Lithography 101

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2009-12-05T10:42:00.006-06:00

I'm a little late to the party on this one, but now I understand what all the buzz for this series has been about. Having finished the first book, I am anxious to take on the next volume in the adventures of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
I never had much of a background in classical mythology growing up, which I suppose explains my initial lack of interest in this story about the half-blood child of an ancient Greek god and a modern-day human. Most kids today don't have that background either, which may actually be the reason for the success of the five novels in this series. There's a little familiarity already built in because some of the characters have names young readers may have heard before: Poseidon, Zeus, Athena, Hades, etc. But there are also enough other characters with unfamilar names to make the stories seem new, fresh and interesting. It also helps that there are undeniable comparisons to the Harry Potter franchise: missing parents (check), abusive relative at home (check), faithful sidekicks in the form of a goofy but loyal best friend and a brainy but beautiful girl (check, check), teachers and adult role models who may or may not be trustworty (check), a home-away-from-home for Percy and other similar special creatures like him (check)....You get the idea. Oddly enough, a movie version of this book comes out in mid-January 2010, and the director is none other than Chris Columbus, the same guy who brought the first two Harry Potter books to life on film! (Have you seen the trailer for it? It looks awesome!)

The Lightning Thief contains enough adventure and excitement to keep young readers interested in following along with Percy and his pals to find out where they are headed, who they'll meet along the way, and what will happen next. Heck, it may even spur some students into checking out library books on ancient mythology to give them some background on these characters. (One can hope anyway.) Copies of this whole series are available at SMS Library and are recommended for ages 10 and older.

SLOB by Ellen Potter

2009-10-31T21:03:00.007-06:00

Twelve-year-old Owen is the fattest kid in his New York City school. But he’s also a near-genius who has been trying to invent some cool contraptions— like a TV that shows past events. Something happened two years ago that he desperately needs to see to gain a sense of closure and clarity. Intelligent or not, there is much Owen can’t quite figure out. Like his gym coach, Mr. Woolly, who, along with the rest of his classmates is on a mission to humiliate him. Or the disfigured school psycho-bully with a switchblade who seems to have it in for him. Or why his sister is a member of a gang of girls who pretend to be boys. Or the way his Oreos keep disappearing from his lunch sack. Or if karma points can be taken away when you do something bad after you do something good. He’s sure that if he can only get the TV to work, things will start to make sense, but it will take a revelation for Owen, not science, to see the answer’s in the present, not the past. That no matter how large he is on the outside, Owen doesn’t have to feel small on the inside. With humor and unflinching detail, Ellen Potter has created a larger-than-life character and a story that measures not with a scale, but with the heart. Yeah, it's a little sappy in spots, a bit predictable, and almost too conveniently wraps up at the end, but sometimes you just need to read a story with a happy ending to keep the world in balance.
SLOB has been short-listed for the 2010-2011 Texas Lone Star Reading List, and is a Junior Library Guild Premium Selection. A copy of this book is available from SMS Library. It is suitable for grade 6 and older, but it does contain a little mild language.

The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst

2009-10-28T19:09:00.008-06:00

Without a doubt, one of the most intriguing and unusual books I have ever read. At times both poetic and unsettling, it follows the death of Lexy, an artistic young married woman, and the state of grief suffered by her linguistics professor husband in the aftermath of her fall from a tree in their backyard. Was she pushed? Or was it a suicide? The only witness is Lorelei, their faithful dog, and she isn't talking...yet.

I'm one of those people who never defaces a book, but there were times I wanted to grab a hi-lighter to emphasize a beautiful turn of phrase by the author, or accent a memorable quote. And later on, I wanted to hack away an entire disturbing passage so nobody would ever read it again. When I finished the novel, I honestly could not think of anyone I would recommend it to, with the possible exception of Kim, one of our busiest PTO moms who will read anything. So...ultimately, an interesting read, but not for everyone. I am anxious to see more from this promising writer though. A reading group guide and author interview are included at the end of the novel.

Note: This is an adult title and is not suitable for adolescent readers. For this reason, it is not available at our middle school library.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney

2009-10-18T11:57:00.007-05:00

More insights into the mind of modern middle schoolers. This time wimpy kid Greg Heffley's fictional journal gives readers a look at his 'best summer break ever,' including watching his first horror movie, frequent trips to the public swimming pool (and running the gauntlet through the men's locker room!), tagging along on his friend Rowley's family vacation to the beach, 4th of July fireworks, and the pain of training a new puppy, among other diversions. One of the best selling items at our recent book fair, the Wimpy Kid series has got some of the more reluctant readers at our school enjoying books! Thanks, Greg Kinney, for this fun and funny series! Recommended for ages 10 on up.

