with what kids today deal with. I'd love to hear other people's perceptions of this story.

The Knife of Never Letting Go

by Patrick Ness
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 10 disks
read by Nick Podehl
genre: teen dystopian fiction

Oh. My. Word. This was so intense and different from other books I've read! I went onto Wikipedia to find out how the rest of the series goes. The suspense is too much! It was both horrifying and fascinating. When I first started listening to it (Podehl does an excellent job narrating), I wasn't sure of the setting - Earth or somewhere else? When? What the heck?

Settlers on New World have developed their own communities. Todd Hewitt has grown up as the youngest boy in Prentisstown, believing what he's been told. As he approaches his birthday (thirteen years of thirteen months each), he looks forward to becoming a man. On a random day in the swamp, though, he and his dog Manchee hear something unusual, and his life unravels into a crazy run from the evil men who want to take him.

Deadly

by Julie Chibbaro
Hennepin County Library paperback 293 pages
genre: historical fiction

Prudence Galewski is sixteen and interested in science. Her father left for the Spanish-American war in 1898 after her brother Benny died. She and her mother have been waiting for him to come back for eight years.

Interesting story (especially in connection with reading Yellow Death and Zeitoun the same weekend - the study of disease and an unjust imprisonment) but ultimately a bit too slow for me. I liked the journaling-style storytelling, but Prudence was too cautious a heroine for me. I can't picture my readers connecting with her. I enjoyed the author's notes at the end. An interesting task - to make Typhoid Mary seem more human and understandable. Again, I'm incredibly glad to live in an era of more advanced scientific understanding than the turn of that century!

Zeitoun

by Dave Eggers
Hennepin County Library paperback 325 pages
genre: NF, Hurricane Katrina, Muslim American

What a fascinating and awful story. I like how the author wove Abdulrahman Zeitoun's childhood and life story into this chronological tale of Hurricane Katrina. This honest, hardworking businessman stayed in New Orleans to protect his home and business. His wife Kathy took the children and left for safety. As he paddled around in his canoe helping people and feeding abandoned dogs, he began to realize the gravity of the situation and considered leaving. He waited a day too long, though, when National Guardsmen and police arrested him (without notifying him of his rights) and three other men in one of the properties Zeitoun owned. Never given a phone call, his wife assumed him dead. What an incredible story! And so very sad. It's hard to believe things like this actually happened here.

The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing

by Suzanne Jurmain
Hennepin County Library hardcover 90 pages
genre: NF children's

Interesting, very quick read. The author makes it as story-like as possible as she tracks the work of Dr. Walter Reed and other doctors in Cuba as they try to figure out how yellow fever is transmitted. One big breakthrough in medical history seems to be that Reed wanted to have the men's permission to use them as subjects in his study. It seems bizarre nowadays that people doubted mosquitoes' role in this disease!

Water's Edge

by Robert Whitlow
Hennepin County Library paperback 401 pages
genre: Christian fiction / legal thriller

This was a fun read! Legal thrillers aren't my favorite genre, but this had enough human drama and question-mark moments to keep me reading. I had never heard of this author before; I'll definitely look for more of his books.

Tom Crane is a young lawyer in Atlanta, hoping for a promotion. When he's fired instead, his girlfriend dumps him. From bad to worse, he heads back to his small hometown to close down his father's small legal office. His father died in a boating accident. But as he reads and closes files, a mystery comes to light.

Some of the pieces of the story seemed terribly unrealistic (especially the police work . . . ), but it was a good story.

