Published in 2006. 290 pages.
This mystery was the third pick for my fifth grade book club. The kids and I found it laugh-out-loud funny. My son said it was the best of the three books we've read so far.
2009.74
Published in 2009. 338 pages.
This was my first experience with the work of Emily Listfield. I absolutely loved the first three-quarters of the book, as I got to know the characters and then a murder mystery was revealed. The last quarter, however, fell a little flat, leaving me not fully satisfied. I enjoyed the book enough, though, that I'll be looking for more of Listfield's novels.
There is a reading group guide here.
2009.79
Originally published in 2001.
Audiobook performed by Andy Paris and Carine Montbertrand.
For some reason, I expected this "he said/she said" story to be similar in tone to E. Lockhart's Ruby Oliver books. The first chapter, therefore, was a little disconcerting to me, as I adjusted to the more serious tone. Once I settled in, though, I was hooked!
Flipped is a sweet adolescent love story that also deals with some serious themes. The character Juli reminded me a bit of Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl. I loved her view of the world. I also loved watching Bryce mature.
Wendelin Van Draanen is best known for the Sammy Keyes mysteries for children, none of which I've read. I understand she has also written at least two other young adult novels.
I noticed on IMDb that a movie version of Flipped is scheduled to be released in September 2010.
2009.77
Published in 2009. 310 pages.
I enjoyed the somewhat snarky, satirical tone of McLaughlin and Kraus's The Nanny Diaries when I read it with my book club back in 2002. I was happy to discover that The Real Real has the same tone - this time exploring the world of "reality" television shows in the authors' first novel for young adults. I had a hard time putting the book down - and I loved the happy ending.
2009.78
Published in 2008. 306 pages.
I am not (yet) familiar with David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter mystery series. Don't Tell a Soul is a stand-alone novel and a recent Salt Lake County Library's Reader's Choice nominee. I found it to be a solid thriller as well as a welcome diversion from my busy, chaotic pre-Christmas schedule.
With the completion of Don't Tell a Soul, I have tied my 2008 number of books read. Since there are nearly two more weeks left in the year, I'm sure to exceed it!
2009.80
Published in 2008. 106 pages.
I didn't like this third Fashion Kitty episode as much as I did the previous two (Fashion Kitty and Fashion Kitty versus the Fashion Queen). I hope that there will be further adventures though!
2009.70
Published in 2009. 509 pages.
It took me longer to read The Lost Symbol than it did to read The Da Vinci Code (which, as I recall, I read in bed one long Saturday). But the third book in the Robert Langdon series, The Lost Symbol was a compelling read. I'm sure that if I hadn't been so busy and tired over the past few weeks, I'd have read it more quickly.
The action of the book, which takes place in about a day, was fast-paced and filled with puzzles. Like with The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, I was definitely willing to go along for the ride!
The one thing I really struggled with was the idea that a video of Masonic rituals would be considered a national security issue. Maybe strange. Certainly misunderstood. But a national security issue?
2009.76
Published in 2004. 160 pages.
2005 Scott O'Dell Award.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but neither I nor my fifth grade book group members thought it was "really good." I thought the character development was somewhat weak, but I enjoyed talking about some of the metaphors with the kids and I liked the happy, though ambiguous ending. I love historical fiction - and it was fun having the kids contrast the late 1800s with our day - but they were adamant that our next pick not be another historical fiction.
2009.72
Published in 2006. 200 pages.
2007 Newbery Honor Book.
2007 Schneider Family Book Award.
This year my son is in fifth grade, and I volunteered to be a "book club" leader in his classroom. The first pick for my group was Rules, the story of twelve-year-old Catherine who just wants a normal life, which is near impossible with an autistic brother and a family that revolves around his disability. Four fifth-graders and I were able to meet three times to discuss it. We all enjoyed it.
