Anne (AMQS) Midsummer Nights' Reads -- Chapter 3

Welcome to my third thread -- I'm glad you're here.

I'm going to share some photos from my recent tour with the Colorado Children's Chorale to the Alta Pusteria (Italy) International Choir Festival. It was one amazing week.



The beautiful Lago di Anterselva:

The kids in front of the lake:


At the top of Plan de Corones:


We travel in staff groups for the week. I was responsible for this band of ruffians (photo taken in Salzburg):



If you haven't seen the Chorale blog (and especially the videos on the blog) I invite you here:

http://choraleconnection.wordpress.com/

August, 2012
67. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
68. Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell
69. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Icebound Land by John Flanagan
70. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia by John Flanagan
71. The Family Man by Elinor Lipman
72. My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve
73. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
74. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
75. The Pearl by John Steinbeck

July, 2012
45. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
46. Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
47. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
48. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
49. Side by Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World edited by Jan Greenberg
50. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
51. Boris by Cynthia Rylant
52. Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
53. Ludie's Life by Cynthia Rylant
54. The Beautiful Stories of Life; Six Greek Myths Retold by Cynthia Rylant
55. Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant
56. The Islander by Cynthia Rylant
57. The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong
58. Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
59. The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats
60. Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan
61. Children's Literature in Action: A Librarian's Guide by Sylvia Vardell
62. The Tech-Savvy Booktalker: A Guide for 21st-Century Educators by Nancy Keane
63. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
64. Cataloging Correctly for Kids by Sheila Intner
65. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan
66. In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

June, 2012
32. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
33. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
34. The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn
35. Horns & Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson
36. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulson
37. The Garden of Eve by K.L. Going
38. Shine by Lauren Myracle
39. The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
40. Savvy by Ingrid Law
41. Keeper by Mal Peet
42. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
43. City of Orphans by Avi
44. Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

May, 2012
25. Before Lunch by Angela Thirkell
26. Bed-Knob and Broomstick by Mary Norton
27. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
28. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
29. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
30. Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden
31. Lucky by Rachel Vail

April, 2012
17. Evening is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan
18. Knee-Knock Rise by Natalie Babbitt
19. The Picture of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde
20. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
21. Action Research by Ernest Stringer
22. Action Research for Improving Educational Practice by Valsa Koshy
23. Guiding School Improvement with Action Research by Richard Sagor
24. All You Need to Know About Action Research by Jean McNiff and Jack Whitehead

March, 2012
11. The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck
12. Candide: or, Optimism by Voltaire
13. Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
14. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
15. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
16. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson

February, 2012
7. Dial-a-Ghost by Eva Ibbotson
8. The Sterkarm Handshake by Susan Price
9. Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
10. Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell

January, 2012
1. Abel's Island by William Steig
2. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
3. Toys Come Home by Emily Jenkins
4. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
5. The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer
6. Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

Congrats on the new thread and thanks for sharing the beautiful photos! Wow!

43. City of Orphans by Avi

I enjoyed this one a lot. Set in teeming 1893 New York, this historical fiction novel features suspense, heartbreak, and terrific you're-there historical detail. 13 year-old Maks Geless lives with his family of Danish immigrants in a cramped New York tenement. The family barely scrapes by on the few pennies collectively earned by all of age to work, and is trying to save money for young Agnes to visit the doctor before she becomes too sick with tuberculosis. Maks sells newspapers on the street, and "newsies" like him are roughed up and robbed by the Plug Ugly street gang. While running from their gang leader, he meets and is saved by Willa, a young, homeless orphan. Maks brings Willa home, where she is welcomed by his family, though soon after, older sister Emma is arrested for stealing a watch from a guest of the Waldorf Astoria. Maks and Willa must find a way to save Emma from imprisonment in a city crippled by corruption, while protecting themselves from the increasingly violent Plug Ugly Gang.

>5 msf59: Hi Mark, thanks! Glad you're here.

44. Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

This short novel packs an emotional punch, and I read it holding my breath and sick in my heart. 10 year-old Sasha loves Stalin with his whole heart, even writing him an impassioned letter of thanks the evening before he is to join the Young Pioneers, with his father, a respected and feared member of the secret police, set to be the guest of honor at the ceremony. Later that evening, however, his father is arrested (with the informing neighbor gleefully moving in only minutes later), and Sasha's world is turned upside down. Mr. Yelchin lived in the former Soviet Union, and his father, to whom the book is dedicated, survived The Great Terror. He skillfully conveys the oppressive fear and suspicion of the time. I felt the book grew a bit weaker toward the end, giving in to melodrama and straining credibility, but the author's note at the end of the book gives the extreme conditions in the book some historical context and authority. Mr. Yelchin's powerful illustrations perfectly complement the heart-racing story.

I've added Breaking Stalin's Nose to my read-it-as-soon-as-I-get-a-copy list. Thanks for the recommendation.

Gorgeous pictures! Thanks for sharing.

Karen O.

Hi Anne,

I lost your thread earlier this year when real life cut my LT time right down but I loved your photos of the trip to Europe. We went to Salzburg last August and it was beautiful. Did you go up to the fortress? I also just looked at the blog and see that the chorale is coming to New Zealand!!! Are you coming over on that trip? And are they coming to Wellington?

>9 klobrien2: Hi Karen, thanks! I hope you enjoy Breaking Stalin's Nose. It's a quick but memorable read.

>10 cushlareads: Hi Cushla! Real life has definitely limited my LT time this year, too. Glad you like the photos! We did not go up to the fortress, but had a great time exploring the city, shopping, and performing. Yes, the tour next year is to New Zealand -- March 15-29, and at this point it looks like we'll be coming to Wellington March 24 and 25, with an evening performance March 25. I'm not sure yet if I will go on the tour, but I'm holding my breath and crossing all my fingers and toes that I will be asked! My daughter Callia will go for sure -- she is beyond excited.

Anne - what brilliant photos and what a great way to kick off your new thread. Have a lovely weekend.

Anne, I hope you get to come!! I will put the dates into my diary now for the concerts - will take the kids. And if Callia needs anything while she's here, I'll PM you my details nearer the time.

Wow, beautiful photos, Anne! And memories that will last a lifetime.

Those are wonderful pictures, Anne. What an opportunity for those kids, and for you!

Anne: Wonderful photos. And both the Avi and Yelchin books sound like winners. I'll add them to my YA list.

Great pictures, Anne! And I was thrilled to find that my library has City of Orphans on CD--that means I'll get to it sooner!

>12 PaulCranswick: thank you, Paul! Hope you have a god weekend as well. I'm frantically trying to get caught up with schoolwork since I abandoned it completely while on tour.

>13 cushlareads: Thank you, Cushla! Our performances are perfect for kids -- hope you all can come! Thank you also for the offer to take care of Callia :)

>14 Copperskye: Thank you Joanne!

>15 ronincats: Thanks, Roni -- it was indeed a wonderful opportunity:)

>16 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I enjoyed both of those books -- both were quick reads, too.

>17 tloeffler: Thanks, Terri! I would think that City of Orphans would make a great audio. Even the narrator uses period NY style of talking. Fun!

Looks like you had a great time, Anne!

Stopping by to visit your brand new thread! What a great trip you are on!

>19 MickyFine: Hi Micky, yes, we did indeed! Hope you're having a good weekend!

>20 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Alas, we have returned from our trip, but have the wonderful memories and photos to keep!

45. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Ooh, this was a good one -- action/adventure/James Bond-style spy thriller with a 14 year-old boy at the helm. I had heard great things about this series, and finally got my hands on the first book. It is too old (2000) to be used for my class this summer, but I'm hoping to include it anyway as it is a current series and I wanted to start at the beginning. Alex Rider's uncle is killed in a car accident -- at least, this is what he is told. Alex digs deeper to learn more and discovers that his uncle is a spy for M16. M16 is impressed by the resourceful, brave fact-finding done by Alex and recruits him to finish the assignment that got his uncle killed. Terrific start to what looks like a great action series for boys and girls.

Lovely photos, Anne, and some more great books! City of Orphans sounds excellent in particular.

