Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Published in 2010. 269 pages.


Because of Mr. Terupt is a tender middle grade novel about the impact a good teacher can have on his students. Told from alternating viewpoints, it is also about growing up, making choices to become a better person, and learning to forgive.

It's probably not a good idea for me to read a book that makes me sob while lying in bed without any tissues nearby!

Author Rob Buyea's website is here. Because of Mr. Terupt was a 2010 Cybils Finalist and is a 2012 Beehive Award Nominee. I was thrilled to discover that a sequel, titled Mr. Terupt Falls Again, is to be released in the fall of 2012.

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Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

Published in 2010. 280 pages.


This 2010 finalist for a Cybils award reminded me at times of Marcelo in the Real World, a book I loved. They have similar plots - in both the main character has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is trying to find his/her place in the world - and music plays a significant role in both books too. Additionally, I found them to have a similar "feel."

Harmonic Feedback was hard for me to put down. It deals realistically with some serious issues but isn't too "heavy." The central feature of the main character Drea is not that she has an ASD and ADHD but that she is a young woman trying to be true to who she is while navigating the outside world, and that's something to which everyone can relate in some way.

Harmonic Feedback was Tara Kelly's first published book, and I look forward to reading her second Amplified.

Tara Kelly's website is here, and the book's website is here.

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Yummy by G. Neri

Subtitled The Last Days of a Southside Shorty.
Illustrated by Randy DuBurke.
Published in 2010. 96 pages.
2010 Cybils Award Winner.


Summary from the author's website:

In August of 1994, 11-year-old Robert “Yummy” Sandifer—nicknamed for his love of sweets—fired a gun at a group of rival gangmembers, accidentally killing a neighborhood girl, Shavon Dean. Police searched Chicago’s southside for three days before finding Yummy dead in a railway tunnel, killed by members of the drug gang he’d sought to impress. The story made such an impact that Yummy appeared on the cover of Time magazine, drawing national attention to the problems of inner city youth in America.

Neri also talks about "How Yummy Came About." He concludes:

My hope is that Yummy will find its way into classrooms, libraries and into the hands of reluctant readers. This is a story that needs to be talked about and I hope that Yummy is just the starting point for a deeper, more meaningful discussion with young people all over this country.

Conclusion from the Cybils website:

Although you know the ending of the book from the beginning, Neri still packs a punch that leaves the reader thinking for days, once the book has been put down. Yummy is a historical story with a timeless sensibility that will take your breath away.

By the way, Yummy was nominated by fellow Utah book blogger Natasha of Maw Books Blog.

My personal response: Heart-breaking and thought-provoking, with a great message for young people, especially those in high-risk situations. Definitely worth a read!

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The Strange Case of Origami Yodaby Tom Angleberger

Published in 2010. 144 pages.
2010 Cybils Award Winner.


Summary of the book from goodreads:

In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. If that weren’t strange enough, the puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel.

My eleven-year-old son adores this book! After numerous encounters around the house with Origami Yoda (in various sizes and colors) - and because the book was a 2010 Cybils Award Finalist - I finally decided that I needed to read the book myself.

I thought it was a lot of fun. I highly recommend it to middle grade students, especially those that are fans of Star Wars and/or origami. (The book includes instructions for making an origami yoda.) Enjoy it you will!

Jennifer at 5 Minutes for Books called the book "a realistic age-appropriate look at 6th graders that won’t make a parent cringe." Read her full review here.

According to the Origami Yoda website, a sequel is forthcoming: Darth Paper Strikes Back. My son will be so excited to hear that news!

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Gunnerkrigg Court by Thomas Siddell

Volume 1: Orientation
Published in 2009. 296 pages.


This is the first collection of Tom Siddell's popular and award-winning webcomic (www.gunnerkrigg.com). It received a 2009 Cybils Award for Young Adult Graphic Novel.

My 11-year-old son is a big fan of Gunnerkrigg Court - both the graphic novels and on the web. He tells me that he loves the combination of sci-fi and fantasy, and also that he likes the characters and the connections. ("Even if the main characters are girls," he says, "I still like the books.")

An entry on Wikipedia describes the webcomic as follows:

The comic tells the story of Antimony Carver, a young girl who has just started attending a strange and mysterious school called Gunnerkrigg Court, and the events that unfold around her as she becomes embroiled in political intrigues between Gunnerkrigg Court and the inhabitants of the Gillitie Wood, a forest outside the school. The comic's style and themes include elements from science, fantasy creatures, mythology from a variety of traditions, and alchemical symbols and theories; the literary style is heavily influenced by mystery and manga comics.

I've finally read the first volume. The illustrations are beautiful, but I have to admit that I'm not sure I "get it." But now, my son says, I have to read the second one!

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Library Loot - September 1

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Marg and Claire to encourage bloggers to share what they’ve checked out from the library.



I am reading a faster pace than I was earlier this year, but is it fast enough to justify getting seven new books this week? I guess we'll see!


11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
(This one was a Cybils finalist last year,
and it's a now a Beehive award nominee.)

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford
(This one was a Cybils finalist last year.
It's also the first in a series, with the third installment
on The Contemps list for release next summer.)

Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean
(I saw the film version of this one a week or so ago
and am interested in reading the book.)

