I'd Really Like to Eat a Child

This book is hilarious--the little crocodile gets tired of eating bananas and wants to eat a child instead.  You'll have to read this (very) short book to find out if he gets what he wants.  After I read it, I was thinking, "Awesome Storytime Book."  Which, by the way, I'm now a storytime lady (think: You've Got Mail, when character Kathleen Kelly wears a princess hat and reads to little kids, except I don't own a quaint bookshop in New York...but The FP is pretty dang close in many respects.)

I still don't have a sweet hat to wear, but that hasn't stopped us from having a BLAST. Last week's highlight was The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree.

I loved that book as a child, and since there aren't very many words in it (a must when reading to 3yr olds), and because it is sort of Halloween themed, I tried it out on the little kiddies.

At first some of them looked a little apprehensive, like: Maybe this is going to be a scary book, and I don't like scary.   But they got into it (you know, acting out being the bear with the light, the bear with the stick, and the bear with the rope and answering the questions the book poses to the audience: Do you think they went down that spooky old hall???? (so as not to leave you in suspense, they DO go down the spooky old hall.))

Anyway, the kids loved it, so we read it twice and it was requested again for this week...so they get it again, bless their little hearts. So tuck that away as handy information when entertaining three and four year olds, Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree. It's a hit.

Thoughts on Being a Librarian and New Releases in Young Adult Fiction

So I started my job as a librarian a few weeks ago. And it's fantastic. My only complaint is that I was already addicted to reading! How often does what you do in your free time coincide with what you do at work?!

I placed my first book order--which means I've been researching new releases, while trying to cram in a bunch of books I wanted to have read so I know who to recommend them to. See what I mean! Work is creeping into my free time territory. (I know: poor me, right?)

Ok, so now you're a wee bit curious as to what's up and coming, right? Well, I'll give you a few YA titles to maybe look forward to yourself.   (these are what I would order for my personal library, only some of them will be coming to the library I work for).

Robing McKinley.  Enough said.  (Big Mouth here: isn't the cover beautiful too!)

Bartimaeus is hilarious (thank you Mr. Stroud for writing another one!)

By the author of  The Mortal Instruments Series, which I liked well enough.  (ok, so this one came out on Aug. 31.)

Seems like there might be some time travelish thing between a girl in Revolutionary France and the present day.

Girl spy/revolution/disguises...

Did you know Orson Scott Card is writing a trilogy for YA?  Yeah.  The first book, by the name of Pathfinder, is scheduled to come out on November 23.  I'm curious to see if I'll like it. 

And the book The Agency: A Spy in the House is already out, but I haven't read it or heard anything about it until now.  (So if you have first hand info on it, give me the scoop!).

Also, (this is a long book post), have you read anything by Brandon Sanderson?  I've only read one, Mistborn, and I loved it.  The others are on hold all the time, and they are fairly long, so I haven't gotten to them yet.  BUT!  He has a stand alone book (sigh of relief because this isn't a common thing anymore it seems) called Warbreaker. AND!  it's free on the internet right now.  I haven't read it yet, but I'm itching to get started on it.  Let me know if you do.


One interesting thing is that now it seems people feel obligated to mention books they've heard about or read. Even before I worked at the library I was plenty happy to talk books, but now it seems I can't escape it. I wonder if that happens to high school teachers: people divulge their own high school experiences because that's what they know about high school?   I'm undecided as to whether these book confessions are a good thing.  Well, either way, you can give me book recommendations, but maybe not too many all at once, seeing as how I'm already bringing home piles of books to read. It's dangerous to methodically go through an entire library's shelves. You might be surprised what you've overlooked.

Oooh! A Treasure Hunt

There really is buried treasure that you might be lucky enough to find.  I heard about this new book that is full of clues to actual buried treasure.  Here's the web-site.  

I think I might help out with this one...

