Lisey's Story by Stephen King

I hadn't read a Stephen King book since my teenage years (still get chills thinking about "It"), and I didn't really have much desire to read one now, being kind of a scaredy-cat and all. But, while weeding, I had a look at the blurb for this (having been attracted to its bright red cover) and it sounded interesting so I gave it a go.

Lisey's Story is about a woman, Lisey Landon, whose famous-author husband Scott died 2 years prior. While cleaning out his office full of papers and memorabilia, Lisey's memories are stirred and through flashbacky episodes, we learn more and more details of their 20+ year marriage, Scott's unimaginable childhood, and his special power that takes him to a place called Boo'ya Moon, a place of startling beauty and unnamable terror. While learning more about Scott and his past, Lisey has to cope with a bevy of sisters, one of whom has gone catatonic, though not before speaking to Lisey in Scott's voice (creepy!), a stalker who starts out wanting Lisey to donate Scott's papers to a university, but eventually just seems to enjoy the stalking and threatening more than the scholarly pursuit, and the lonely existence of a 2-years-gone widow who isn't quite sure how to let go of the man who was the biggest part of her life for so long.

I would recommend this to King fans (older ones though; it probably wouldn't appeal to teens because of the heavy emphasis on the marriage), and to people who like an insight into a relationship, but who don't mind creepy stuff and who are able to suspend their disbelief.

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

Often referred to as "Patrick O'Brian with dragons," this book is the first of a trilogy (though I think there is actually a fourth book too) about Temeraire the dragon. Novik sets this, her first novel, during the Napoleonic Wars. Dragons are used as members of the Aerial Corps, providing support to Britain's Navy. Capt. Will Laurence of the British Navy captures Temeraire's unhatched egg from a French ship. In Novik's world, when dragons hatch, they bond to the first person with whom they make contact, and that person will be their rider and handler throughout the dragon's lifetime, though partner is probably a better term for it. Laurence selects one of his crew to be there when the egg hatches, but of course, the young dragon selects Capt. Laurence to bond with, effectively ending his Naval career and his nascent engagement to a woman back home. Members of the Aerial Corps must live 24/7 with their dragons, and naturally, that does not leave a whole lot of time for family, friends, etc.

This first novel in the series explores the growth of Temeraire's and Laurence's friendship (one sweet touch: Laurence often reads books to Temeraire before bed), and covers the demanding training they must undergo before they can join in battle with the French. Laurence stumbles along, never having chosen this career (most Aerial Corps members are selected when much younger), trying to figure out how to come to terms with his new life and new lifemate. The dragons can talk and they definitely have emotions, and Temeraire is really quite a lovely character and Novik develops him beautifully throughout the course of the novel. It was interesting to see Laurence adapt and change as he became closer and closer to Temeraire. There are several heartbreaking sequences involving a neglected dragon and his haughty handler; these really showed how Novik made the dragons as real as humans and capable of evoking much sympathy from the reader.

The battle sequences are really neat--these dragons are HUGE, so much so that a crew of 20 or so men can ride one during a mission. The dragons are equipped with elaborate harnesses that allow men to scramble all over the dragon, dropping bombs and firing rifles from various positions, and of course, treating wounds that the dragons receive during battle.

I would recommend this to fans of fantasy and historical fiction alike; the fantasy element is limited to the dragons, but once you accept that the dragons are there, they are treated very much like a historical fact; no magic or witches floating around.

This series was originally published in mass-market paperback, so you'll find it in SciFi Paperback.

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Bartoletti

This picture history is a fascinating view of the 12-20 year olds who thought Hitler was more than just their leader but a new God come to save food starved Germany in 1933 with a plan to put food on the table and give them something to do with their time and bodies. Hitler wanted them to be physically fit and solid golden Germans, (no Jewish, Polish, Slavic blood or forbidden Gypsy background in his new Germany.) So what if you got C's in school, if you were physically fit, handsome boys and girls, your parents would be proud. And if they weren't proud, why turn them in to the Gestapo. Betray teachers, priests and other clergy, parents, best friends who tried to march to a different drummer, heard a different song. Betray they did, and some who quietly fought as resisters in the "White Rose" like founders Hans and Sophie Scholl literally lost their heads! Could this happen again... are youth of any culture too vain to see when someone is pulling their string? It haunts the survivors, now in their seventies and eighties, those who renounce their past and those who still try to justify what some of them did in the name of ethnic purity and cleansing. Take a look at it for a few minutes, listen to the superior book on cd, and you can place yourself in either side, neither came out victorious. As the narrator of Romeo and Juliet in closing tells us, "All are punished!!" ****