Somewhere I read a review of Rules that said, "Parts are very funny while others are so real it hurts." I completely agree. Here are a few of my favorite passages:
As she reads, I think how useful a cloak that made me invisible would be right now. If I have one, I'd throw it over my head and run out the door and across the parking lot and the street, all the way through the waterfront park to the wharf, and board the first boat I saw going somewhere, anywhere else. [page 23]
I try to hold my hope down, but it keeps popping up again. [page 31] ... On the drive to the clinic, I try not to let my hopes run loose, but they rush with the water under the bridges. [page 41]
At a friend's house, everything is uncomplicated. No one drops toys in the fish tank, no one cares if the cellar door is open or closed, and no one shrieks unless there's a huge, hairy spider crawling up her arm. ... But the best part of being at a friend's house is I can be just me and put the sister part of me down. [page 89]
Twice a year the staff of the Salt Lake County Library display their current book favorites for patrons to read and enjoy. Library patrons rate the "Reader's Choice" nominees they read, and the votes determine a winner. 
The Shape of Mercy was the Salt Lake County Library's Reader's Choice winner for July-October 2009 - both county-wide and at my branch. County-wide, the second place pick was a tie between Casting Spells and The School of Essential Ingredients, and the third place was The Lover's Knot. At my branch, the second place pick was The Help, and the third place was The School of Essential Ingredients.
The only one of these "Reader's Choice" picks that I've already read is The School of Essential Ingredients, and I reviewed it here. Have you read any of them?
All the winners going back to 1991 are here. Among the winners that I've read and enjoyed are these:
Published in 1999. 228 pages.
Keeping the Moon is the fourth of Sarah Dessen's books that I've read. I enjoyed the quirky characters. I think Just Listen is still my favorite though.
Dessen talks about writing Keeping the Moon - and the impact that the book still has on her - on her website.
2009.52
Subtitled Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch - and me, Ruby Oliver.
Published in 2009. 244 pages.
This is the third Ruby Oliver novel, and I loved it just as much as I did the first two, The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book. Ruby is such a fun character. And isn't that cover just adorable?
I'm happy to hear that a fourth Ruby Oliver book, Real Live Boyfriends, will be out in the fall of 2010. In the meantime, I'm checking out what Ruby has to say in her advice column "Ask Ruby."
2009.67
Published in 2009. 391 pages.
This sequel to The Hunger Games was everything I hoped for! Because I'd heard that it ends on a cliffhanger, I had considered waiting to read this until closer to the release of the third book in the trilogy. But I decided that Catching Fire would be perfect for the recent 24-Hour Read-a-Thon - and it was!
2009.68
Published in 2008. 305 pages.
I had a hard time putting this one down, but I sometimes found myself wondering, "So what?" or even, "Who cares?" Ultimately, though, Testimony is a thought-provoking exploration of choices and consequences.
Other book bloggers' reviews of Testimony:
If you have read and reviewed this book, I would love to link your review here. Please leave me a comment or email me your link!
Final Report
Time Read: 13:30
Pages Read: 1434. (That's an average of 106 per hour - which was possible only because of the graphic novels I read.)
Books Finished: 5 - The Treasure Map of Boys, Catching Fire, Fashion Kitty and the Unlikely Hero, Blankets, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.
Time Blogged: 7:30
Frame of Mind: I made it to the end! I took an hour-long nap midway through - and I think that was a good move. Reading graphic novels after midnight also helped contribute to my success. Now it's time for some sleep!
Here is my end-of-event survey:
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
About halfway through, I was feeling really sleepy. Instead of pushing on, I decided to take an hour-long nap. That made a big difference in my ability to make it to the end.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
I read two YA novels and then three graphic novels this time, and I think that that was a good approach.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
This was my fifth time to participate in the Read-a-thon, and I thought it was great!
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
The publicity - by word of mouth or otherwise - was very successful, resulting in a large number of participants.
5. How many books did you read?
Five.
6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Fashion Kitty and the Unlikely Hero by Charise Mericle Harper. Blankets by Craig Thompson. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney.