--Lu

End of Summer Book Review

It's been a while since I posted a long book review. And since you're dying to know whether you should read some of these, here's my take on 'em:

Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance
by Marthe Jocelyn

The jacket design for this book is exquisite (because who doesn't love an old fashioned book cover?). This is the story of Mable Riley who accompanies her sister (the new school mistress) to a different town to board with complete strangers. Mable is a daring sort of girl who becomes curious about a neighbor woman who rides a bicycle, wears bloomers instead of dresses, and thinks quite highly of women's rights. (She also has a cottage named "Silver Lining" because her "little cottage is a spot of brightness in a dark world"). Set in Canada in 1901, this book nicely encapsulates how people learn to live with each other's differences, while still maintaining their own opinions. Not everyone is converted to the ways of women's rights, and the solution to the problems doesn't come about in a fairy tale wrap up. Which makes it refreshing to read. I do love Mable's take on boring primers--she twists the dull rhymes into new ones of her own.

Smiles to Go by Jerri Spinelli
This is the story of a boy who takes the world very seriously. He's worried about what will become of him after he dies, he has a twelve step plan for his life...he's serious about becoming something in life--he's a planner and a thinker and a worrier.

But his best friend isn't like that at all. He's carefree to the point of driving the protagonist to worry that his friend won't get anywhere in life. And at the edges of all things in the protagonist's life is his annoying little sister (who, for the record, is cool times ten (in an annoying little sister sort of way), e.g. she refuses to eat dinner with regular utensils, instead she uses play tools: a plastic screwdriver and pliers...)

I love how Spinelli creates these characters who are Very Real. They have quirks, they have interesting personalities with depth. This book looks at the question: How do people who think that life has to be lived according to a 12 step plan respond to people in their lives who don't have plans like that? How do you love your friends for what they are instead of picking at them for what they are not? And for those of us who too often saw our siblings as a annoying pests rather than friends to be loved, this book sends a powerful message.

This book is at times philosophical (think Star Girl), but really, for those of us who don't see the world that way, it's good to be reminded that some people out there do.


Lucky Stars by Lucy Frank
Kira's dad makes her sing for money in the subways of New York which is embarrassing in some ways but good in another: she has an amazing voice. It's a gift she loves, but not enough to overcome her annoyance at having people laugh at her for being a panhandler.

Jake stutters, and it consumes his life and the way he sees himself. He can't get past that barrier in his mind, that is, until he meets Kira and wants to be her friend.

And Eugene...well, he's overweight and funny and doesn't care what people think...and he's Jake's best friend and right hand man, stepping in to help out when the words won't come.

Somehow, all three of them end up thinking about joining choir at their school.

I love this book for it's characters and for it's realistic look at being a teenager. Teenagers have tough decisions, have sincere and very pressing concerns that aren't always drugs, sex and cliques at school. And on top of that, they have parents and teachers and all the restrictions and responsibilities that come with living in a world controlled by adults.


Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks
How do villains learn what they learn? How about in a school for villains!
This book goes so much beyond being another boarding school story. This is the story of a boy genius (Cadel Piggot) (and I think the author does a fabulous job of making him into a believable genius) who finds out his father is one of the most dreaded villains in the world. And his father is doing everything he can to ensure his son is well equipped to take over the family business when he grows up.

Cadel loves that his talents are not only appreciated, but encouraged. He likes too that his dad has a plan for his life. But parents' dreams and ambitions aren't enough to fill their child's need for a dream of his own.

This is a unique twist on a coming of age story. I love that the author recognized that everyone, genius' included, need love and to feel wanted. I also loved reading about systems, numbers, math...the references were very much over my head, but the story was still very readable (and enjoyable) in spite of it's "genius" material. Also, the "bad" things Cadel does are funny and fun because they are actually clever and not stereotypical dumb bad guy stuff. I would peg this as a book for older teens.


Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Elenor Updale
A prominent thief is seriously injured while trying to escape from a job. A doctor wanting to prove his theories about surgery operates on the thief and saves his life through the use of groundbreaking medical techniques. The doctor uses the thief as a model in his lectures, continues trying new techniques on the thief.

All the while the thief thinks of the day he'll be released from prison, and he decides he wants the life of a gentleman. And because of the lectures he's "attended" as an exhibit, he's been introduced to the newly constructed sewer system in London. And he realizes that it is the key to his success as a thief. And so, upon his release, the thief, now calling himself Montmorency, embarks on his mission to become a gentleman.

This is a young adult novel without any young adult characters in it. It's a great adventure read, though I would also recommend this book for older teens. Both this book and its sequel deal with adult situations and dilemmas, though nothing is particularly sensual or objectionable for a mature reader. Also, this book works very well as a stand alone novel, though there are two other books about Montmorency.
--Lu

Can't Wait

I just finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The book is wonderful!

