The English countryside, life in Ethiopia, somewhere in fairyland and finding new hope in Mexico.

I've been a world traveler lately, reading 3 books from around the world. First the children’s books :

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan had me cringing at times but I loved the story. Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw lives with her brother, Owen, and great grandmother in their trailer in California. Naomi and her brother haven’t seen their mother since she abandoned them seven years ago. While she is curious about her parents, Naomi is very happy living with Gram who she says is “both parents rolled into one.” But when Terri Lyn, now Skyla, wants to re-gain custody of Naomi and move her to Las Vegas, Naomi’s world is turned upside down. Skyla’s drinking, anger and occasional violence, and unstable history scare Naomi and she doesn’t want to go anywhere with her mother. Nor does she want to leave Owen, whose physical deformities repulse his mother. It’s Skyla’s complete rejection of Owen that had me cringing and made me so angry! Gram decides they need to re-connect with the children’s father and the family travels to Mexico. During this journey Naomi, who always speaks very softly, finds her voice and can finally stand up for herself and her brother.

I had a few Christenings to go to this weekend and bought books for the newest members of my family. I had fun in the board book section of the book store and came away with 2 copies of a book I hadn’t seen before Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg is a great book to share with little ones. Characters from different nursery rhymes travel throughout the book and eventually all get together in the end to have a picnic. Toddlers will have fun trying to spot the 3 Bears and Jack and Jill in the illustrations.

I thought Alexander McCall Smith’s La’s Orchestra Saves the World was going to be similar to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but that comparison isn’t quite right. World War II has broken out and Lavender Stone, a widow in her 30’s known as La to her friends moves to her in-law’s country house. She forms a local orchestra that includes members of the RAF and other armed forces to keep everyone’s spirits up during the war. La gets to know her neighbors better, including Felix who is a Polish pilot and now a refugee living in England. The war eventually ends and the orchestra breaks up, but La wonders what could or would have been if only she would have or could have told Felix her true feelings. When leaving the theater in London many years later La just may get her chance. I said comparison to Shaffer’s book isn’t quite right because La’s Orchestra moves a little slower. You don’t get a big payoff until the very end of the book and at times it seemed like I was waiting and waiting and the payoff was NEVER going to come! But by the last page, I was a happy reader.

Cutting for Stone is quite a ride. Abraham Verghese’s characters are so memorable and his descriptions are so vivid, I feel like I was in Ethiopia during the revolution and that I worked at this field hospital. Shiva and Marion are conjoined twins whose mother died just after birth. After a risky delivery the twins are separated, but still feel such a connection during their childhood that they feel more like one person, ShivaMarion. After their mother’s death, their father abandons the twins and leaves the country. Shiva and Marion are raised by two doctors at the Missing hospital and are close with all the employees there. Both boys go into the medical field and make names for themselves in unique ways. Marion moves to the United States and finds friends in the Ethiopian-American community and Shiva revolutionizes healthcare for women. This epic novel and all its characters will stay with me for a very long time. It took me a while to get through this 600 page book, but it was worth it.

Questioning, pranks, sword fighting, a lot of money, and a new friend

No theme here, just a few interesting books

First, So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez.  Thirteen year old Xio, a Mexican American girl in California, meets Frederick, a new boy at her school and the two become good friends. But Xio thinks she would like to be more than friends with Frederick. Frederick isn’t sure though if that is right for him. He really likes Xio, but he also has feelings for a soccer buddy, Victor. Frederick doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but mostly he’s just trying to figure out life for himself. Told in alternating voices of Xio and Frederic, this story is an important one to tell for questioning teens – and all other teens. Sometimes in life there is no road map and Sanchez handles this story with care and respect.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockheart took a little while for me to get into, but by the end of the story I really loved Frankie and was happy she stayed true to herself. In the past year Frankie has changed from a scrawny kid into a beautiful young woman. When she returns to her boarding school, Alabaster Preparatory Academy, she attracts the attentions of one of the most popular seniors, Matthew. Once they start dating, Frankie realizes that Matthew is a member of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, a secret society that her father once belonged to at Alabaster. She’d love to join in on the fun, but the Bassets are for boys only. Using a fake e-mail address, Frankie soon has the Bassets doing her bidding and playing pranks all around the school. Frankie’s pranks though are often politically motivated and are designed to get people thinking. Of course, she can’t keep her identity secret forever and the whole scheme comes crashing down. I really loved Frankie’s spirit and her determination and her desire to make things better.