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

2009-10-14T20:37:00.008-05:00

In this companion book to his earlier Newbery nominated "A Long Way From Chicago" and "A Year Down Yonder", author Richard Peck revisits a very elderly Grandma Dowdel who continues dishing out her own version of prairie justice to deserving delinquents along with subtle doses of neighborliness to those in need. There's not as much laugh-out-loud country humor in this one, but some gentle heartwarming vignettes will surely put a lump in your throat and the spirit of Christmas in your soul. Share this one with upper elementary age kids on up to their great-grandparents. In fact, the oldsters may even get a bigger kick out of the story than the children! Pair this one with Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory which is similar in tone, though set during the Great Depression. All stories mentioned are available for checkout from Stone MS Library.

Notes From the Dog by Gary Paulsen

2009-10-11T20:30:00.004-05:00

Gary Paulsen has long been a favorite writer for adolescents (mainly boys), but with this new book he may just find himself adding legions of female readers to his fan club, too.
Fourteen-year-old Finn is a self-described loner and misfit. Finn's mom left many years ago, and his father, a perpetual college student, is mostly absent from his life as well. Young Finn decides that if the people who matter most to him are going to avoid him, then this summer, he is not going to interact with anyone else unless absolutely necessary. It'll just be a world of men: him, his dad, his dog Dylan, and his friend Matthew who moves in with them for the summer. He plans to spend the break from school doing his favorite thing, reading books, and ignoring the world around him.
That is until he meets Johanna, the vivacious girl who moves in next door. Johanna is a 24-year-old breast cancer patient who is currently undergoing chemotherapy and is house-sitting because this home is closer to the doctor's office where she takes her medical treatments. First Dylan, then Matthew, and eventually Finn find themselves drawn into this friendly and interesting young lady's orbit. She enlists Finn to help plan and carry out a transformation of his plain back yard into a garden retreat, coaxes him and Matthew into helping raise money for breast cancer research, and teaches all who come into contact with her the true meaning of family. Johanna is a glass-half-full person whose enthusiasm for living and finding joy in life is infectious. Through little affirmations she writes and sends to him via his dog Dylan, Finn finds himself gaining self-confidence, meeting scores of new people, and brave enough to finally ask the girl of his dreams out on a first date.
This book is a quick read, but packs a powerful emotional punch. Readers may find themselves smiling one minute and wiping away tears the next, but nobody will come away from this gem of a book without learning the importance of getting to know your neighbors and that by doing good for others, in reality you are bettering yourself.
A copy of this book is available from Stone MS Library and is suitable for grades 6 and up.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2009-10-11T20:00:00.009-05:00

Book two of the Hunger Games trilogy finds champions Katniss and her 'frenemy' Peeta once again unwilling participants in a televised reality 'game show' to the death, only now they have to outwit, outplay, and outlast 22 other contestants who, like themselves, have survived them in the past. This time the game is basically the same, but the rules have been changed since it is a special 75th anniversary event. There's enough filler information from the first book so readers who are new to the series or have forgotten what happened (yeah, like that could happen!) will know who's who and what's going on.
Collins is a master of twisting plots and unexpected departures for her well-crafted characters. Now if I can just stand the suspense of waiting on book 3 to be published to find out what lies in store for the heroes of District 12 and the citizens of Panem.
Copies of this and other titles by Suzanne Collins are available at Stone MS Library and are recommended for grades 6 and up.
The area of adolescent and YA literature is hotter than ever right now, with many adults enjoying the great writing that is coming out of this genre. I encourage my adult friends to give this series a try. Much like the Twilight books did, I think you will find yourself hooked on the storyline and eager for the next book in the series.

I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

2009-10-06T23:07:00.007-05:00

Witty and light-hearted, with a dash of teenage identity-searching make this book a delightful combination for middle school girls. Cammie Morgan is a sophomore at exclusive Gallagher Academy, an all-female private prep school to the outside world, but a secret training facility for future spies on the inside. She and her best buds Liz and Bex have enough trouble keeping up with assignments, now Cammie has gone and fallen in love with Josh, a local townie with problems of his own. Can their love survive with all the opposition being thrown at them from her school friends and his classmates? Will she have the courage to reveal her true identity to Josh? Can she come to terms with her father's death and her mother's potential boyfriend who just happens to be the hot new Covert Ops instructor? There's sure to be more excitement ahead since this is book one of a planned Gallagher Girls series.

This title is currently available in print and MP3 CD format at Stone MS. Look for other books in the series coming soon.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

2009-09-07T14:41:00.020-05:00

Along with countless other fans of The Time Traveler's Wife, I have been anxiously awaiting the next literary effort by best-selling writer Audrey Niffenegger. And being a book blogger and a librarian, I was lucky enough to score an Advanced Reader's Edition of her second novel: Her Fearful Symmetry. Anticipation was high, the blurb on the back of the cover sounded quite exciting, and, I'll be honest here, any book that opens with a quote from the Beatles is pegging way up there on my interest-o-meter. I couldn't wait to start reading, imagining I was going to learn all the sad, Gothic details of an Eleanor Rigby-esque love story . . .