I'll quote the jacket blurb because it's much too late to think of a coherent summary myself:
"January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she'd never met, a native of Guernsey, the British island once occupied by the Nazis."

The book is written as a collection of letters which makes for difficult reading at first, because the characters reference things you know nothing about, but...stick with it. All will be explained.

The post script to the first letter told me that I would almost certainly love this book, so I'll share it with you. The letter is written by the heroine, Juliet Ashton: "I'm reading the collected correspondence of Mrs. Montagu. Do you know what that dismal woman wrote to Jane Carlyle? 'My dear little Jane, everybody is born with a vocation, and yours is to write charming little notes.' I hope Jane spat on her."

A heroine with that kind of personality gets bonus points! And I can't write about my favorite parts of the book without revealing too much. We'll just have to discuss them after you've read it.
--Lu

Dealing With Dragons

I think I've avoided this book before. Because of the title. I'm not particularly fond of fantasy literature that is enamored of dragons. But, I have a wise friend who, before telling me the title of the book, told me the gist of the story, and that made me want to read the book.

I'll list a few of the chapter titles for you so you can get a feel for the story:
"In Which Cimorene Refuses to Be Proper and Has a Conversation with a Frog"
"In Which Cimorene Receives a Formal Call from Her Companions in Dire Captivity"
"In Which Therandil Is a Dreadful Nuisance and Cimorene Casts a Spell"

Dealing with Dragons is the first of five books in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Hooray that the series is complete, and that copies are readily available because it was published a while ago.

Dealing with Dragons opens by introducing us to Princess Cimorene. "Cimorene was the youngest daughter of the King of Linderwall, and her parents found her rather trying...As for the girl's disposition--well, when people were being polite, they said she was strong-minded. when they were angry or annoyed with her, they said she was as stubborn as a pig."

Cimorene doesn't want to be a simpering, bumble head the way a princess is supposed to be. So, to avoid her fate, she runs off and volunteers to be a dragon's Princess. The dragons are impressed by her ability to make Cherries Jubilee and one agrees to accept her as her princess.

You can (and should) find out the rest of the story by reading the book yourself.

--Lu

Princess Bride, the short version

I've been holding onto this little treasure for a while...or, rather, I found it, then lost it, then found it again. So. Here you go.
You're welcome.

P.S. Remember how when I went to the BYU and told friends back home that quoting the Princess Bride was a requirement for admission? And they believed me. Right. They must have known enough BYU freshmen to realize that it is one of the most over watched movies at the BYU. (I wonder if it still is?)

P.P.S. I haven't watched the movie (or read the book) for years now because one summer I watched it so many times in a row that I maxed out my taste for it. We got to the point that we'd watch the Fast Forward Version, which meant that chunks of the movie (if not the whole thing) was fast forwarded while my friend Sar summarized the dialog. Except the Inigo Montoya part where he says, "And he gave me this, and this." That had to be said verbatim.
--Lu

Bartimaeus

Want a funny and enjoyable summer read? Check out the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud.



I read the trilogy earlier this year, and now I'm reading it aloud to The Rock (I like reading aloud and he's sweet enough to indulge me). He likes the books enough to regularly request that I read to him. It's hard to leave the characters in their predicaments not know what's going to happen (hence, I pulled a few late nights to finish the books quickly because my sense of Patience is not as strong as his). Plus, the books keep us laughing.

The books recount the adventures of a young magician, Nathaniel, and the djinn who serves him, Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus (whose name should be said to the tune of Rock Me Amadaeus), is hilarious and slightly cynical and makes the books a delight to read. The books are also wonderful because despite the silliness, the underlying issues are serious. What are the consequences of revenge? How do you deal with the consequences of your choices when the results far more serious than you imagined? How do you change the world when it seems impossible? What do you do when the cause you're fighting for turns out to be ineffective, or worse, is corrupt?

I love too that the characters are flawed: they are all (usually) struggling to do what's right, even though they don't always succeed. They're learning as they go, and as a reader, you see their progression, cheer them on, get fed up with them...all without the author shoving a moral down your throat. In short, these are fun stories that delve beyond mere entertainment. I heartily recommend them.