Congrats on the new thread! Your pictures look great!
Good luck getting caught up on your school work :)

>23 susanj67: thanks, Susan! City of Orphans is a good one! Avi is a Colorado author :)

>24 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle, thank you! I had pretty much caught up until Week 5 opened today and I didn't even turn my computer on. Ah, well, it felt good to play hooky for a day:)

46. Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

This young adult novel written in free verse was beautiful and moving. Spanning a young girl's teen years, it chronicles her memories of moving to America from Mexico, assimilating in school, finding her voice and her passion in writing and drama, and the fierce love shared by her family of six girls and two boys. While the family is close, the bond between Lupita, the oldest, and her mother Mami is particularly close. When Mami is diagnosed with cancer, Lupita assumes an even more important new role in the family, while burying her anguish in her writing and her acting. Lupita seeks solace under the sturdy mesquite tree that decided to take root in the middle of her mother's beloved rose garden and survived despite Mami's best efforts to defeat it. Lupita's voice shines through her writing -- her pain is palpable, but so is her determination to survive. Lovely.

LOVE the beautiful scenery and the kids! What a great trip!!!
Lots of good reading too. Happy Newish Thread, Anne!

Hi Anne - enjoying your YA-reviews and are getting new ideas for reading. It seems I will never outgrow this genre.

Just downloaded the Ibook-sample of Breaking Stalin's Nose and the beginning and the illustrations are great, so it's probably one of my next buys.....

>27 LizzieD: Thanks, Peggy! It is definitely a summer of good reading.

>28 ctpress: Hi Carsten, I know I never will outgrow YA or children's lit, and since I am getting my school library masters degree, that's a good thing! Breaking Stalin's Nose is a good read, and a quick one. Election year politics are very ugly (come to think of it, it seems they are always ugly), with many comparisons of Obama to Stalin. Wish more people would trouble to learn what that really means.

47. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

Oh, another one to read with a lump in your throat. This book is told from the point of view of Caitlin, a fifth grader with Asperger's syndrome. Caitlin finds the world bewildering, with complex rules and people whose words don't match what they mean. She relied on her doting older brother Devon to guide and steady her through life, but Devon was killed in a shooting at his middle school, leaving Caitlin, her single dad, and the entire community unmoored and looking for answers and closure. With the help of her school counselor and the unexpected friendship of a first grade boy, Caitlin practices empathy, and is able to take tentative steps toward healing and acceptance.

I loved Mockingbird too. It was very touching, wasn't it?

Beautiful pictures, Anne! And NZ next year? How exciting for the kids, to see the world and make all those great intercultural experiences.

Hi Anne! I'm making my way around the threads to "try" to catch up with everyone. Hope you've read a tonne of great books and I'm looking forward to what other great reads you will undoubtably be doing in the coming months. :)

>31 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel -- thanks for visiting my thread!Yes, I thought Mockingbird was very well done. It was required reading for a class I am taking, and there were some interesting discussions. Hope you have a great weekend!

>32 Deern: Thanks, Nathalie! The kids are very, very excited to go to New Zealand :) As a parent, I am thrilled my daughter will have the opportunity.

>33 jolerie: Hi Valerie, I'm glad you stopped by! I feel like I am perpetually catching up here on LT.

48. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

I have always believed that children's and young adult books offer some of the best literature out there. Chains is a shining, wonderful example. This richly detailed work of historical fiction follows the journey of Isabel, a young slave from Rhode Island. When her mistress dies, Isabel and her younger sister are given their freedom. The attorney holding the will, however, is unreachable when the mistress's unscrupulous relative quickly sells her estate. Isabel and Ruth are sold to a couple who are firmly entrenched in New York loyalist society. The treacherous political situation of instability, spying, and shifting loyalties is the backdrop for Isabel's story of cruelty, hardship, and small kindnesses. Isabel befriends another young slave named Curzon, who persuades her to spy on behalf of the rebel cause. Isabel simply wants freedom, and is willing to aid either side in order to secure it. I was unfamiliar with the history of New York at the time of the American Revolutionary War -- it was by British forces, with rebel families imprisoned or driven away. Isabel's story is heartbreaking and hopeful, and is continued in Forge, which I am happy to say, is waiting for me at the library.