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son = Terror

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney from his new Last Apprentice series is a fine first novel from "England's boggart territory" according to the book jacket. Young Tom is to be the new apprentice to the Spook, Old Gregory, somewhere in rural nineteenth century England. Tom learns sharing cake with Mother Malkin is no way to keep friends and longs to make a real friend before he dies! Across the way, appears Alice, pointy toed and close to those spirits Old Gregory has spent a lifetime fighting. Friend or Faux?
This was a Black Eyed Susan read for middle schoolers this summer, and I also read and listened to it for the Books for the Beast workshop I just attended last Satuday.
It was highly recommended to me by CRO Middle students and i will now do the same with others. ****
Rich

Free Baseball by Sue Corbett

I read this book today, on a recommendation from Birgit. Free Baseball is one of the 4-6 grade Black Eyed Susan nominees for this year, and since we have our program coming up I thought it might be good to have read some of them.

Anyway, Free Baseball was GREAT. A boy who was brought to the United States from Cuba when he was a baby plays baseball really well and all he really wants to do is go to a "real baseball game". Felix wins tickets to the home opener of the local minor league team, but he also wins a window into his past as his mother is able to use baseball as a segue into his "life story" if you will. Very nicely written, this is a boy book about baseball, but also about the immigrant experience and about the American dream (even if your dream is merely to play baseball...).

A definite must read by a fairly local author!

And don't worry, its quick!

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Deadline by Chris Crutcher blew me away. Crutcher was the speaker at the 2004 Great Books program and I think he has an amazing knack for capturing teenage boy angst. The message of this book can speak to all of us at any age. What would you do if you knew your time here was almost over?

Eighteen year old Ben Wolf finds out at his pre-season physical that he has a terminal illness and he opts to forgo treatment and spend his final days really living rather than dying and he also opts to keep his illness a secret.

Ben is smart to the point of being obnoxious and gives his history teacher a royal hard time. The reader knows what the teacher doesn't know about Ben. It made me wonder what we don't know about all the obnoxious kids we deal with everyday.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson is a modern Nancy Drew/CSI/Patricia Cornwell mystery for young adults.

Seventeen year old Cameryn Mahoney helps her father, the county coroner, to solve the murder of a victim of a serial killer who leaves St. Christopher medals on his victims.

There's a graphic description of the autopsy and a "made-for-tv" capture of the murderer but it reads fast and I would recommend it to our older teen readers.

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli is a good one for younger or reluctant Y readers. The main character, David is nine, living with his paternal grandmother; his mom died in a tragic accident and his dad works out of town during the week. "Nana" makes every mistake in the book to try to draw David out of his depression. David thinks if he follows all the rules, except for his grandmother's, his mother will come back to him.

Through some very odd circumstances, David makes friends with a 13 year old girl, Primrose Periwinkle Dufee. Her mother is a nut who lives in an abandoned garage and makes her living as a fake psychic--she sees everyone living a long and happy life. Primrose lives outside in an abandoned van that she is decorating and trying valiently to make into a real home.

As in Stargirl these kids have an adult friend, a handicapped man living in the nearby junkyard. My radar went on when the kids started hanging out with him but he is perfectly harmless and the three of them settle in and become so much like a family that the two kids start bickering like siblings.

Short, sweet and to the point and all wrapped up neatly in the end, Spinelli's latest book would make a great book discussion.

Acacia by David Anthony Durham

I found out about this book in Entertainment Weekly magazine, where it had a full-page spread in their books section. It sounded like an interesting, gritty epic fantasy, so I placed a hold. The author has written only historical fiction previous to the release of this book (Pride of Carthage, A Walk Through Darkness), so I was curious to see what he could make of the fantasy genre.

It was a bit of a slow start for me, exacerbated by my tendency to read only a few pages at a time, right before bed. This went on for a few months, until I got about halfway in--then I really wanted to know what was going to happen, and then finished it in a few days.

It is the story of 4 siblings torn apart by war, each of them growing to become very different people before re-connecting while attempting to take back their former kingdom. I am not very good at the summarizing thing, so I'll just direct you to the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Acacia-Book-One-War-Mein/dp/0385506066/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9523319-2248011?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190075660&sr=1-1

Of note, the author grew up in Maryland, got his Bachelor's from UMBC and his Master's at College Park, none of which I knew until I'd finished the book! Also, it is the first part of an anticipated trilogy.

I would recommend it to fans of the genre.