Hereville: How Mirka Got her Sword by Barry Deutsch won all kinds of accolades and great reviews but I just wasn’t into it. Mirka is an Orthodox Jew who lives in a predominantly Orthodox town, and is pretty much a typical teenager, she fights with her siblings, doesn’t like doing chores, HATES that her grandmother is trying to teach her to knit. But while on her way to school, Mirka gets into a fight with a pig (very unusual pet for an Orthodox town) who, it turns out, belongs to a witch. The witch sends her on an errand to fight a troll, and by the end, boy does she wish she’d paid better attention to those knitting lessons! I liked the girl and the great illustrations, but the story seemed silly to me. It seemed like the story was just an excuse to write about an Orthodox girl and to pepper a book with Yiddish.  I’d like to see Mirka again – but with a better adventure.

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce was a great story. Two brothers, Damien and Anthony, have to figure out to do with A LOT of cash in a short time. The pound is about to change to the Euro and this cash  is about to be burned by the government when it falls into the brother's hands (it either fell from the sky, or was thrown from a train near their house - whichever you believe). Having tons of money at your fingertips isn't all that it's cracked up to be though as the brothers quickly learn. Their flow of cash has created an inflationary system on the school playground and some adults are starting to get suspicious. Poignant, and funny, this is a great story for the whole family.

Jellaby by Kean Soo was right up my alley though. This one is a true friendship story. When ten-year-old Portia finds a strange looking monster out in the woods in the middle of the night she’s super scared. But after a few minutes, Portia realizes that this monster is kind and soft-hearted. So she takes him home and feeds him a tuna sandwich. Portia is forced to share her monster secret with classmate Jason and the two kids try to help Jellaby find his family. Cute story, great simple drawings and it has sequels!!!

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

Lots of “the end of the world” stuff going on around here. In fact, I'm up to my ears in disaster stories and it's starting to affect my sleep. I'm having crazy dreams and am up all night thinking of all this terrible scenarios. I keep obsessing that I MUST sell my home and move into a place next to some woods, that has a wood burning stove and a wind turbine for electricity - when the big snow comes those solar panels just won't cut it!!!

OK - ready? First up: Trapped by Michael Northrop. Three friends decide to stay after school to work on a go-cart project instead of leaving during the early dismissal due to a blizzard like the rest of the students and staff. When they finally get around to checking out who is left in the building they discover there are 7 kids and one teacher left in the building. The blizzard shows no signs of slowing down and in fact just gets worse and worse. The teacher leaves to get help, but he never comes back. Their rides don't show up to save them, cell phones don't work, the heat goes off, power goes out and one by one the students start to panic. It doesn't end happily for everyone, and the final bit is a little ambiguous. I couldn't help but wonder what I would have done in the same situation. Yikes.

More trouble ahead - Empty by Suzanne Weyn is a frighteningly possible story. The earth is out of oil. Countries are fighting over the very little bit that is left. Unfortunately, most folks in the United States have not prepared for this day and are still VERY dependent on fossil fuels. People can't get to work because they can't drive to the office, food is becoming scarce because trucks can't deliver food, companies are cutting costs and laying people off, electricity, food, and other utilities are becoming very expensive. Black market gasoline is up to $90/gallon. People are scared and crime is on the rise. Folks try to go back to "simpler ways" by using bicycles and sail boats to travel and that works well. The Hudson River becomes an important way to get goods and information. Scientists and tinkerers are working on ways to convert standard car engines to using different types of fuel, but the process is slow. In this story though, there's a magic bullet. During a major storm Gwen discovers a hidden cave-house that is totally self-sustainable. This "magic house" is a safe haven for her and her friends, and is a plot device that is a little too convenient. Otherwise, this story seems to be very realistic and quite possible!