Hmmm. Where to begin... Let's start with the title, an allusion to William Blake's classic poem, The Tyger. I've included it here for your convenience:

The Tyger by William Blake

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? And what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Make of it what you will. Without spoiling the plot for anyone, I suppose one could assume the reference to this literary work has parallels near the end of the story. I'd like to point out though that, like the poem, this novel follows the same structural pattern: both the opening and closing chapter title headings are the same: "The End." And like bookends they frame the contents of this book. Now this may or may not mean anything, but The End was also the title of another Beatles song (from Abbey Road) with this single lyric: "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." Again, hmmm. Coincidence? I think not! (This last sentence reads a lot better if you imagine me doing it as a Craig Ferguson impersonation.)

Moving right along...

Twenty-year-old American twins Julia and Valentina have never met their British Aunt Elspeth, who is also a twin to their mother, Edie. However, they quickly become interested in her life when she dies suddenly of cancer and leaves her London apartment to the two of them with strict instructions not to let their mother or father step foot into the property. She also forbids them to ask any questions about her past. Being typical spoiled, self-centered American youths with no apparent ambitions, the two leave for England to move into their new home to complete the terms of the will. The apartment is one of three in a building next door to historic Highgate Cemetery, which almost takes on the role of a character itself. Their upstairs neighbors are Martin, a brilliant crossword puzzle maker who suffers from acute Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and his wife Marijke, who feels stifled by his disabling condition. Downstairs lives Aunt Elspeth's former lover, a writer and cemetery scholar named Robert Fanshaw. Over the course of several months, these residents meet and eventually get to know one another, sometimes to the consternation of others.

It is my belief that Niffenegger wrote this novel to examine the variety, meaning, and importance of relationships, and how each in its own way attempts a necessary balance needed for its survival. When there is an imbalance, the relationship suffers, possibly to the point of dissolution. There's the sibling relationship between the mirror twins, Julia and Valentina, which can swing from cloyingly close to annoyingly antagonistic; the marriage relationship between OCD Martin and free-spirited Marijke; the love affair between independent Elspeth and hopelessly romantic Robert, the working relationship between scholarly Robert and his fellow cemetery guides, and then there's the ephemeral relationship between dead Elspeth's spirit and the living beings who now occupy her home. (Do the dead not continue to influence our lives even years after they have passed away?) And let's not forget the parent-child relationship between Jack and Edie back in Chicago, and their irresponsible daughters living in London.

Having so many relationships may have been the downfall of this novel. I truly wanted to like it, but I just couldn't find myself rooting for very many of the characters. Martin and Marijke were easily the most likable. Heck, the whole book could have been expanded to examine only their lives and I think it would have been better. The denouement of their relationship, when it finally comes, is appropriate, but less than satisfying. It just seems too hurried. I felt as if the writer decided she'd tired of their story and just wanted to get it over with so she could go wrap up the next couple's situation.

I never felt any real empathy for Julia especially, nor for Valentina to a lesser extent. I kept picturing them as pale, geeky versions of Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, running around in matching juvenile ensembles declaring, "That's hot! That's not!" Julia (also the name of another Beatles song!) was the bossy older sibling who always has to have her way. Poor Valentina never had a chance under her oppressive dominance. Julia was really only likable when she was upstairs visiting Martin and trying to help him overcome his debilitating illness. I do think Elspeth's ghostly qualities were examined in a fresh and interesting manner, although I saw the 'surprise ending' coming a long way off. I actually felt sorry for her up until that decision was made. And I kept mentally yelling at Valentina and Robert to get on with their lives, but neither seemed to be listening.

Is it possible to give one thumb up and one thumb down for the same book? That's a bit how I feel now that I have finished this novel. I was hoping it would be as compelling and wonderful as The Time Traveler's Wife, but it wasn't. It's sort of how I felt after watching the movie The Sixth Sense several years back, and the world-wide expectations, then disappointment, that followed when the director's sophomore film Signs was released. Could Audrey Niffenegger be the literary equivalent of M. Night Shyamalan? I was disappointed in the quickly tied-up endings, but then again, the author's resolutions also left me thinking about how I might have ended things. They'd definitely be different; that's for sure. Perhaps I'm wrong about this book. Maybe one mark of good literature is that it leaves you thinking about it long after you've stopped reading it. I've certainly been doing that.

I know in my college writing courses I was always told to never leave the reader asking unanswered questions. But then, some of our culture's greatest stories, whether in print, on screen, or from oral traditions, have left their endings open to a variety of interpretations, and to this day they remain timelessly unresolved. Which leaves me frustratingly undecided as to whether I liked this book or not. What if the writer wanted to simply leave her readers asking, "What if..." once they'd finished it? Only time will tell if she made the right decision by this book.