Catherine :-)

Stardust

"Stardust" by Neil Gaiman comes out in movie form today, so we may be about to see some increased interest in it. It's not marked as a Y-Fic book for us, but I think this would be a good recommendation for a teen looking for fantasy works. NOT for younger kids, since there's grisly violence, lots of murder, and some 'adult situations'.

The main hero is Tristan, a young man who sets off into the fairy world to find a fallen star. It's a charming "grown-up" fairy tale, not nearly as dark as Gaiman tends to be, but with a good deal of his usual humor thrown in. For example, the star, having fallen such a long distance, has a broken leg and is in a foul mood about it. There are power-hungry princes, witches who are obsessed with being young and beautiful... There's a bit of a "Princess Bride" vibe to it, which is definitely not a bad thing. It's a quick read, and very engaging.

Rachel, did you know that they're making a movie of Coraline as well? If we ever get an American Gods movie, I'll be beside myself. :)

(Everyone: good call on The Thirteenth Tale... I just finished it!)

The Book of One Hundred Truths by Julie Schumacher

I read about this book on a media specialist's blog earlier this week, ordered it and immediately read it. I hadn't really read anything since my Harry Potter binge, so I was looking for something to get me back into the swing of things.

The Book of One Hundred Truths is a story about a twelve year old girl who is staying with her grandparents (and various other relatives) at the Jersey Shore for two weeks during the summer. Her mother must have sensed before she left that she was having some adolescent issues because at the airport she gives her daughter a blank notebook and instructs her to write down 100 truths this summer. Truths are different than facts and she should expect some sort of discovery at the end of the exercise. Thea (the daughter) reacts as many 12 year olds would... with hesitation mixed with annoyance. She eventually starts writing in the notebook as she learns things about herself and the crazy family she's spending time with. You will never guess the ending until its upon you!

This book really gets better and better as it goes along. I finished it during dinner this afternoon and couldn't believe when Catherine interrupted me! This is a fast read, cataloged as Y Fic, but I really think it could be J.

The Next Thing on My List

Well yesterday was such a beautiful day that I couldn't resist spending it outside. My parents are in Costa Rica on vacation so my brother and I are home alone. Both of us are big readers, so yesterday morning we sat down on the deck with a book and the next thing I knew it was 3 p.m. and I had read a whole book! It's been a long time since I've done that and my sunburn hurts a bit, but it was worth it.

I read "The Next Thing on my List" by Jill Smolinski. This is by no means a deep book, but it is one that will make you think about your life a little, which I need. In this book, June and a woman she had just met at a Weight Watchers meeting were in a car accident in which the new friend, Marissa died. Before June returned Marissa's belongings to her family, she found a list of things Marissa had wanted to do before her 25th birthday. June decides that she needs to accomplish all the things that Marissa wanted to but didn't because she was killed. This is obviously a book I would read because of the age of the characters, the fact that they made this list which makes me feel like I should make my own list, and because of the colors of the cover. Its hard not to devour a chick-lit read, and that's what I did with this one. So I admit that at times I just need an escape-ist book and this was it.

I also started another book, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, which is going to be a fairly easy read as well. I'm sure to finish that and maybe more on Wednesday!

Oh and my brother read "Cabin Pressure" by Scott Wolk about a man who tries to reclaim his childhood by returning to summer camp as a counselor the summer before he gets married. We're going to camp in three weeks as counselors so we're hyping ourselves up for it. This book also got a good review. Catherine is lending me another book called "Not a Happy Camper" by Mindy Schneider, which is also on my TBR list.

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree

I picked up this middle-grade book from the new J books cart a few weeks ago, having remembered seeing a glowing review on Amazon.com by a librarian who writes very detailed reviews of children's books (E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird"). I really loved this book!

It is the story of Emma Jean, a logical, though not emotionless, girl who can't understand why her classmates lives are so full of chaos and unbridled emotion. The first paragraph of the book well illustrates Emma's way of thinking:
Emma-Jean Lazarus knew very well that a few of the seventh-grade girls at William Gladstone Middle School were criers. They cried if they got a 67 on an algebra test or if they dropped their retainer into the trash in the cafeteria. They cried if their clay mug exploded in the kiln and when they couldn't finish the mile in gym. Two even cried in science, when Mr. Petrowski announced it was time to dissect a sheep's eyeball. Of course Emma-Jean had no intention of participating in such a barbaric and unhygenic activity. But crying was not a logical way of expressing one's opposition to the seventh-grade science curriculum.