Now for a little mystery... The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson is more murder mystery than end-of-the-world scenario and I was happy to have a more "uplifting story!" Cammie loves science and wants to follow in her father's footsteps as a coroner. She loves the fact that it is the medical examiner who can listen to what the dead tell us through clues on their body. Cammie convinces her dad to let her be his assistant even though she's only 17 and still in high school. But when a friend turns up as the next body they have to examine, Cammie isn't sure she's made a good decision. Vowing to find her friend’s killer, Cammie investigates a pseudo-psychic and puts the clues together to discover who the real "Christopher Killer" is. This book can get a little graphic at times, so if you've got a weak stomach, this might not be for you. But, anyone who loves shows like “CSI” or investigative shows like “Criminal Minds” will like this one. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the sequel to Dairy Queen. In this installment DJ starts the football season on the Red Bend team and quickly makes a name for herself. When she’s hurt on the field though, it looks like her season will have be over in order to heal in time for basketball. Her injury is nothing compared to her brother Winn’s however. The college quarterback has a major spinal-cord injury and will need serious rehabilitation. DJ’s relationship with Brian seems to be going well until an article in People Magazine features DJ playing high school football. Brian gets upset about being in the article too and the two stop talking for a while. I liked this book so much more than the first one. The character of DJ is growing and maturing and is becoming more insightful. She is a great narrator, walking us through the ups and downs of life on the Schwenk farm. Winn's story brings much depth to the book and each character changes and grows. Minor characters like DJ’s gay best-friend Amber hold their own and we get to know the other members of the Schwenk family better too. You don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this book, although I think it helps to have some background. But here's a tip – just breeze through Dairy Queen so you can get to book 2!

Ida B: And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, And (possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan is a good old story. Ida B has a great voice (reminds me of some of Francis O’Roarke Dowell’s characters) and a lot of spunk. Home schooled, Ida B has to go back to a regular classroom when her mother is diagnosed with cancer. Thinking this is just about the worst thing that can happen, Ida B. isn’t happy. With the help of a kind teacher and loving parents though, Ida B. finds her own place in the world, and (possibly) some new friends.

They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney is, in a word, disappointing. Five years ago Murielle’s parents leave the country in order to escape prosecution for embezzling money. After being in the foster-care system for years Murielle, now Cathy, wants to re-connect with her long-lost aunt and uncle (she’s given up hope that her parents will come to get her). She enrolls at a summer school that she knows her cousin will be at, but when he recognizes her, Cathy denies being Murielle. Eventually though, she decides to admit her true identity and goes home with her aunt and cousin. In one chapter we learn that Cathy loves her foster parents and in what seems like the next chapter, she decides those people aren’t that important and although she’s lived with them for years, they’ll get over not having her around. While the idea for this plot isn’t a bad one, it is so unrealistic it was almost painful to read this one all the way through. And, I love Caroline B. Cooney’s earlier books, but this one was a miss.

Girls Girls Girls (at varying points in history)

I've been travelling through time lately. First stop - Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Girls didn’t get much attention or respect in 1692 and in Puritan New England, they had relatively little freedom too. But, apparently, if you begin having “visions” and become possessed by evil spirits sent to you by witches – you get a whole lot more respect from your parents and neighbors. At least that is according to Stephanie Hemphill, who wrote Wicked Girls: A novel of the Salem Witch Trials. While historians don’t exactly know why the girls pretended to be “afflicted” in this book Hemphill gives the teenaged accusers some very believable motives like romantic jealousy, boredom, longing for attention or affection. The book is told in verse and each poem is from a different accuser’s perspective. The novel follows true events and it is easy to see how these olden-day “mean girls” could have created a very dangerous scheme. Back matter gives more information on the real accuser’s lives as well as what happened to those they accused of witchcraft.

Next stop – London, 1836. If girls in Salem Mass. didn’t get much respect, it wasn’t any easier in London 140 years later! In Prisoners in the Palace: How Victoria Became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, A Reporter, and A Scoundrel: A Novel of Intrigue and Romance by Machaela MacColl,  Elizabeth Hastings lives very comfortably with her parents in Munich but they travel all around the world for her father’s trade business. Liza is devastated however, when her parents are killed in a tragic carriage accident in London. With no money and no connections in London, Liza is desperate to find suitable work for herself. She lucks out and finds a job as Princess Victoria’s maid at Kensington Palace. Victoria has been sheltered and over-protected her whole life by her mother and a greedy family friend. The King is quite ill and Victoria may become Queen very soon. Liza’s job is to help keep Princess Victoria protected from the greedy Sir John, and keep Victoria entertained. This isn’t easy though. Victoria can be a spoiled brat and Sir John is a very dangerous man. Liza does what she can though, meeting some very interesting people along the way like Inside Boy Jones (who secretly lives inside the palace) and handsome Will, who published broadsheets (an early version of a newspaper). There is plenty of danger, secret messages, disguises, hope, fear and love in this story. I really enjoyed it.