Note: Scheduled U.S. publication date for this book is September 29, 2009. I recommend it for mature readers, preferably high school age or older.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collines

2009-08-08T19:12:00.008-05:00

One of the best middle grade books I have read this year! I put off starting this one because the plot just didn't sound like something I'd be interested in, but once I got into the first few pages, I honestly couldn't put it down.

The story is pure science fiction, and I mean that in the best possible way. The classics of this genre always focus on the human element, emotional conflicts, etc. Ms. Collins follows these rules to the letter, always allowing her characters to judge society and each other for truth, meaning, and motive.
The story is set in a future where North America has been divided into 12 distinct districts. Once a year, a boy and girl from each district are selected in a lottery to travel to The Capital in the Rocky Mountains and participate in The Hunger Games. These 'games' are a brutal fight to the death, a televised reality show with the 'winner' being rewarded for the rest of his/her life with a house for the family to live in, and all the food and possessions they ever need. This carefree life is a dream for Katniss, the girl representing District 12. Her mother is still grieving over the death of her husband, Katniss' father, and has virtually left her and her little sister Prim on their own ever since. Katniss knows how to hunt, fish, and survive in the woods of their home territory, but what kind of landscape is in store for her once she gets to The Capital and the games? What will the other contestants be like? Can she survive and return a victor to her friend Gale and her home in the mountains and woods?

This book has been getting consistent rave reviews, and now I know why. Highly recommended for middle school to adult.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

2009-08-04T18:18:00.004-05:00

A remarkable memoir of resilient children who raised themselves and eventually escaped the neglect of their free-spirited, artistic mother and jobless, alcoholic father. This true story of a severly dysfunctional American family should be read by every school employee, every public librarian, or anyone who wants to look back on their own childhood and appreciate that they did not grow up in this family. Both heart-wrenching and inspirational, The Glass Castle is filled with humor, love, and a peculiar kind of loyalty that is one family's long and painful journey. While highly recommended, this award-winning book is for mature readers due to language and frequent references to alcoholism, child abuse, and neglect.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

2009-07-28T14:34:00.006-05:00

What a great read! This is the kind of book that very often gets turned into an Oscar-worthy movie script. One where the credits roll and you're left wondering who lived, who died, and what happened next. I guess that's the author's way of saying, 'figure it out for yourself and draw your own conclusions.'

Gar and Trudy Sawtelle have been trying to start a family for years, when finally their son Edgar arrives. He is an intelligent child who is born mute. Edgar spends his youth on the family farm in Wisconsin where they breed and train special dogs for particular clients. Edgar becomes part of the family business and trains his dogs by signing commands to them. Everything in their remote, self-contained world begins to change when some unexpected and mysterious deaths, and the reappearance of Gar's troubled younger brother, Claude, causes Edgar to wonder about the family's past history, and what will happen to them in the future. Can he figure out what's going on before it's too late?

This story is written with sensitivity and an eye for detail, unfolding like a Shakespearean tragedy. The author perfectly captures the interaction between Edgar and his beloved dogs, between Edgar and his parents, his discomfort around his uncle Claude, his journey of self-discovery, and his return home to the people he no longer knows. Highly recommended!

I don't know too many middle-schoolers with the patience to tackle a book of this size, so I would really only recommend it to adults with plenty of reading time on their hands. Content-wise, there are a few lines of profanity scattered throughout, some violence, moral indecision (stealing food to stay alive, for example), a little drinking, and a couple scenes of implied sexual activity. Actually a fairly tame book by today's standards.

Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead

2009-07-17T19:16:00.005-05:00

Although I picked this novel up at our middle school book fair, it is written for adults, and Scholastic took care to place an "Adult Bestseller" sticker on the front cover so there wouldn't be any confusion. The adult content warning is for some strong language, violence in the form of Civil War battle scenes and their aftermath, plus a few brief passages about intimacy and a sexual assault.
In the same style as Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain, and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, this book follows 14-year-old Robey Childs as he heads out from his West Virginia mountain home to find his father during the height of the American Civil War. What Robey thinks is going to be an adventure when he gets the opportunity to leave his family farm for the first time turns out to be a brutal and honest journey of self-discovery as the young man quickly realizes the ways of human nature and the truths about war. If you're looking for a story full of hope and optimism, this isn't it. Along his travels, Robey meets con artists, scoundrels, thieves, murderers, rapists, and other evildoers, along with pious zealots, injured victims, and others like himself who are simply searching for deliverance from the horrors of the times.
While I found this book riveting in its prose, and almost unable to put it down, I had to take a couple of breaks just to ease the tension building within the chapters. This is a well-crafted work and one I highly recommend, but only to readers who, like the coal black horse of the title, have the strength, stamina, and endurance to see the journey through to its completion.