Think Mr. Spock reborn in a seventh-grader's body. The book chronicles Emma-Jean's misguided attempts to help her classmates deal with problems in their lives, for Emma, though detached from her peers, still feels a need to help them. She is also dealing with the death of her beloved father, and the introduction of a possible new suitor for her mother. She is a sympathetic character, and the growth she experiences was really touching.

This book was funny and sweet, and I really enjoyed reading it. It's a quick read, and though some of the vocabulary is advanced, I would recommend it to 5-7th graders, and to anyone who loves a quirky, touching story.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

After all that ranting about Maureen Johnson, I couldn't remember what other book I read this past week. But now, I do!

The Mysterious Benedict Society (Trenton Lee Stewart) has a really neat cover- lots to see and wonder about. The book begins with an intriguing notice posted in the paper that says: "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?" The notice requests that those children who feel they fit the bill should proceed to a certain building in Stonetown, where they are given a practically impossible test. From there the truly gifted children are weeded out and move forward in the special opporunities to embark on a mysterious adventure to save the world from evil under the tutelage of a man named Mr. Benedict.

This is a book that I couldn't put down. I loved everything about it from the cover, as I mention above, to the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, to the endearing, unique characters. I would recommend this book to well-read upper elementary schoolers and 6th/7th graders. It has two main characters that are boys and two that are girls, as well as enough adventure to keep boys busy, so I think it would be a good fit for both boys and girls. Recommeded!

Bermudez Triangle (Maureen Johnson)

A few weeks ago I read on John Green's blog (author of Looking For Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines) that the Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson (also author of Keys to the Golden Firebird and others) was being heavily challenged by parents at a high school in Oklahoma. Of course this piqued my interest...

The parent heading the banning request team wrote the following about the book:
"I’m shocked and appalled at the lack of discretion, and moral decline in the selection of books at the Mid-High library. Homosexual content, unprotected sex, underage drinking, and reckless promiscuity are not values that belong in a school library. I understand there are parents or teens who are dealing with these issues, but not all parents want their kids exposed to this material. Personally, I would not endorse any of these types of book as “14-and-15-year-old-friendly.” Giving teenagers knowledge without guidance is irresponsible and dangerous. As a parent, I screen my 15-year-old’s television, Internet, video game, magazines, and books. There are things she’s not mature enough to handle, or are simply wrong for her. Parents are a child’s best line of defense in a world that rushes to grow them up too soon. This book, “The Bermudez Triangle” has no moral fiber, and wrongly promotes a “do whomever you want to discover yourself” mentality. There’s no mention of the myriad of diseases, pregnancy, destruction of friendships and lives that are very real consequences of a “sexual free-for-all” decision. I ask that his material be removed at once. You have a responsibility to the children at school to protect them and educate them. Let’s raise the bar a little higher, respect moral values and a parent’s right to guard that which has been entrusted to their care."

Now this book, while not one of the most fabulous YA books I've read lately, is a fine book. Three girls who have been really close friends for a really long time experience what happens when one of them goes away for the summer before senior year in high school. It just so happens in this book that the other two end up let's say "experimenting" with life and love, with each other. But the book is so much more than that- its a coming of age story as they all decide what they want to do with their lives, its about making friends with people you never guessed you'd be friends with and its about forgiveness. It are those themes that define the book NOT the fact that two of the girls think they might be lesbians.

Anyway, I had to read it myself to see what I thought. Again, confirming my belief that banning books is not necessarily the way to go and maybe parenting is.

Blah blah blah.

The Finishing School

I enjoyed a quick read last week, Scottish author Muriel Spark's 2004 novella "The Finishing School." Spark is best known for "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," originally published in 1961, and I think "The Finishing School" is her 22nd book. It's a short, quirky tale about the relationship between Rowland, the principal of a private secondary school and Chris, one of the school's pupils, a seemingly confident boy of 17. Rowland has been struggling for years with one form or another of writer's block, as he tries to get a foothold on his novel in progress. Chris on the other hand, audaciously flaunts the ease with which he is constructing his own book, an historical novel about Mary Queen of Scots. As you can guess from the plot, the tension in the story is spare and comedic. Interestingly, the tone occasionally reminded me of Alexander McCall Smith's "Sunday Philosophy Club" titles...could it be the Scottish voice coming through?

The Thirteenth Tale

Jean recommended The Thirteenth Tale at our last Information Meeting. I just wanted to add my praise of this first novel by Diane Setterfield. I loved it. Now I am listening to it on CD and catching all the clues that evaded me the first time.

Y Great Books

I already talked about "The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs" at our info meeting. Another creepy read is "Freaks: Alive on the Inside" by Annette Curtis Klause. She is a librarian for Montgomery County and is most famous for "Blood and Chocolate" her vampire novel that was recently released as a movie (and it received terrible reviews).