Deception by Jonathan Kellerman
(This is the latest installment - the 25th! - in the Alex Delaware series.)

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
(This one was on the "new releases" shelf,
and I couldn't resist picking it up.)

Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson
(This is the sequel to If You Come Softly - which I still have checked out from the library from a previous visit. Hopefully I will get to them both shortly!)

Austenland by Shannon Hale
(I have never read any of Jane Austen's books. But I've recently seen both a play and a film version of Pride and Prejudice, and hearing that Shannon Hale is currently working on a sequel to Austenland, I decided that it was time for me to read it.)

Books and Reading and More Books and More Reading

With the kids back in school and autumn weather just around the corner, it seems that there is a lot happening in the reading world. I am so very excited!

(Click on the buttons for more information.)

September 22 - December 20


October 9







2011 Nominees
What books or reading events are you excited about?

I Can't Keep My Own Secrets:Six-Word Memoirsby Teens Famous and Obscure

Edited by SMITH Magazine.
Published in 2009. 184 pages.


From the preface: This is a book with over 600 authors (all aged thirteen to nineteen) and 600 characters (all real, as far as we know) and 600 stories (which can be read in any order). What every story has in common is that each was written about the author's own life, and that each is the exact same length: six words.

Why I read this book: This was one of the 2009 Cybils nominees in Non-Fiction. I saw it at my local library one afternoon, so I decided to read it while I was waiting for my son. Then I recommended it to my teenage daughter. Today I read it again.

Some of my favorite memoirs, silly as well as profound:

I live bigger than your labels.
- Samantha N.

Finally learned "weird" is a compliment.
- Teagan E.

Because the chicken was a nonconformist.
- Dillon W.

The exits were entrances in disguise.
- Shannon B.

I always spell my name backwards.
- Hannah F.
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Library Loot - January 23

Library Loot is a weekly event
co-hosted by Eva and Marg
to encourage bloggers to share the books
they’ve checked out from the library.



I picked up thirteen holds at the library yesterday,
in addition to paying off a total of over $30 in fines
on the family's five cards.

Here are the books in somewhat random order:

2010 Newbery Honor Book.
I had put it on hold because of the Newbery buzz
it was getting prior to the announcement.

This one was also getting some Newbery buzz.

As was this one.

Another 2010 Newbery Honor Book.

This one was getting some Newbery buzz too.
It's a Cybils finalist as well.

This book was getting some Newbery and Printz buzz
prior to the announcement. It's also a Cybils finalist.

Same situation with this one.

There was Printz buzz here too.

This is Sarah Dessen's latest book.

This is the latest episode in the Alex Delaware series.

I happened upon this on my goodreads to-read shelf
and thought it'd be a interesting, quick read.

SuziQOregon raved about this one,
so I wanted to read it right away.

This one got some Printz buzz too - and I just love the cover!

20-10 Plus 20-10A Personal Challenge

I am planning to limit myself to six reading challenges in 2010, two of which began in 2009. Here are the six, with links to the challenge blogs:

• 2010 Countdown Challenge (a total of 55 books, of which I've already read 25 - so I'm almost way-half there),


• Book Awards 4 (a total of 10 books),


• Women Unbound (a total of 8 books, one of which I've already read),


• 42 Challenge (a total of 42 items, which will likely include at least six books),


• A to Z Challenge (a total of 52 books),


• and Social Justice Challenge (at least three full-length books plus other requirements).

Additionally, I'm going to challenge myself to read "20-10 Plus 20-10" from four book lists in which I'm interested. Those books better fit into the parameters of the other challenges too, or else I'm going to have to far exceed my goal of 104 books for the year (an average of two a week).

• 20 Books from the Salt Lake County Library Reader's Choice. Recently published books are chosen twice a year by the Salt Lake County Library staff as books they enjoyed reading and think library patrons will enjoy too. Patrons vote for their favorites. My picks will come from the 2010 nominees or past winners.


• 10 Books from the Midvale Middle School Book Challenge. The students at the middle school that my daughter attends are encouraged to participate in a "book challenge" in which they are to read 30 books from a list of recommended YA titles. I want to read some of the 2009-2010 school year recommendations (which I've put on one of my goodreads shelves), and, if necessary, some of those for 2010-2011.


• 20 Books from Finalists for The Cybils Awards. These "Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Award" finalists for 2009-2010 were announced on New Year's Day, with the winners to be announced on Valentine's Day.


• 10 Books from the Beehive Awards. The Beehive Awards - in five categories - are sponsored by the Children's Literature Association of Utah (CLAU). Winners are chosen from the nominated books by the children of Utah, who vote for their favorites. My picks will come from the 2010 nominees (which can be found here) and/or prior year winners (which can be found here).

Happy reading in 2010!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Published in 2008. 312 pages.
With illustrations by Dave McKean.
2009 Newbery Medal.
2009 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
2008 Cybils Winner.


I adored this Newbery Award winner! I will admit I was a little worried that it would be too "creepy" for my taste - but I was hooked from the first page. The following quote from the Newbery website sums it up well:

A delicious mix of murder, fantasy, humor and human longing, the tale of Nobody Owens is told in magical, haunting prose. A child marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes into an abandoned graveyard, where he is reared and protected by its spirit denizens.

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