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
I adore the character Ruby Oliver in The Treasurer Map of Boys, which is the third Ruby Oliver book. Catching Fire, the second in The Hunger Games trilogy, is excellent. And, while not what I expected, Blankets is going to stick with me for a long time.
8. Which did you enjoy least?
Neither the most recent Fashion Kitty episode nor the second of the Diary of Wimpy Kid books were particularly outstanding, although I have enjoyed other books in both series.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
Not applicable.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
If at all possible, I will participate in the next read-a-thon! This is one of the few things I do that's just for me. I'd like to be a reader again - but if my schedule is too busy, then I'll be a cheerleader (or some other type of helper).
Progress Report
Time Read: 11:30
Pages Read: 966. (My page rate has increased over the past hour since I switched to graphic novels.)
Books Finished: 3 - The Treasure Map of Boys, Catching Fire, and Fashion Kitty and the Unlikely Hero.
Time Blogged: 6:30
Frame of Mind: Starting on two graphic novels (one for children and one for young adults) has kept my brain from feeling too overloaded. I just may make it through to the end.
Total Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 5.
Additional Food Consumed: Some Teriyaki Beef Jerky. Another Roll of Necco Wafers.
Progress Report
Time Read: 8:30
Pages Read: 488. (That's an average of 57 per hour.)
Books Finished: 1. (Hopefully it'll be two before too long!)
Time Blogged: 6:00
Frame of Mind: I'm still feeling pretty good. It's getting late though, and my eyes are starting to feel a bit buggy.
Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 5.
Food Consumed: One Bowl of Lucky Charms Cereal. One Bowl of Microwave Popcorn. One Roll of Necco Wafers. One Bowl of Steamed Broccoli with Melted Cheese. Some Bean Dip with Tortilla Chips. One Utah Truffles Raspberry Bar. One Plate of Chinese Food (Vegie Lo Mein, Lemon Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and Cream Cheese Wontons). Two S'Mores (prepared by my resident 10yo chef). Another Plate of Chinese Food. A Handful of Swedish Fish.
Progress Report
Time Read: 6:00
Pages Read: 320. (An average of 53 per hour.)
Books Finished: 1. (The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart.)
Time Blogged: 4:30
Frame of Mind: I'm feeling pretty good right now. My husband has brought some Chinese food home from Sampan - so I'll be snacking on that for the next little while, as I continue reading Catching Fire.
Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 3.
Food Consumed: One Bowl of Lucky Charms Cereal. One Bowl of Microwave Popcorn. One Roll of Necco Wafers. One Bowl of Steamed Broccoli with Melted Cheese. Some Bean Dip with Tortilla Chips. One Utah Truffles Raspberry Bar. One Plate of Chinese Food (Vegie Lo Mein, Lemon Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and Cream Cheese Wontons).
Now that we're halfway through, we have a survey to complete:
1. What are you reading right now?
I'm on page 76 of Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games. When Catching Fire was released last month, I thought maybe I'd wait to read it until closer to the release of the third book in the trilogy because I've heard it ends with a big cliff-hanger. In preparation for the read-a-thon, however, I decided that Catching Fire would be a perfect choice for today. (It is!)
2. How many books have you read so far?
I have only finished one - the YA novel The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Some quick and easy reads for the second half - as I get more and more sleepy - are the latest in the Fashion Kitty graphic novel series and the two of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series that I haven't yet read.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Fortunately, I didn't have any major commitments already on the calendar when I found out about the read-a-thon. It's been hard to stay completely focused on the read-a-thon today, though. I did end up spending about two hours on some family matters this morning.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Both of my kids are working on school projects today, so they've needed me to answer questions and give suggestions on and off all afternoon. As the night continues, though, things will be more quiet. (Maybe too quiet.)
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
It really has flown by - at least this first half.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
This is my fifth time participating in the read-a-thon, and I've enjoyed it every time!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
If it were possible - but it's probably not - I'd try to arrange to have my family out of the house for a good part of the day.