Partly Cloudy by Gary Soto

2009-07-10T14:12:00.005-05:00

"Oranges" is one of my all-time favorite poems. In just a few lines it perfectly captures that elusive feeling of what it means to be young, poor, and in love. It can be found in an older collection of poems by noted writer Gary Soto. Now he has a new collection of poetry out that is sure to be just as popular. Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing is a slim volume that can be read quickly, but will probably be savored at length for its insight into young love. The first half of the book is written from a teenage girl's point of view, and the second half is from a young man's. I would recommend this title to teens, because it will show them that these new feelings they are experiencing are (or have been) shared by people the world over. I would recommend it to my older friends, to remind them of that special feeling--that "spark"--of what falling in love felt like the first time. Suitable for 8th graders and older due to some mature subject matter.

Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard

2009-07-10T13:58:00.004-05:00

Fans of boy-and-his-dog hunting stories like "Where the Red Fern Grows" and "Old Yeller" will really like this novel. While you can pretty much guess what is going to happen by the end of the book, based on events in the opening chapters, it is the journey getting there that will keep readers interested and eager to find out exactly how the events will unfold. My only complaint--and it's a minor one--is the sometimes hokey-sounding dialect the characters use when they speak. I realize the book was written in another time, and the dialogue is supposed to convey the rural setting, but sometimes it's just a bit overdone. Other than that, this will be one I highly recommend to boys looking for hunting and adventure stories. I was a little late to the game in finding this classic, but I am glad I finally did. Now I'll have to sample some more of this author's similar works.

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel

2009-07-10T13:51:00.003-05:00

Set in an alternate turn-of-the-20th-century world, Starclimber is book three of a series started by Airborn, and continued in Skybreaker. Oppel is great at putting his characters into harrowing situations and letting them use their smarts to get themselves out of trouble. This book is a little different from the first two in that the two main characters are a little older and a little more worldly in their outlook. There are some truly eye-rolling moments that stretch the limits of credibility, even for such lightweight sci-fi material as this. (Without spoiling the story, let me just say it involves a monkey on board a space ship and leave it at that.) The ending, while satisfying on one level, left me shaking my head and thinking, "That'd NEVER happen in real life!" Is it an interesting read? Yes, if you've already been following the series. Is it an outstanding read? Not really....but it did keep me entertained for a few hours on a long holiday weekend.

The Sorceress by Michael Scott

2009-07-10T13:05:00.010-05:00

Book three in the series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel continues in the same vein as Mr. Scott's two earlier titles, The Alchemyst and The Magician. This comment is not meant as a slight, though, as readers of the two previous books will understand. Mr. Scott is a gifted writer who knows how to keep a plot taut and pages turning. So much of the current series fiction for adolescents tends to get watered down and repetitive, but not so with this one. Like John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel just keeps getting better with each new telling. Readers can expect lots of action, mystery, strange characters, surprising plot twists, and more.

The adventures in book 2 continue to alternate between Europe and San Francisco. The Sorceress finds our legendary twins escaping from Paris, France to London, England with plenty of villains and monsters fast on their heels. Guided by Nicholas Flamel and friends, Sophie and Josh are supposedly the select twins of legend who will unite their powers to foil the plans of the Dark Elders of the Shadowrealms who want to destroy the earth. They are on the run from Dr. John Dee and his frenemy, Nicolo Machiavelli, plus their assorted henchmen, monsters, and demons. Meanwhile, Perenelle, Nicholas' wife, is imprisoned on the island of Alcatraz near San Francisco where a menagerie of creatures from the depths of the underworld continue to make her life a living nightmare.

Will Perenelle be able to flee from her captors? Can the twins develop newfound powers and insights before it's too late? Has their rag-tag team lost the opportunity to escape with their lives? Will Nicholas have a chance to reunite with his beloved wife before they both die? And what evil power is keeping an eye on things in America anyway? Read The Sorceress by Michael Scott to find out!

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

2009-04-13T20:18:00.004-05:00

The narrator of this British children's novel is Ted, a young lad with a mum, a dad, an older sister named Kat, a love of all things meteorological, and Asperger's Syndrome--a genetic condition closely associated with Autism. Ted is getting professional help for his illness and learning to cope in a "normal" world as best he can. He understands that reading body language is much more difficult than reading words off a page, or even predicting the weather. He knows that people don't always mean what they say, and that idioms--expressions of speech--shouldn't be taken literally. He can decipher the London underground (subway) route maps easily, but what he can't figure out--at least, right away--is how his cousin, Salim, got into a sealed pod of the London Eye ferris wheel and suddenly disappeared right in front of him and his sister. Was he kidnapped? Did he really enter the ride? Is he hiding out to avoid moving to New York? And what about the stranger who gave him the ticket in the first place? How does he fit into this puzzle? And how is Salim's mom going to react when she finds out her only son is missing? This book is an engaging mystery, but it also examines family relationships, and provides a glimpse into what life can be like for a person with Asperger's Syndrome. Readers will observe that Ted has a nervous habit of flapping his arm and/or humming when he is under stress. We find out that Ted is very literal in his communications with others, and that he has almost no sense of humor. We also realize that Ted is extremely intelligent and very observant, but lacks basic common sense in most situations. Ted is often dismissed outright as being in the way, a nuisance, and not worth listening to, but it is his methodical and analytical mind that eventually saves the day--and his cousin Salim. I think the point of this story is that communication is the key to understanding, no matter what the situation, and that's a pretty valuable lesson for anyone to learn.
A copy of this title is available from Stone library and is recommended for grades 6 and up. It is a finalist for the Texas Lone Star Reading list for 2009. The Irish author died of breast cancer in 2007 only weeks after this book was published. Her family maintains a website in her memory at www.siobhandowd.co.uk