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before the book bullets fly right? I will be adding this to my library list. Thanks for the great review Anne. :)

Thanks, Valerie! If you're going to be hit by a book bullet, it's best that it's a good book:) I hope you enjoy Chains when you have a chance to read it!

Any opera lovers out there? Central City Opera's production of La Boheme opens tomorrow night, and will be broadcast live on Colorado Public Radio at 8:00pm mountain standard time. We have 14 young singers in the children's chorus (in Act II) -- one of our best and bravest Boheme casts ever!

http://www.cpr.org/#load_article|SummerFest_Live_Broadcast_Season

You can hear us later in the summer on CPR as well when we perform Mahler's 8th symphony with the Aspen Music Festival.

49. Side By Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World edited by Jan Greenberg

In this “conversation between two art forms,” poets around the world wrote a poem in response to a work of art. The art appears along with the poems – in their original languages as well as an English translation. The art ranges from folk art – ceramic and painted wooden figures from Mexico to Picasso, Hopper, elaborately painted Egyptian tombs, Navajo clay with corn husks, Botticelli, Lo Ch’ing and many more. The poets are contemporary, and with the exception of Alexander Pushkin, all living. Their works appear in such languages as Turkish, Tigrinya, Polish, Navajo, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, and more. The poems are meditative and thought-provoking, or whimsical and familiar, and invite the reader to return to the book again and again, finding something new about each work of art, or revisiting an unexpected connection a poet may have made, or comparing translated texts with their originals.

You sure pick some interesting historical YA-fiction - Chains being one of them. Getting good inspiration here.

I guess Children's book often tend to be very story-oriented if you know what I mean. All about the story - the love of telling a good tale. And a good story is normally for everyone to enjoy.

Chains sounds really excellent, Anne. I read this author's Fever last year and enjoyed it. I'll look out for Chains too.

Hi Anne, I hear the rains and cooler temperatures made it. Please send them our way!

Side by Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World looks like something I would really like to have sitting on my night stand. Time to start a birthday WL!

ETA: I see I have to type in the full title to get the correct touchstone. I don't want to confuse DH when he places his Amazon order!

>40 ctpress: Carsten, you're right -- children are very critical readers, and definitely need a good story. Chains was excellent!

>41 susanj67: Hi Susan, Chains was excellent! I look forward to Forge.

>42 Donna828: Yes, Donna, we have never been so thrilled to have heavy rain! Hopefully the cooler weather will make its way east.

Not sure why, but Side by Side: New Poems is listed as a YA title, perhaps so it will be on the radar of middle and high school librarians, though I think anyone would like it. Jan Greenberg won the Michael L. Printz Honor Award (given for the best book of the year for young adults) for a similar book: Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art. Great addition to a birthday list!

Anne - some really interesting YA books read and reviewed here - all of which I must admit to not having heard of before. Under the Mesquite looks particularly interesting and I'll look out for it. Wishing you and your family a lively and peaceful weekend. ps what happened to Callia - she didn't post for aeons?

Hi Paul! I hadn't heard of many of these titles before I took this class, so for that I am very grateful. I don't know that I ever would have discovered Under the Mesquite.

We love weekends! La Boheme opens tonight at Central City Opera, so I'll be there while Stelios takes the girls out to dinner. We have a fantastic group of kids in the children's chorus -- you can hear and see them in the first part of this trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mymv-8GOq9g&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=C...

As for Callia, she is a bit daunted about how far behind she is on LibraryThing:) I tell her that's my normal state. She was traveling with the Chorale for much of June. She's done a ton of reading, though, so she'll have a lot of books to enter. She's been reading a lot of the same books I have for my class. Thanks for asking about her, and I hope you and your family enjoy the weekend as well.

Anne- I hope things have cooled off nicely for you guys and you are enjoying a nice weekend.

Hi Anne, gorgeous opening photos! I see on your profile page that you're presently listening to Persuasion. Austen makes for fabulous audiobooks, doesn't she? I must to get to another one before long.

>46 msf59: Hi Mark! Yes, today is much cooler, and we've received a lot of rain. Too much rain, as now we're having flooding problems. Feast or famine, it seems. No problems at our house, though, so I can't complain.