Shine Coconut Moon

by Neesha Meminger
Hennepin County Library, hardcover 253 pages
genre: YA relationships, 9/11 fears

Samar (Sammy) is a normal teenager . . . except that it's just her and her mom. She spends a lot of time with her best friend Molly and Molly's huge extended family. Since I'm double-blogging the LitWits books this summer, here's a repeat of that post:

I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Sammy is a fairly realistic character struggling with her identity, but the post 9/11 arrival of her uncle Sandeep opens her eyes to her Indian and Sikh heritage. I like how she and Molly have their fascination with lingerie and the "Real Deal" moment in their futures. Sammy's relationship with Mike was something teens would probably latch onto. The bullying and racism (and even Sammy's rejection of Bobbi) would make for some good discussion.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

by Mary E. Pearson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6 discs
read by Jenna Lamia
genre: YA SciFi, relationships

Also set in the future (southern California has been devastated by massive earthquakes and medical technology has advanced dramatically), this story has a teen girl waking from a coma with no memory of her former life. As bits and pieces come to her, Jenna is faced with a moral dilemma of gigantic proportions.

This is a well-told story. The reader did a splendid job bringing the story to life. I thought there was a follow-up to this story, but perhaps I'm thinking of a different book with a girl's name in the title . . . this book kept me guessing up until the end. I enjoyed it and thought it had some very interesting points to make about life. The author interview at the end was also enlightening.

Birthmarked

by Caragh M. O'Brien
PRMS paperback 359 pages
genre: YA dystopian mystery/adventure/relationships

Set in the future (2390 and on), water is a scarce commodity and "unlake" Superior is a dry bed with boulders and some plant growth. The Enclave is full of the privileged people while Gaia and her family live outside the wall. She has learned the art of midwifery from her mother. Then things get crazy. Her parents are arrested, she is interrogated, and she decides to sneak inside to save her parents.

I didn't exactly enjoy reading this, but I found it fascinating. The author's questions at the end are amazing - I really want to do this as a book club with 8th graders! I am curious to read the next book in the trilogy, but simply have too many books on my reading list right now. I want to see Leon safe and back with Gaia.

Defending Jacob

by William Landay
Hennepin County Library hardcover 421 pages
genre: suspense, courtroom murder

I'm not generally a big fan of courtroom dramas, but this will be a fun one to discuss this fall (PRMS book club). I've been on hold for it quite a long time and need to get it back to the library for the next person waiting. Andy Barber is an assistant DA and handles most of the murder cases. But when one of his son's classmates is murdered, he sees the case through a father's eyes. As the case proceeds, we learn more and more about Andy and his son Jacob (as well as Andy's ancestors). Is there such a thing as a "murder gene"? This will be an interesting book to talk about with other educators!

Laurie - liking to talk about things
Ben Rifkin - bullying
power of social networks
Jacob's psychology
Duffy - detective friend
Father O'Leary - Barber ex-con "friend"
Leonard Patz - sex offender

Battle Royale

by 2 Japanese guys
Hennepin County Library paperback unpaged
genre: Teen graphic novel, dystopian, violent

Definitely not my cup of tea! This is a lot like The Hunger Games, only much nastier, illustrated, and I dislike reading from right to left. A group of ninth graders (who look much older) have lost / won the "lottery" putting them into the "Program." The man who tells them that they must kill or be killed is a sadistic pervert.

The Three Questions

written & illustrated by Jon J Muth, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy
Hennepin County Library, hardcover ~32 page picture book
genre: children's book, philosophy

I enjoyed this more than I anticipated. The main character, Nikolai, has three questions:
When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?
His friends have different advice, so he goes to see wise old Leo. He already knows the answers to the questions, but needs Leo's guidance to figure it all out.
A wonderful story! I can definitely see this being used in 8th grade world history during the world religions unit. I should buy a copy for PRMS.

The Outside of a Horse

by Ginny Rorby
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 7 discs
read by Emily Bauer
genre: YA coming-of-age, horses, war

This story was almost ruined for me by the reader. Her voice was too girlish and peppy (to fit the 13-year-old protagonist) for me, but she also varied her volume so much that I missed parts or had my ears blasted. I was constantly changing the volume as I listened in my car.