--Lu

Book Cycle and My New Favorite Book

Just when I thought I wouldn't find another book I loved, I found one. This is all part of a cycle--and I know it's a cycle so you would think I could wait it out until it hit the upswing again, but...it can be a long wait at times.

This is how it goes. I find a book I love and want to read again and again. Usually, I find two or three at once (it seems that good books come in groups). This inspires me to read more books in case I've managed to miss other good books. Because I'm still under the thrill of the good book, the fact that I'm reading some not so good books doesn't get me down. I keep thinking back to that good book. Wow. It was amazing. So I skim it again and keep searching for more. Sometimes, I feel so contented by the good book, I don't want or need to read another book for a while because I feel satisfied. I love that feeling.

Time passes. I'm still reading, but I start feeling disgruntled because I haven't found a truly good book. I get annoyed. I dread going to the library because when I do go, I can't seem to see anything but books I've already read, and hated. I go to bookstores, hoping that new releases will provide some comfort. The sense of dread only increases then, because...well, have you looked at the new releases in the young adult section of the bookstore? Disgusting. But, I still go, just in case.

And that's the source of my problem. I don't give up hope. I know there are authors out there who are putting out quality literature. Or, at least, I hope it so strongly that I convince myself it's true.

The next step in this cycle is that I find a really good book. It happens. It always has so far. Sometimes it's not even a new book, it's an old one that I've missed. No matter the means, inevitably, I find another good book.

Waiting for that moment is difficult because the timeline can stretch out indefinitely. And I'm not the best of waiters.

I've been in the dearth section of the cycle for a while now. So, two weeks ago, when I was in Town, I stopped by the library and started pulling books off the shelves. Anything that looked remotely readable. I narrowed the pile down to eight books, and left the rest for next time.

And it turns out that the first one of the eight that I read is...perfect. A gem of a book.

It's...a fairy tale. I think that's the best way to describe it. But, it's not a fairy tale you've ever heard before. There's the romance of a fairy tale (don't let the cover fool you-- it's not a bodice ripper, in fact, it's quite tame), a little adventure...but mostly, I love it because of the ideas it approaches, some of the truths it touches. You can read the synopsis on the front cover and decide if you're willing to give it a go. I hope that if you decide to read it, you enjoy it as much as I did.

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

Moatmeal

Sometimes books touch our lives.

Lately, the books I've been reading have touched it in a way that makes me want to write letters to the authors and ask, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

In the midst of my frustration with the drooping quality of young adult and children's fiction I've been immersing myself in lately (maybe it's just bad luck on my part that I haven't been picking out The Best books), I've noticed that a book I thought was a fun read but not particularly life altering has, indeed, made an impact on me.

A while back, I read a book called Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie (as documented here). It was a funny book, and I liked it. It turns out, though, that 9ish months later, it's left a lasting impression. I hope you're not expecting something profound, because, it's not. In fact, it's slightly embarrassing.

The protagonist's younger brother has this cute/annoying/amusing habit of calling oatmeal "moatmeal." If there's an explanation for that in the book, I don't remember it. What I do remember is that I think "moatmeal" is a funny word and that I was amused by it as I read the book.

Happily (or should it be sadly or pathetically?) it's become part of my lexicon. Mostly because it still amuses me (see, I told you this was slightly embarassing). I know it doesn't amuse anyone else (in fact, most people probably don't notice the slight mispronunciation) which is fine because I don't intend for it to be funny to them.

This leads me to a more general idea: what happens when you read books? You learn stuff that other people don't know. (not necessarily important or useful stuff. Moatmeal being a prime expample). But then what happens when a situation in real life calls up memories of a situation from a book? You're left to enjoy the connection alone (unless someone else has read the book, but unless you already know that, it's usually not worth the time to ask around and find out).

This places you in an awkward position--especially if the reference to the book is a funny one and you laugh out loud.

Now everyone is staring at you, wanting to know what's funny. But how do you explain a whole book to them so they understand the context of the funny thing? If you make the attempt, by the time you finish, there's that lame silence that always happens after someone explains a joke. It's just not funny anymore.

This problem occured a few times when I was in high school. So, I came up with a solution. When I started laughing and my friends looked to me to tell them why, I'd just say, "Inside joke with myself." It explains things perfectly. And after a few odd glances and a comment along the lines of "WHA?" the conversation returns to normal. This leaves you relatively free to enjoy the joke while not having to launch into detailed explanations.