9. Are you getting tired yet?
I was very sleepy at the start of Hour 11. I decided to not fight it, so I napped for an hour and I'm doing much better now.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
I decided to again focus mostly on YA books, and I think that's a good approach.
Progress Report
Time Read: 2:45
Pages Read: 192. (I'm still reading The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart.)
Books Finished: None (yet).
Time Blogged: 3:15
Frame of Mind: Although I planned to devote the entire day to the read-a-thon, I decided to take two hours off this morning to attend to some family matters. I'm glad I did. That, however - combined the amount of time I've been spending on blogs - has resulted in not much reading progress so far. I'm feeling good, though. There's a thunderstorm rolling in, and I'm very contented to be sitting in my family room reading a good book!
Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 2.
Food Consumed: One Bowl of Lucky Charms Cereal. One Bag of Microwave Popcorn. One Roll of Necco Wafers. One Bowl of Steamed Broccoli with Melted Cheese.
Progress Report
Time Read: 1:00
Pages Read: 80. (I'm reading The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart.)
Books Finished: None (yet).
Time Blogged: 2:00
Frame of Mind: I can't believe it's been three hours already. I've not read much yet, as I keep getting distracted by blogs and Twitter. But I'm having great fun!
Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 1.
Food Consumed: One Bowl of Lucky Charms Cereal. Part of a Bag of Microwave Popcorn.
The first activity of the read-a-thon is an Introduction Meme, created by Darcie a few read-a-thons ago. Here goes:
Where are you reading from today?
For the most part, I'll be sitting on the love seat in my family room, with my feet on the ottoman and my laptop computer nearby.
Three facts about me:
Here We Go!
I'm very rarely up on a Saturday morning before nine or ten, but here I am - excited about participating in my fifth read-a-thon!
Good luck to all the other read-a-thon participants, and a big thank you to Nymeth, Trish, Hannah, Eva, the cheerleaders, and all the other helpers!
Published in 1956. 288 pages.
I think I'm in the minority, but I didn't love this memoir. The "family" parts were somewhat interesting to me - sometimes downright laugh-out-loud funny - but the "other animals" stuff just isn't my thing.
2009.65
Published in 2008. 386 pages.
This is a Salt Lake County Library's Reader's Choice nominee for July to October 2009. I was drawn to it by the title and the cover (although the photo is a bit of a mismatch because the main character is blonde). Somewhat reminiscent of the work of Anne Tyler but heavier on the romance, Kissing Games of the World was an enjoyable read.
2009.63
Published in 2009. 197 pages.
One of the most unique children's books I've ever read, When You Reach Me is required reading for time travel aficionados, fans (of all ages) of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, and grown-ups who loved Harriet the Spy, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and The Westing Game as young girls. (I belong to each of those categories.) It's also great for those - unlike me - who see the late 1970s as "history."
Rebecca Stead's website is here. Her previous book is First Light.
Other book bloggers' reviews of When You Reach Me:
If you have read and reviewed this book, I would love to link your review here. Please leave me a comment or email me your link!
Published in 2009. 279 pages.
Because I loved Michael J. Fox's Lucky Man when I listened to the audiobook last year, I was eager to read this recently published follow-up. While different in format - it is organized in four categories (Work, Politics, Faith, and Family) rather than chronologically - and somewhat different in tone, Always Looking Up is every bit as smart, funny, and insightful as Lucky Man is.
One of the concepts Fox presented that I especially loved was an idea he got from Christopher Reeve: optimism + knowledge = hope. In the section on "Faith," Fox writes:
Chris Reeve wisely parsed the difference between optimism and hope. Unlike optimism, he said, "Hope is the product of knowledge and the projection of where the knowledge can take us." If optimism is a happy-go-lucky expectation that the odds are in my favor, that things are likely to break my way, and if hope is an informed optimism, facts converting desire into possibility, then faith is the third leg of the stool. Faith tells me that I'm not alone. [pages 201-202]
Our little, shingled Martha's Vineyard saltbox is blessed with an unobstructed view of the Gay Head Lighthouse. Every night its beacon slowly turns, and each half revolution paints the house and hillside with a warm swath of light. From dusk onward, fireflies twinkle through the grasses like Bush forty-one's metaphorical "Thousand Points of Light." The beacon completes another thrity-second sweep of the nightscape, and a wave of brilliance washes out the glow of the insects. A thousand fireflies won't generate the luminescence sufficient to read a roadmap. A lighthouse - more powerful and dependable - speaks to the guiding nature of hope. By equal turns, it illuminates and darkens, so the way forward can be chosen in the light, and trusted in the darkness.