>47 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! I love listening to Jane Austen on audio -- Persuasion was my first audio book when I had a long commute, and I've been hooked ever since. My current audio has stalled, however, as in the summer I don't drive very much. Glad you stopped by!

50. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

This was another book recommended to me by a boy in Chorale. I need to remember to ask them about books more often, because they haven't steered me wrong yet, and I really enjoyed this one. This is the first of a fantasy series by Australian author John Flanagan, who began writing the books to encourage his son to read. Young Will is a ward of Baron Arald, growing up in the castle with other orphaned children. At fifteen, they are chosen to become apprentices of master craftsmen/women... or not. Will dreams of apprenticing to be a warrior, but is afraid his slight build will prohibit it. He is right. Instead, he is offered an apprenticeship with Halt, the shadowy, solitary Ranger whose services to the Baron are little understood and somewhat feared. Will begins training in stealth, intelligence, archery, knife work, horsemanship, as well as more mundane apprentice duties such as hauling water and splitting wood. Will's skills and bravery are soon put to test as the exiled, defeated Baron Morgarath is gathering evil and unearthly forces to attack the kingdom. Good stuff!

Some really interesting books for your course this summer, Anne. I love children's/YA books too. Luckily I dodged a bullet on your last read--I've read the first 5 of that series.

I imagine that some of the best recommendations comes from the actual kids that are reading the books. :) Just comforting to hear that boys are reading!

>50 ronincats: Roni, I have been reading some great books this summer! There are 4 required children's lit books and 4 required YA books. In addition to those 8, we have to read another 40 books. I'm really trying to mix up E, J, and YA lit, and also genres. I tend to gravitate to "girl" books, and of course, that's what's most likely what's laying about the house, so I've made an effort to read "boy" books, too.

>51 jolerie: Yes, indeed, Valerie! There are some great readers in the Chorale :)

I'm just trying to catch up, Anne, and keep track of what you are reading. Some great ideas here--I've added many to my list. I hope you're enjoying your reading even though it's "required."

Hi Anne, it feels like I'm always trying to catch up:) I am really enjoying the reading. The specific texts that are required are some of my favorites so far. I only wish I had fewer assignments so I could enjoy the reading more.

51. Boris by Cynthia Rylant
Cynthia Rylant is the focus of my author study, so I will be reading several by her this week, though many are picture books and easy readers, so I won't post them all. She is one of my favorites -- that rare author who can write as well for 3-5 year olds as for young adults. Her books stand up to countless rereading, so I always recommend them to parents with young children. Boris is not like anything I've read of hers before. This YA collection of free verse muses on her cat on whose outsized personality she reflects in a very touching, compelling way. I had a lump in my throat by page 4 and thought I would be in trouble, but she doesn't go there. I laughed knowingly throughout the book and reread several poems a few times. Ms. Rylant and Boris are very lucky to have found each other, and I'm glad she shared even just a small piece.

Anne: What a lot of great reading you're doing -- I want to take your class! The Ranger's Apprentice, Stormbreaker, Chains and Under the Mesquite have all been added to my list. I like to keep up with YA fiction; even though I teach college English, the reading levels of many of my students is lower than one would like. If I can recommend a series that they like to get them to read, I am happy. I am getting a lot of ideas here.

I'm happy to hear about the rain -- I hope it has helped to control the fires. Poor Colorado.

Hi Beth! The class has been fun, but there are a LOT of assignments. They're all very valuable, but just too much. Having said that, I abandoned them today and spent the whole day outside reading :) It was only in the 80s today, but it's supposed to get hotter this week. We did get a lot of rain, though, so that's very good.

Hope you're having a good week!

52. Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

This fast paced urban fantasy is loaded with appealing characters, and a host of figures – heroic and evil – from Irish and Welsh folklore. Young Teagan Wyllston is a promising student and budding scientist. Her close-knit family revels in poems and ancient stories; her father is a children’s librarian, her mother an author and artist of hideous goblins, magical glens, and enchanted creatures, and her young brother Aiden is a small sage with an uncanny musical ear. When they take in troubled cousin Finn (based on the Irish hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill), their lives are upended as they are stalked by goblins, shadow men, and mythical monsters who ultimately kill Teagan’s mother and kidnap her father. Teagan, Finn, and Aiden set off to rescue him and save themselves, which takes them on a terrifying journey into other worlds, fraught with ancient spells and steeped in legend. Accompanying the heart-stopping action is a taut romance, though the book is not without its issues. The story started slow, with extraneous scenes that detracted from the otherwise compelling book. This is the first of The Goblin Wars Trilogy.

53. Ludie's Life by Cynthia Rylant

YA Verse, grades 8-12. One of the best things about my reading this summer is the pleasure of discovering novels in verse. This book of free verse tells the story of Ludie in spare, beautiful words. Ludie is born in poverty in Alabama. When her mother dies and her father remarries a woman with her own children, Ludie's impoverished circumstances are further reduced, and Ludie finds it necessary to steal food from her own table to be sure she would not go hungry. She marries Rupe at 15, not only because he was tall and kind, but because he was a way out. Ludie and Rupe move to the hills of West Virginia where Rupe toils long, dangerous hours in a coalmine, and Ludie raises six children ("five too many"), and just when she thinks she is done raising children, she finds herself raising grandchildren. This quiet reflection of Ludie’s life is beautifully told, and full of the kind of wisdom of living a hard, simple, and full life of not having much, but not needing or wishing for much either. Ms. Rylant, who was raised by her grandparents in West Virginia, offers a rich but spare story that is heartbreaking, hopeful, unsentimental, and honest. Highly recommended.

54. The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths Retold by Cynthia Rylant.

“It is possible to be heroic without ever wielding a sword, slaying a dragon, or dying for a noble cause. While heroism always involves a fight for something, the battle can take place within oneself as commonly as it can without. The battle within is a spiritual battle and requires making a choice about what is most important in one’s life. That done, then comes the challenge to protect it.
For Psyche, the choice was about love” (Rylant, 2009, p. 51).

Grades 5-9. Cynthia Rylant retells the stories of Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus, and Psyche in clean, beautiful prose, using simple language to make these ancient stories accessible to middle-grade children. The collection is beautifully illustrated with the richly detailed pencil drawings of Carson Ellis, illustrator of The Mysterious Benedict Society.

55. Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant.

Grades K-3. This sweet collection of vignettes features Nigel Chipmunk and his friends Dipper the hummingbird, Mudpuppy the salamander, Claudius the garter snake, Copper the butterfly, and Little Owl. The friends pay visits, go on outings, and help each other out in a loving community reminiscent of the worlds of Beatrix Potter or Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge.

56. The Islander by Cynthia Rylant

“The mermaid must have known that she could trust me. She must have known I had only a grandfather who taught me to read and write and then left me to my own education as he returned to the alder wood he carved for a living.
And read I did, every day and sometimes all night long, and I knew things most boys didn’t know and was ignorant of things most boys are sure of. I knew why heroes sometimes fall and why wise men sometimes do terrible things and where in the world one might actually get a glimpse of heaven. But I could not multiply by seven and did not guess, ever, that stars had names” (Rylant, 1998, p. 4).

Grades 5-8. Daniel is a lonely boy living with his grandfather on a remote and sparsely populated British Columbia island. Daniel makes a wish to the sea for a friend, and soon after, finds a mermaid’s comb. When the mermaid emerges, she speaks only one word before disappearing: “Daniel,” but Daniel sends her simple, pleading messages in bottles, and she answers them by sending him a magical key. Daniel wears the key around his neck, and finds that it helps him sense creatures that need help – usually injured birds, but one memorable night, a lost and hypothermic girl. His abilities bring him closer to his grandfather, and help build supportive community ties. Years later, Daniel is crushed by grief and loneliness after his grandfather dies suddenly, and a simple wish and the mermaid’s key help him learn more about the tragic death of his grandfather’s young sister, and bring a lost puppy into Daniel’s life. This story is beautifully told, and like most of Cynthia Rylant’s books, is sweet and poignant, and I finished it with tears in my eyes. I am very sorry to learn that this book is out of print.