Back to the future: Modern Day America. In Robin Brande’s Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature, Mena is starting high school totally ostracized from her former friends and everyone she knows from church for blowing the whistle on the Youth Group’s plan to harass and bully a gay teen all in the name of “saving him.” When law suits are filed, Mena and her family are targets of harassment themselves. Now Mena is starting the new year with a potential new friend in biology class. But when the teacher starts teaching evolution, Mena in the middle of more drama with the church kids when they start protesting the evolution unit, and demand equal time for a unit on intelligent design. When I first started this, I thought “oh no, here we go. This is going to be one of those predictable novels that are just an excuse for the author to share their own opinions.” But, I am happy to say I was wrong. While the novel is fairly predictable, the characters are real and the complex issues of faith are handled very well, making what could be over-the-top stereotypes seem more like actual people . The minister and his treatment of Mena and her family though are simply evil though. Not a lot of dimension with this character. I hope there are no ministers in this country (or anywhere else) who are actually that bad! Not my favorite of these books this round, but entertaining enough.

Same time, Florida USA. Scat is another of Carl Hiaasen’s ecological novels with greedy businessmen, crooked swindlers, and some good hearted kids trying to save the day. When the very mean biology teacher mysteriously disappears while on a field trip, at first the kids are happy to have substitute teachers. But when she doesn’t return after a few days, Nick and Marta get curious. In their investigation of what happened to their teacher the two friends stumble upon a scheme to exploit the natural habitat of the endangered panther by greedy oilmen. Nick, Marta, a hoodlum from school named Smoke and a few new friends do what they can to save the panther and her kittens. This one is so similar in feel to Hiaasen’s other YA books and he’s not great at character development, but this is an entertaining story nonetheless.

For some shorter stories… The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi is a sweet story that highlights that it is our differences make us fabulous! When Unhei moves from Korea to the United States she worries because her classmates have trouble pronouncing her name. She decides that maybe she’ll pick her own name that is easier to say. Her classmates make lots of suggestions and put them in a jar so Unhei can review them. In the end though, Unhei decides that her own Korean name is perfect and that she’s good enough just as she is.

One last one (about a boy): The Empty Pot by Demi is such a good book! The Emperor of China announces an unusual test to decide who will succeed him. He gives all the children in China seeds to grow and tells them to bring their flowers to the palace next year. Ping is normally a wonderful gardener, but he cannot get his seed from the emperor to grow. Very ashamed, Ping brings his empty pot to the palace on the appointed day to show the Emperor. When he gets there Ping is dismayed to see all the beautiful flowers of the other children. But the Emperor is most pleased with Ping’s pot since he knows that all the seeds he gave had been cooked, therefore none of them could produce flowers. Ping was the only honest person in the group. A wonderful story, beautifully illustrated.

A little of this, a little of that

I've been listening to some great stories the past few weeks. First, a little history. The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky is the story of a growing New York City and the oyster business. One thing the Europeans discovered when they settled in New York was a huge abundance of oysters in the New York harbors. These oysters were big and tasty and a thriving oyster business soon cropped up. When the railroads connected New York with states further west, New York began exporting their oysters across the country. Unfortunately, oysters were over-farmed and as the rivers and harbors became more and more polluted, the oysters (and the oyster business) died out. Oysters are making a come-back though. In fact, my brother-in-law's father is an oysterman on Long Island (Oysterpond Oysters are DELICIOUS!!!) and hopefully this native New Yorker can make a full recovery. Interesting read for a little local history.

A little legal drama... The Summons by John Grisham. Ray is trying to live a peaceful life as a law professor in Virginia when his father, the Judge, sends him a summons to come home to Mississippi. When he gets there Ray finds his father dead and 3 million dollars hidden in a cabinet in his office. While trying to figure out where the cash came from, Ray is being followed, chased and attacked by someone who wants the money. Did the Judge take a bribe? Was he crooked? Who wants the cash?  And who can Ray trust with this secret? I've listened to a couple of John Grisham's novels on CD and am never disappointed with Michael Beck's readings.

A little murder... Under Orders by Dick Francis. Sid Halley, an ex-jockey who was seriously injured in a racing accident is now a private investigator, finds himself a target in this one. When a jockey, a trainer and a horse all die mysteriously at or immediately after the Chetlenham Gold Cup Halley is called in to figure things out. He gets a little too close to discovering the truth about a gambling ring though and his family and loved ones become targets. If you like a good murder mystery, this one is for you. I love a good who-dun-it!