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

2009-03-22T10:39:00.006-06:00

This is the first book in what I assume will be at least a 5-volume saga: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. Author Heather Brewer captures the essence of being a typical middle-schooler in much the same way Greg Kinney does in his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, only this time the main character is your average run-of-the-mill teenage vampire instead of an adolescent wimp. And I don't see this series as competition for the market seemingly created by Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga, but rather as a complementary companion series. Where Meyer's books are more focused on inter-species romance, Brewer seems more interested in human-vampire friendships. Without trying to sound sexist, think of it as 'chick flicks' vs. 'buddy movies'. The Vladimir Tod books are a bit more blunt, humorous, and action-oriented, and will likely find a quick audience with boys, while the Twilight books have more emotional tension, introspection, and finesse, and seem generally more suited to girls.

Vlad is being raised by Nelly whom he thinks of as a doting aunt. She conviently works as a nurse in their small-town hospital and has access to the local blood bank, taking home bags of plasma just before they've reached their expiration date and have to be destroyed. (After all, he is a growing boy, and in order to feed Vlad's ravenous appetite and help him hide his condition, she has to find a way for him to 'feed' somehow!) Nelly was the best friend of his late mother, a human who was married to his vampire dad and died with him in a mysterious house fire some three years ago. Being half-human makes Vlad the first of his kind and even more of an oddity to both the human and the vampire world. It's tough enough 'fitting in' at your average middle school, but imagine going through all that adolescent angst as a genuine outcast. That's the gist of this book.

Vlad is trying his best to pass as a normal teen when he is anything but. He is aided by his best friend Henry who knows Vlad's secret. (Vlad had 'tasted' Henry when he was a curious 8-year-old.) The boys are involved in the usual middle school activities of club meetings, homework, playing sports, avoiding bullies, and getting up the nerve to ask beautiful girls to the dance. Those mundane everyday events suddenly seem important to Vlad when he realizes he may lose them forever. A chance discovery of his dad's diary, the finding of cryptic symbols carved in their neighborhood, the sudden disappearance of his beloved English instructor, an oddly mysterious substitute teacher who seems a little too interested in Vlad's family history, and a dark stranger in town all lead Vlad to believe he, Henry, and Nelly may be in grave danger. (Emphasis on the 'grave' part.) What do all these occurences have in common, and what do they have to do with Vlad? He has to find out the answers before it's too late. Read book one in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod to find out more. A copy is available at SMS library and is recommended for sixth grade and older.
Younger readers will just enjoy the story--equal parts Goosebumps and Harry Potter, with just a dash of Stephen King. Older readers might be intrigued by the allusions included (Stokerton is a neighboring town; D'Ablo is the bad guy). All in all a good read.

Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky by Kathi Appelt & Jeanne Schmitzer

2009-03-04T20:33:00.007-06:00

A wonderful book about a little known group of very special people. During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt came up with his New Deal, a plan that included putting Americans back to work. In one state, dozens of women--and a few men--found jobs as pack horse librarians, carrying books, magazines, church pamphlets, and other printed items to families located in remote parts of the hollows and mountains of Kentucky. The WPA funds only paid the librarians' salaries; all their materials were donated. But these hardy pioneers persevered in delivering them, sometimes on foot, other times by horse or mule, to the residents of these treacherous hills. Their actions layed the groundwork for a love of reading among many hundreds of families, and led to later establishment of state-supported libraries, bookmobiles, and reading programs. Although published a few years back, its story is even more important now considering the state of our nation's economy and the need for libraries to serve the millions who suddenly find themselves unemployed. Amply illustrated with actual photos of some of the librarians and the customers they served, this thin volume gives validation to the necessity of a literate society. Sadly, a fact many of our current breed of politicians seem to have forgotten.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

2009-02-22T13:09:00.015-06:00

It's 1947 and 15-year-old Evelyn Spooner is glad to have her father home from the war; glad the world is more optimistic about the future, and glad her family can get out of New York for a vacation down in Florida before school starts back. All Evie wants to do is 'experience life' so she can report back to her best friend and 'know' what all the other popular girls already seem to. As the saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for." Evie finds herself suddenly having to grow up too fast when she realizes what the real world is all about: racism in the South, bigotry everywhere, cheating and possibly worse in her own family, scandal, and lies around every corner.....some of them her own. Oh, and did I mention there's a hurricane, too?