Although, I still would rather have someone to share the moment with. It's so much more rewarding that way.

Take The True Meaning of Smekday (I desperately wanted to write it "The Troo Meaning of Smekday" which is itself a reference to one of my favorite lines in that book and to Moo's post here).

Moo read it, then got me to read it, and at least one of our brothers has read it and The Rock has read it--and it's so much fun to make reference to it when we're together. It's sort of like quoting The Princess Bride in a room full of BYU students. Everyone knows what you're talking about and they're sure to enjoy the reference (but beware, because once you've started quoting from that movie in that setting, you're not going to hear the end of it for a while).

And that's just the problem with Inside Jokes With Yourself: they're not really all that fun. Maybe the first time it happens, but then it just starts to smack of lonlienss (and bookwormishness). And I know it's no fun to be on the other side of it either.

That point was driven home to me just a few weeks ago. For a while, I've noticed The Rock will occassionally say, "Tut, tut, looks like rain." I thought he was a little crazy, but, hey, I say "moatmeal" and he doesn't even flinch.

Then, we were hiking with our friend Richard, and in the middle of the hike, and totally incongruous to our conversation he butts in with "Tut, tut, looks like rain." Months of pent up thoughts that The Rock was slightly off his rocker all came into focus and directed themselves at Richard. "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!" (It came out more forcefully than I meant it to).

Richard said, "That woman has an umbrella."

Sure enough, a woman coming down the trail toward us had an umbrella in hand.

"But it doesn't look like rain," I said in exasperation. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Turns out, that's the point exactly.

Richard explained that the quote comes from a Winnie the Pooh cartoon--in which Pooh wants to get at some honey that can't be reached, so he and Christopher Robin decide that if the bees think it's going to rain, they'll relinquish the honey. (disclaimer: I don't know how accurately I'm recounting the explanation, you'll have to double check with Richard). So Christopher Robin carries an umbrella and says, "Tut, tut, looks like rain," even though it really DOESN'T look like rain.

I'm glad Richard didn't just say, "It's an inside joke with myself" and leave me clueless and fuming.

So, the conclusion I'm rapidly approaching is that you should read Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie so we can quote and joke about it instead of me just having Inside Jokes With Myself.

But, I'm not sure that's a practical conclusion, so instead, maybe you could tell me if there are any moatmeal type references that you've been keeping to yourself. Or maybe you'll decide that it's too much trouble and be content to keep the Inside Joke with Yourself to yourself. --Lu

Fly by Night

This book was NOT what I expected at all. I've been avoiding it because I thought the plot was about censorship (a logical assumption from the cover of the book), and I've had my fill of the censorship discussion already.

Turns out, the cover is misleading--at least in the assumptions it caused me to draw. (and the idea that "you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover" is ridiculous...why else would that "Banned" banner appear if not to catch my attention and lead me to judge the book. Someone in marketing should see to removing that "Banned" logo before it keeps other people from reading the book, not because it's "banned" but because they don't want to suffer through yet another sermon on censorship. It totally skewed my perception of the book in a Very Non Flattering way. I realize that children might find the "banned" logo inviting, but are they the ones with purchasing power when it comes to children's books? Sigh. I know. I know. Librarians (who are quite Taken with the censorship battle) do have purchasing power. So maybe this edition was lobbied at them. (and, no, I really don't know the details of marketing books or who has how much purchasing power--my ignorance should have kept me from ranting about this issue, but...it didn't.)

Although the fictional society censors books, that is an appendage to the plot. It's really the story of a society in conflict: a mad duke is in charge of a city, his sister and several guilds are trying to control him--and in the thick of it is Mosca, a 12ish year old runaway. Mosca loves words and can read (a rarity among the common people) and she is employed as a spy. She seems to have a knack for involving herself in the impending war, making allies and enemies on every side.

The plot is a combination of Dickensian twists (and characters) and a sort of Lemony Snicket love of words (without the repetition and slow pace).

The inventive names and places held my attention until the plot had revealed that this was a story I would enjoy. Names such as: Eponymous Clent, Hopewood Pertellis, Goodman Grenoble of Keeping Knots out of Moustachios.