A little more history... Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill tells the story of a slave known as Dave. Little is known about Dave since there were few records kept about slaves, but we do know that he was an extremely talented man. Dave lived in South Carolina  and was one of the two potters at that time who could successfully make pots and jars larger than 20 gallons. Another thing that makes Dave unique is that he could read and write. He wrote several short poems on various pots and jars that he made.  Some are serious and thoughtful, "I wonder where / is all my relation / friendship to all— / and, every nation." and others are more playful, "On wet days, / heavy with rainwater, / it is cool and squishy, / mud pie heaven.” All the poems are incredible though, just by the fact that they exist at all. The fantastic illustrations by Bryan Collier earned this book Caldecott Honor Award in 2011.

A little dystopian survival... Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi was the Printz Award winner this year. This story takes place some time in the future near what we now know as New Orleans. In this story though, it is just Orleans, since there is nothing "new" about this flooded and destroyed city. Nailer makes his living by scavenging beached tankers looking for anything that can be re-used. His specialty is climbing into the inner-most parts of the ship looking for copper wire. After a hurricaine Nailer and his best friend find a shipwrecked sailboat filled with sellable goods and luxuries with one passenger still alive. This passenger claims to be the “swank” daughter of a shipping-company owner. Nailer decides to help this "lucky-girl" get back home partly because he has feelings for her and partly to get away from his drug-addicted and abusive father. There is lots of action and many memorable characters that keep the story grounded while moving at a fast pace.

You are now entering The Twilight Zone...

I came across an old episode of The Twilight Zone the other day on TV (it was the one with the monster on the wing of the plane and no one believes the guy that he saw it) and it reminded me that I have a few graphic novel versions of these stories in the library. Since I'd enjoyed watching the episode so much, I figured I'd give the books a shot!

The 8th grade teachers use the episode The Mosters are Due on Maple Street when teaching about the 1050's and paranoia. This graphic novel does a good job of translating that classic episode without losing much of the fear and intensity of the time.

I love to travel, but don't like flying. Actually, I don't mind the flying so much - I just can't stand the taking-off and landing parts. The Oddysey of Flight 33 is my worst nightmare!! It would be just my luck to end up with dinosaurs and not a library anywhere to be had!!



"Will the real Slim Shady Please Stand Up, Please Stand Up, Please Stand Up...." OK, quick - get that song out of my head! But having read Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? it's just running in a loop in my head. The ill-fated,but well intentioned,cops are trying to make sure everyone is safe after a "UFO" crashes in the woods, but can't figure out who is the alien in the diner. It seems everyone has a logical reason for being there. But when strange things begin to happen, everyone is nervous. After the bus leaves with it's passengers it is revealed that there isn't just one alien, but one from Mars and one from Venus, it's pretty creepy.

Now for a little love story... I adore Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg's Plain Janes and I equally adore Janes in Love. The PLAIN Janes (People Loving Art in Neighborhoods) are back at it, "attacking" their town with beautiful art to inspire people and brighten their day. Unfortunately, after an anthrax attack, the police and some other people in town can't appreciate the good work the Janes are trying to do. When Jane is awarded a big grant to help her transform an abandoned lot, she gets no support. All is not lost however, her fellow artists and classmates support her cause and sign a petition in her favor. Plus, Jane gets a new secret admirer and gets the courage to tell the boy she likes how she feels. I enjoyed this one as much as the first.

Last up - Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. We are reading this one for our Parent-Child Book Discussion group and I just love it. A meteor is going to hit the moon, but Miranda isn't really that interested in it at the moment. She'd much rather think of her favorite skater's chances at the Olympics. But when that meteor turns out to be much larger than anyone anticipated and it knocks the moon out of its orbit - all hell breaks loose. That's when Miranda starts to pay attention. Earthquakes, tsunamis, erupting volcanoes and other natural disasters happen all around the world disrupting phone and electric service, food production, travel and more. Miranda and her family realize life as we knew it will never be the same again. This is a very scary story. The whole time I was reading I kept thinking "Should I have extra water and cans of soup in the closet? Do I know how to catch fish and hunt? Gee I wish I had a wood stove!" Since we're discussing this one at tonight's Parent Child Book Club the participating students have anxiously checked out the sequels, The Dead and the Gone and This World We Live In. I can't wait for them to be returned so I can check them out myself!

Much better tree!

I thought I'd share a picture of our MUCH healthier-looking Book Tree. The kids and I are reading a lot and it shows, We're running out of room on the wall for all the leaves/flowers/frogs/bugs/apples. But I think it looks great!

I'm also including a few pics of the display that was up in February for COSAP month (Children of Substance Abusing Parents). This is not something that children have any control over, but there is help.