This is author Blundell's first book under her own name, but she has been a writer for many years. She has used various pseudonyms, most notably that of Jude Watson for the numerous children's Star Wars series of books.

It's little wonder this particular title won the National Book Award for Young Adult literature. I can see Hollywood jumping all over What I Saw and How I Lied with the possibilities it offers in a compelling noirish narrative, a story of a young girl wanting to become a woman, ties to Jewish persecution in WWII, a fragile family dynamic, an idyllic setting, and some truths about human nature. This one's got them all. In my mind, it already won the Oscar for cinematography. That's how vivid and descriptive the writing is. Recommended for mature 8th graders on up, there's a little language and a hint or two of inflamed passions, but nothing obscene or graphic. There's some smoking and drinking of cocktails frequently by the adult characters, but remember this was the late 1940's, so those vices were commonplace for the times. If it were a movie, I'd give it a PG or mild PG-13 rating.

A copy of this book is available from Stone Library, and although the publisher recommends it for ages 13-18, I believe it will find a quick audience with older readers who remember the days after World War II better than anyone. After all, they lived them.

Coraline + The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-01-18T22:02:00.008-06:00

I have only recently discovered the talents of Brit-turned-Yank author Neil Gaiman. I have seen his name for years in book news and literary reviews (they were always gushing and positive by the way), but it wasn't until I saw the DVD of Stardust, one of his early novels, that I simply had to read some of his books. His latest effort, The Graveyard Book, had me hooked from the first page. It starts with the brutal murder of a family, except that one of the children, a toddler, survives and escapes to a nearby cemetery where he is taken in and raised by 'residents' there. Nobody Owens, or 'Bod' as he is called, grows up knowing more about the spirit world, and the afterlife, than any human ever. His coming-of-age involves journeys to strange locations, and meetings with unusual creatures, but everything works itself out by the end. It was sufficiently creepy and compelling enough to keep me up all one night until I finished it. I book-talked it to a group of 8th graders recently and they were clamoring to be the first to check it out. I calmed a lot of complaints by explaining that they could go to the author's website (http://www.mousecircus.com/) and hear him read the entire book online, complete with eerie sound effects and everything.

*UPDATE 01/26/2009: Congratulations to Neil Gaiman for The Graveyard Book winning the 2009 Newbery Medal for outstanding children's literature. The award was announced this morning at the ALA Midwinter Conference.

I decided to read Coraline after finding out that it will be released as a 3D animated movie in February. I know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this one always made me think of Tim Burton's typically bizarre characters...and I wasn't far off the mark, either! Coraline Jones lives with her too-busy parents in an apartment flat inside a three-story building. Looking for excitement, she goes exploring one day and discovers a parallel world in their building inhabited by ghoulish characters eerily similar to her parents and their neighbors. Coraline is determined not to become another victim of this alternate universe, and she mentally prepares herself for a battle of wits to win her freedom from her evil 'other-mother.' Readers who grew up on the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine should transition quite easily to either of these far superior reads. While the content at first sounds too intense for young children, the ways in which Mr. Gaiman delivers the details make them easy to handle. His subtle style is what makes him such a respected master of the spooky writing enjoyed by so many kids today.

Both these books are available at SMS Library and are recommended for upper elementary, middle grade, and high school age readers.

The Alchemyst + The Magician by Michael Scott

2009-01-17T20:08:00.007-06:00

Considering that one of the main characters was mentioned in the Harry Potter books, it's no surprise that fans who are missing the magic and mayhem surrounding the boy wizard have recently latched onto these novels by mythology expert, Michael Scott. Subtitled "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel," The Alchemyst is book one, and The Magician is book two in a planned series about American twins Sophie and Josh Newman. It seems the brother and sister are the mysterious all-powerful twins of legendary prophecy who will one day come to power and rule over the universe. (Whether for good or evil remains to be seen.) Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle are human immortals intent on guiding the youngsters to their fate by leading them to various Shadowrealms and introducing them to others who can "Awaken" their true powers. There's some sibling rivalry when Sophie receives her Awakening first, causing Josh to whine about being left out, and prompting him to question whether the Flamels are truly looking out for their best interests. Along the way they meet the Witch of Endor, Niccolo Machiavelli, John Dee, and others who may or may not be on their side. Most of the action moves for Ojai, California to Paris, France in the second book and the plot turns into one long but exciting chase sequence. Perenelle is captured and placed in a dungeon below Alcatraz Island where she remains throughout book two. The twins meanwhile are aided and protected by Scathatch, a perennial young, hip vampire martial arts master, Joan of Arc (yes, that one) who can summon metal armor and a sword at will, and Joan's husband, the Count de Saint-Germain who is moonlighting as a famous rock star. Confused? Don't be. It all makes sense when you start at page one and keep reading forward. The Sorceress is the title of a third book in the series coming in Spring 2009, so expect to see it reviewed here soon.