Freaks is very hard to categorize because it is part historical account of life in freak shows in 1899, but there are very many elements of a fantasy novel (an Egyptian mummy comes to life), with lots of romance, adventure and humor.

Abel Dandy is born perfectly normal to a legless father and an armless mother. He is the abnormal one in the freak show world so he sets out to make his own way in the world as a knife thrower in the circus.

This is definitely for the more mature, older Y reader. But when do they come up the desk and ask for a recommendation?

Letters from Rapunzel

I picked up Letters from Rapunzel by Sara Lewis Holmes from the new Y books and was immediately intrigued. It is a first novel, a contest winner and I think, very well written. It also deals with clinical depression in a way that is realistic but not depressing in itself. The book is set up as a series of letters written to a post box that our heroine, calling herself Rapunzel, believes belongs to a friend of her father, who is currently away. Through these letters, Rapunzel comes to grips with her father's depression (she calls it the evil spell), her own lousy grades, and a maturing relationship with her mother. All this is done with intelligence, compassion and humor, with some interesting twists. It is a good general read, and also one to remember for someone who is dealing with this issue.

Reading what's on the "New" shelf

Does anyone read James Patterson? I have read almost all of his books and I still don't know how I feel about him as an author. They read quickly, so that is one big reason that I keep reading him. But, of all he has written, there is one of his books that has stuck with me... Judge and Jury. It was typical of his books until the end. Then I hated the end. Everytime I see someone check this book out I want to say to them, please let me know what you think about the end. It would make for a good book discussion. I don't want to give anything away, so I am not saying much here. But, if anyone has read it and has a thought I would be interested in hearing it.

Other thoughts on the books on the New shelf...

Hide by Lisa Gardner - good read, I love Lisa Gardner

I Heard that Song before by Mary Higgins Clark - Not even good by MHC standards

Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy - Not very memorable which is unusual for MB.

Thought this might be helpful if anyone asks if you have heard anything about these books.

Mary

Coraline

Yesterday I read Coraline by Neil Gaiman. I had read about this book in review form somewhere saying it was a scary book for kids... and it is! It was an eerily weird story about Coraline, a girl who is bored in the last days of summer. She is intrigued by a door in her family's flat that seems to lead to a brick wall- except that sometimes it opens into a long, dark, damp hallway. What lies beyond that dark hallway is for the reader to find out, but suffice it to say that if you were to venture down that hallway, you better be sure you're carrying a round stone with a hole clean through the center. You also better have your thinking cap on! Great story, a fairly easy read for upper elementary, with a few pictures.

Rich's Recent Reads

I am finishing in the car a new Karen Armstrong bio of Muhammed, that while not exciting is telling! It's a four star, based on information and the quality of the writing.
I also just completed a too short memoir of Calvin Trillon's wife called About Alice, read by the author. It's a four star read because I knew so little, and to his family and freinds she meant a lot! She nearly always appeared in his New Yorker pieces over the last 35 years or so, and in his books about eating and living.
In a hard copy text, I slowly made my way through this year's Newbery, Higher Power of Lucky, which I read slowly because I like Lucky, her friends and step-mother so much!
Last, I am reading a new Y title by Cynthia Rylant called Ludie's LIfe, circa 1910 same lonesome Appalachia territory as many of her Y titles. All in verse, and reads easily. Thumbs up to Ludie for sharing her story, and in the opening page, she reveals (about children)
"all in all,
six were too many
and one
would have been just fine!"
Gotta go! Rich

I'm in!

Thanks for the invitation! My goal this summer is to read all the SRC books, ha ha ha. Definately some in each grade and I also want to begin reading Black Eyed Susan Books.

Lately I read Journey to the Bottomless Pit: the Story of Stephen Bishop and Mammoth Cave which is a J book about a slave that was one of the first guides to visitors to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and did most of the exploring of this cave. It's a National Park now and the largest cave in the world. The second largest, somewhere in the Ukraine, is only 1/3 its size. I wanted to read this as we will be there next weekend.

At any rate, I think you can recommend it to any boy with an adventuresome spirit because it's quite interesting how this young man explores this cave basically with a lantern. It would also appeal to anyone intested in African American history. The author is Elizabeth Mitchell.

What its all about...

So I've given up on the Newbery Challenge, but I'd still like us all to have a way to share what we're reading beyond the basic conversations at the desk or at a staff meeting. Post as much as you want... just the title of a book you've finished with a thumbs up or down or a star rating or write a full-on review. Just share with us!

:)