Admittedly, I haven't spent much time in West Texas, but given the amount and variety of brush the President clears on his vacations, my guess is that he has a lot of fireflies on that ranch - and no lighthouse. [pages 99-100]
I hate to say it, but I know parents who regard their children as instruments to be played. It's all a matter of what strings to pull and how finely they're tuned. I see them, to extend the metaphor, more as jukeboxes. Put in your two bits, maybe give them a bit of a nudge to get them going, but nine times out of ten, if you're lucky, they're going to play their own tune. [page 237]
We are where we are. If we keep moving, we'll be someplace else. We'll know when we get there. [page 262]
Published in 2009. 322 pages.
I think I've read every one of Mary Higgins Clark's mystery and suspense novels. This one isn't anything special - but it was a good escapism read for a MHC fan like me.
2009.59
Published in 2000. 208 pages.
I read Give a Boy a Gun this past summer on the recommendation of my 13yo daughter. It's a powerful testament to the need for gun control in America!
From Todd Strasser's website:
A stunning work of fiction taken straight from today's headlines, Give a Boy a Gun is a stirring wake-up call to stop violence and teasing, and to explore the role of guns in the lives of teenagers.
Anyone looking for one simple black-and-white answer to the problem of school violence involving guns will not find it here. ... I have no one answer.
If these changes are going to occur, they will have to start with you, the young person reading this book. If this story has moved you, then it will be your job to keep these ideas alive, to examine your own life and your own school, to keep these issues in the forefront with open discussions and debate. Mine is the generation that will see true gun reform continually stalled by lobby-fattened politicians. Yours is the generation that may someday have the power to make the real changes that will save young lives.
Published in 2007. 268 pages.
I really liked this debut young adult novel, which (like Unwind) is a 2010 Beehive Award Nominee in Young Adults' Books. I completely agree with this comment from the School Library Journal:
The most impressive thing about this novel is the fairness and empathy with which Brande presents Mena's heartfelt struggle to reconcile her belief in both God and science.
Published in 2007. 335 pages.
Unwind is a Children's Literature Association of Utah 2010 Beehive Award Nominee in the Young Adults' Books category. It was also recently challenged (with six other books) in a high school in Kentucky, as reported by author Laurie Halse Anderson. This dichotomy of views made this science-fiction novel the perfect read for me during Banned Books Week!
First sentence: "There are places you can go," Ariana tells him, "and a guy as smart as you has a decent chance of surviving to eighteen."
Last sentence: At last, he allows himself the wonderful luxury of hope.
In my view, the best works of sci-fi provide commentary about our day and our society. Shusterman has written a book that challenges his readers' ideas about life - where it begins, where it ends, and what it means to be alive - and thereby comments primarily about the political debate between "right to life" and "right to choice," but also about organ donation, terrorism, medical advances, race, legalities, family, and doing the right thing.
Here are two favorite passages:
In a perfect world mothers would all want their babies, and strangers would open up their homes to the unloved. In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn't a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is. [page 75]
"Please ...," says the boy.
Please what? the teacher thinks. Please break the law? Please put myself and the school at risk? But, no that's not it at all. What he's really saying is: Please be a human being. With a life so full of rules and regiments, it's so easy to forget that's what they are. She knows - she sees - how often compassion takes a back seat to expediency. [page 83]
Ultimately, though, the power of the novel lies in what it doesn’t do: come down explicitly on one side or the other.
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.