A copy of both The Alchemyst and The Magician is available at SMS Library. They are suitable for upper elementary to adult.

CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson

2008-12-30T18:27:00.009-06:00

As a student in grammar school, high school, and college, I never had an interest in history. There was always something dull and unexciting about events that happened decades, centuries, or even thousands of years before. Maybe it was the way the material was presented by dull teachers, disinterested coaches, or stuffy professors, but I never found the tales of past events worthy of my time. As I get older though, there's something about historical events that seems to pique my interest. More and more I find myself swept away by books that retell an incident from the past in such a way that it reads like a modern day murder mystery. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson is one such book. Ms. Anderson also happens to be one of my favorite writers. Her first YA novel, Speak, and her last one, Twisted, are representative of everything a YA novel should be. The same can be said of her current work, Chains, in regard to historical fiction. Anderson relates true events from American history, embellishes them with writings from the period, then adds a fictional protagonist who is representative of the times and (voila!) she's got herself a book that is already receiving accolades in the literary world.
The setting is the American colonies just prior to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Isabel is a 13-year-old slave in Rhode Island who, along with her 5-year-old sister Ruth, is promised freedom upon the death of their master. As fate would have it, the girls find themselves displaced to New York City and become the property of the Locktons, a cruel couple with sympathies for the British crown. Isabel soon meets a boy slave named Curzon who has thrown his allegiance to the Americans. He enlists Isabel's help in spying for the Rebels and she soon figures out that her loyalty can be bought in exchange for her freedom. Isabel tells the events of the American Revolution from 1776 to 1777 from a slave's point of view. George Washington, General Howe, and other real people become characters in her story, which is a highly-researched conglomeration of tales related by real-life slaves and publications of those times.
Chains is wonderfully written and will probably find many fans among American history buffs, U.S. History teachers, and anyone interested in a fast-paced, action-filled narrative. I honestly could not put it down. The chapters are brief, but compelling, making it easy to digest in small segments. My only 'disappointment' (for lack of a better word) with the book is its 'abrupt' ending. At the time I was reading, I assumed it was a stand-alone novel. I knew there were only a few pages left at the end, and I just figured the story would wind down to a pleasant denouement in the coming few pages. It didn't. The final printed pages were notes about the research and acknowledgments to those who had assisted in its development. I had no idea it was the first book in a planned trilogy. Now I can't wait for Forge, the second book in the series, to see what happens next!
A copy of Chains is available from Stone Middle School Library. It is suitable for elementary age to adults.

All the marbles...

2008-10-11T16:56:00.010-05:00

I know I'm setting myself up for all kinds of jokes from friends and associates, but I am officially announcing my status as a collector of marbles. I have kept an old tin can full of the little glass spheres under my bed since I was a kid. Only recently has my interest in them been renewed, however. While on vacation in Prescott, Arizona, in 2007, my cousins Jimmy and Sheila took Frankie and me to a unique downtown gift shop called The Raven. It specializes in custom made papers, pens, cards, and other unusual gift items. What really caught my eye, though, were marbles for sale inside their glass display case. I was fascinated with the infinite variety of sizes, colors, and designs. I'd never seen anything like them, and I had to have some. Now, whenever we have a chance, we look for the colorful little gems at flea markets, antique stores, and specialty gift shops. Frankie bought me some additional ones during a trip to Galveston this summer. (I wish she'd gotten more--they were probably swept out to sea with Hurricane Ike just a few weeks afterward!) All this information serves as an introduction to explain why I read this most recent book: Aggies, Immies, Shooters, and Swirls : The Magical World of Marbles by Marilyn Barrett. I purchased this book a couple of years ago at the request of Marla George who was teaching the Gifted & Talented program in the room next door to our school library. She thought it would be a fun idea to teach her students about marbles and try to spark some interest in the games. Sadly, it didn't. Today's children seemed to be too wired for quick action and instant gratification of computer games rather than the slow and steady pace of a marble tournament. Their loss.
How did I come to read this book? A discussion among co-workers one day led them to the conclusion that we had all lost our marbles for staying in the education profession. Mrs. Elliott, who oversees one of the Computer Labs, brought forth an old bumpy, chipped marble that had been found after a neighbor's house was torn down. With a laugh, she proudly (& loudly if you know her!) proclaimed that she still had one marble left. I quickly responded that I still had a full jar of them on display in my living room, and that I would be happy to bring them to school and show them if they didn't believe me. Oops. The cat's-eye was out of the bag, so to speak. I think they were impressed when I returned the following day with a sample of my meager collection. So, now you know. And now I know more about collecting marbles after reading this thin but insightful book. It covers the general history of the toy, their names, nicknames, and prominent manufacturers, as well as current stars gaining attention and respect in the field of glass art. Feel free to stop by the middle school library and check it out! It's suitable for all ages.