The title comes from an old English proverb (which I listened to three or four times before I heard it): ‘There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.’ Hannah's mother died from cancer when she was nine, her dad is fighting in Iraq, and her stepmother wants her to help with baby Jeffy. Hannah escapes to the nearby ranch to watch the horses and ends up being an unpaid worker there.

Once I got into the story and got over the narrator's voice bugging me, I really enjoyed this story. The horses, her dad's recovery, her growth as an adolescent, . . . Very nice. I would have liked it better when I was young and in my own "horse" phase. Her dad's transformation was the best part of the story.

The Princess

by Lori Wick
personal paperback 294 pages
genre: Christian romance

I'm not sure who gave this to me, but I was trying to de-clutter and contemplating just getting rid of it. Then I decided to give it a look-see. Then I went from "contrived" to "I need to finish reading this." It's a very odd mix of romance and witnessing the power of Jesus Christ in people's lives. I think I'll bring it up to the lake for when I want to re-read it.

Shelby decides to marry the widowed prince Nicolai (because the county's law declares the heir to the throne must be married by his 26th birthday) based on her parents' encouragement and the king's and queen's kindness. Never having seen him face-to-face (and wearing a blushing veil on her Big Day), they are virtual strangers. Like I said, contrived. But somewhere along the way, I grew to care about the characters and the story. I'm glad I read it (and have a tiny bit less clutter in my bedroom).

"Doing School" How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students

by Denise Clark Pope
Hennepin County Library hardcover 205 pages
genre: non-fiction, educational reform

What an interesting book. She followed five students for a school year and conducted numerous interviews with them. They were all success-oriented students in a fairly success-oriented school. However, virtually all of them excelled more for the end goals of a good college and a good career rather than for the joy of learning. (Shocking, right?)

I enjoyed reading this book and thinking about my students, my children, myself. She is effective at identifying the problem (to a certain degree), but does not really suggest how to effect reform the system. It reminded me of watching a Michael Moore movie . . . after I saw Bowling at Columbine, I was SO frustrated that he did not really have any solutions or suggestions at all. He never even adequately explained WHY the U.S. has so much more of a gun culture than European countries or Canada. This book felt the same way. The author railed about the situation, but didn't suggest a way out of it.

I enjoyed the students' personal stories, especially Roberto's. What an incredible young man!

A Weekend with Mr. Darcy

by Victoria Connelly
Hennepin County Library paperback 343 pages
genre: romance

Enjoyable romance novel about an English professor (Dr. Katherine Roberts) and a shy young woman (Robyn Love) who attend a Jane Austen conference. Each woman connects with a dashing young man (Warwick Lawton, aka Lorna Warwick for Katherine and Dan Harcourt for Robyn).

I saw book two in this series at Kathy Giesen's house and it made me curious. But it's not the best romance I've ever read and I'm not enough of a Jane Austen nut to feel as drawn as these characters are to "Jane" stories. I must admit, though, I'm curious to re-read Persuasion based on what some of the characters in this book said.

Eldest

by Christopher Paolini
personal copy, hardcover, 668 pages
genre: fantasy

I've been working on re-reading this for quite a while . . . my goal is to have the storyline fresh in my mind when I finally read Inheritance. This was a lot slower and less interesting than I remembered. Roran's story is my favorite part. Eragon's time with the dwarves and the elves should have been edited a LOT more. I'm glad to finally move on. The fight and Murtagh revelation at the end were too quick of a climax to a long, drawn-out story.

Feathers

by Jacqueline Woodson
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 3 discs
narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson
genre: realistic fiction, relationships

Woodson is one of my favorite authors, but I may need to re-read this short book. Frannie is a sixth grader during the 1970s. Her older brother Shawn is deaf. Her mother is pregnant again after suffering multiple miscarriages. Hope is the thread running throughout the story. Feathers are an analogy for hope. Samantha, the Jesus Boy, Trevor, Ray-Ray . . . all the children's lives have themes that bring them together. Lyrically beautiful . . . not sure how I would "sell" it to middle schoolers.