Despite the silly names and some far-fetched coincidences, the book has a serious and intriguing question at the heart of the plot: how do people respond to power? Religious beliefs, superstition, fear of past political cruelty, ignorance, greed, nobility, morality...the panoply of emotions and rationales that guide people in the real world, guide the characters. Also hidden behind the fanciful names and thrilling plot twists is the question of the validity of religion. When does religion become tradition without belief? Is religion really necessary when it can be twisted to justify evil purposes?

I think that I wouldn't have followed the political intrigue had I read this as a 10 year old, and I might have misunderstood the "attack" on religion. As an adult, I appreciated the intrigue and tension of a society in flux. I agreed with the underlying message that people should attempt to Do Something in such situations instead of ignoring the impending doom in favor of pretending that their comfortable life will continue as usual. I'm not certain of the ultimate message the author intended to send about religion and it doesn't really matter to me. I appreciated the challenging questions the book raised about religion because religion is used to justify heinous crimes. Religion is used as simply tradition or as an attempt at comfort without belief or faith in the ultimate message.

I've decided that this book was well worth the time I spent reading it. It was entertaining, thought provoking and ...I really did enjoy the inventive character names.

[note: in looking for information about the author's other books, I found this: her description of learning to ride a motorcycle. It's quite entertaining. I also discovered that one of her other books is called Verdegris Deep in the UK and Well Witched in the US. I wish we had gotten the Verdegris title.] --Lu

Book Binge

After my last post about the life of leisure, I thought I would make an effort to justify my book binge by reporting the results.

A Tale of 12 Kitchens: Family Cooking in Four Countries by Jake Tilson. This isn't your normal cookbook, which is what caught my interest. The page layouts look like a scrapbook, but not the kind on display in Michaels or Joanns. This is an unexpected, unique style of collage: there are pictures of packages, menus, kitchens, paraphernalia from the towns where the recipes are eaten, random things like president shaped cookie cutters...I can't do it justice here. The book is worth looking at just to enjoy the layouts. One of my favorite sections is the New York section, in which the author tells how he wanders through the city for Breakfast No. 1 at 6am (in the bitter cold) then treks around the city till his wife joins him for breakfast No. 2, then plans to have breakfast No. 3 two hours after that. That is my kind of itinerary. That page features a menu graphic of two little birds chirping "Good Morning Breakfast Menu," a picture of a diner on a winter day, a plastic toothpick sword, and a full page picture of pancakes on the page opposite. It's charming! The author details his love affair with food in four different countries by recounting the memories he associates with the food along with the stories of the people who supply the recipes included. I'm not nearly cosmopolitan enough to appreciate most of the included recipes--they are regional and mostly unfamiliar foods. The ones I plan to try: Pancake Laboratory (substitute oj for milk and I'd try the snowcakes if it would snow again here); Skirlie (scottish oatmeal cooked with onions); and Don't Go to Any Trouble Backstreet Couscous.

Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White. My dad loves reading Bailey White; he donates his books to me when he's finished reading them, so I gave this one a whirl.
Ms. White relates anecdotes from her life, her mother's life, her aunt's life...by the time I read all of the stories, I realized how different my life is from hers. I don't have a screened porch with a bathtub that empties onto a bed of lilies. I don't have a pond full of alligators (which, may not be lamentable), and I don't have a mother who eats road kill (also, probably not lamentable). In spite of the differences, I was left with a feeling that, somehow, I do relate to her life.
I love this book because the stories are short and funny. I love the simple style, the way she laughs at people's quirks without being cruel, and I love the perspective the stories encourage. I kept thinking, there's so much to appreciate and enjoy in regular life. My favorite part? The fact that she uses sea chanties to teach first graders to read. "Give me a man overboard or a good sinking ship, and I can teach a half-witted gorilla to read."

The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks
This isn’t my normal novel (although my town library has classified this as a Young Adult book, I would keep it in the adult section), so heads up. It was violent (it’s more violent in parts than the Jason Bourne movies, so if you didn’t like them, don’t go near this).

I didn’t like the book, although I’m glad my complaints come from another angle than I was expecting.

It was cliché—the seedy contacts that were used to gain false ids, the bad guys, the sidekicks, even the descriptions of alternate realities—cliché. Maybe that isn’t the author’s fault, maybe this book generated spinoff tv shows or movies or books that got to me first. But, I’m skeptical.

Another complaint. The author dished a fairly intricate plot and then wrapped everything up in under twenty pages. I’m supposed to believe that the thing the characters considered to be an impossible task actually was that impossible when it only took a few pages to get through it? I was more focused on how few pages there were left in the book than in the ending itself. I kept thinking, “There can only be three or four pages left. That isn’t enough to do the plot justice.” At that point, I knew it was going to be a lousy conclusion. And it’s not the kind of ending where I was so excited knowing that there was a sequel coming to keep the story going. No. It was more like, “I can’t believe I wasted all of that time plowing through the story only to have a cheap ending.” So, I read a plot summary on Wikipedia, and confirmed that the next book is even more silly than this one.



Into the Wildewood by Gillian Summers. The cover is deceiving. It gives one the impression that possibly, this won't be a totally ridiculous book. It's a fifteen year old girl who is an elf living in the human world. She and her father travel to different Renaissance Fairs to make money selling furniture. It has the potential to be an interesting plot--an elf girl who can talk to trees, distraught trees in need of someone to save them. Then, a unicorn steps on the scene. I was prepared to play along, elves, talking trees...why not a unicorn too. But, it didn't improve. The plot dragged on and also came up at random moments (e.g. girl is in precarious situation at work and suddenly, in the middle of the work drama feels compelled to find out what a tree is thinking. Just because.), and was eventually resolved in a way that every teenage girl would want it to be.


Tales from Shakespeare by Tina Packer. This is a beautifully illustrated collection of summaries of the plots of 12 Shakespeare plays. I enjoyed it immensely. I've read and seen most of the plays. I've analyzed them, written papers about them, even memorized lines from them. I haven't ever taken the time to simply enjoy the story and appreciate the plays for what they are: interesting stories. They are sometimes silly, many times improbable, and yet, they are compelling. These summaries give you a chance to appreciate the plots without getting bogged down in the language (I know, not a very scholarly or sophisticated approach, and blasphemy to some). I would love to read these with middle school kids. Then, I would feel comfortable taking the students into the original text because they would have an idea of the overall story to back them up through the difficult reading. It's also a great refresher if you need to brush up on Shakespeare.


The Owl Service by Alan Garner. This is an older book (published in the sixties); I found it in the little town library and took it home out of curiosity. It is a fantasy based on a Celtic myth--and it's a little strange. The author twists the scenes and the dialogue leaving the reader to make assumptions about what has occurred. The slang is dated and is difficult to interpret at times (maybe a Brit would have an easier go at it). At some point I realized that this novel would have been more effective as a movie--I think the audience would follow the character's emotions better, and the setting wouldn't be so confusing. It's not particularly a happy book--it's a myth, not a modernized fairy tale. It has received some prestigious awards. Maybe I'm suffering from a lack of literary appreciation, but I don't intend to read it again.



Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had To Go by Annie Barrows, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. I liked this book. I really liked this book. It's funny, it's genuine, it's...well, it's second grade. Made me want to go back for a few days. The illustrations made me laugh and fall in love with the characters (and made me want Bean's octopus shirt!). This is "chapter book" that was actually enjoyable to read. Usually, I loathe early reader types. I plan to read more. The two main characters, Ivy and Bean, determine there is a ghost haunting the girl's bathroom and come up with a plan to get rid of the ghost. Of course, the plan they come up with is totally silly. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.



As The City Sleeps by Stephen T. Johnson.
This isn't really a "story" book. It's a compilation of "pictures" of a city at night. Each picture has a caption that hints at the story behind the picture. And all of the pictures are designed to spark your imagination. What is that running through the city? Why is that cab moving without a driver?
It reminds me of Chris Van Allsburg's book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Every so often, my sixth grade teacher would choose a picture from that book, and we used it and it's caption as the starting point for a creative writing assignment. As the City Sleeps would be perfect for that kind of exercise. It's a little spooky too, which is sure to get kids interested.

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
I haven't read this book since I was a child. I had forgotten the plot, but the illustrations all seemed familiar. In short: I loved it. It's the story of a little badger, Frances, who only wants to eat bread and jam. It's actually funny. And the story is better than typical "I don't want to eat food" kinds of books. One of my favorite things about it is how Frances sings little songs to and about her food. I thought I was the only one!