It is increasingly dangerous to stop by here. I think I should have signed up for this class with you, since I'm reading all the books. :)

Hi Anne - I know my kids had some Cynthia Rylant books, but these are all new to me. The Islander, especially sounds great. I'm with #63 -- I'd take this class.

Woo, lots of good books to think about Anne. I've got Mockingbird waiting, and your review encourages me. I'm another one who has enjoyed the John Flanagan series with Will and Halt and the gang.

There are so many good books on this thread, Anne! I've just seen on my library website that an Angela Thirkell omnibus I reserved is finally on its way, so I'm looking forward to that.

>63 nittnut: It's so fun to share al of these books! I only wish I could share the assignments as well...

>64 BLBera: Hi Beth! I love Cynthia Rylant -- as I said I think in an earlier post, she's one author I can (and have) read 50 times in a row, and I never get tired of her. I'd welcome you in my class (and to my assignments) as well ;)

>65 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I have the second book of The Ranger's Apprentice but might not get a chance to read it until I'm done with my classes (2 1/2 weeks left!). Now that I'm familiar with them I see them everywhere. Glad to know they're so popular and successful. I think you'll like Mockingbird.

>66 susanj67: Hi Susan! Yay, Angela Thirkell!! I love her. I have a couple of books, but I "discovered" them on audio and love them that way. Many of her books are out of print, so I have to start searching for more audios. Enjoy!

LibraryThing: the next generation! I had a lovely meet-up with Jenn (nittnut) and her family today at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The kids really enjoyed each others' company, and Jenn and I found many beautiful shady spots we'd like to return to with a book.

Jenn's three (Eli, Margo, Jonah) are on the left; my two (Callia & Marina) are on the right :)

So fun! I'm so jealous you guys live close enough to do get togethers like that. Even more fun that your kids get to hang out with each other. :)

> Hi Valerie! It was a really fun day. I wish you and your little monkey lived close enough to join us.

57. The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong

This read aloud, published in 1954, took us forever to get through -- partly because we've been so busy, and party because it started so slow. I'm so glad we stuck with it, though, because we loved it. If it started slow, it picked up in a big way about halfway through, with breathless action! This is a charming portrait of a bygone era -- a tiny fishing village in Holland, where the six school-aged children attend the one-room school in their wooden shoes, and their fishermen fathers spend long weeks at sea. Young Lina is distracted from her studies because her aunt told her of storks who come every year to nest on her town's roofs. Lina wonders why storks never come to Shora, and her teacher challenges the children to find out. They learn, and decide to bring them back. The problem: the steep roofs of Shora are not hospitable to storks, and similar towns solve the problem by putting wagon wheels on their roofs. Thus begins a mission to find a wheel for their school's roof -- an unlikely and improbable task. The result, however, unites the tiny community like never before. This is a very moving read and terrific storytelling. I'm so glad we stuck with it! Unfortunately published about 60 years too early to use for my class...

Sounds like a quaint little book. Too many good books on your thread! Thanks for the review Anne. :)

I remember reading The Wheel on the School when I was little. I wonder if I still have a copy around here somewhere. I loved it!

Just a drive by, Anne - what a lovely meet up you must have had with Jolerie!

>72 jolerie: It's a good one, Valerie:)

>73 nittnut: I enjoyed it, too, Jenn, though it was kind of slow for a read aloud.

>74 PrueGallagher: Hi Prue -- thanks for driving by! The meet-up with with Jenn (nittnut), not Valerie, though we dearly wish she lived close enough to meet us as well!

I wish so too! In the meantime I'll just imagine what it would be like..teehee!

You'd have a ready-made babysitter in Callia, for one :)

Oh, I love the Botanic Gardens. So many picture taking opportunities. I'm glad that Jonah and Callia got to meet. What a fun time for you and Jenn. Thanks for posting such a sweet picture, Anne. And thanks for posting all the book reviews. I am taking note of some titles to check out for my granddaughters.

Anne, love the photo of LT's next generation! Delighted you and Jenn enjoyed your meet-up. You're reading so much wonderful YA!

>68 AMQS: look at that beautiful sunshine! It looks an absolutely gorgeous day for the meet up. How great to get all the kids involved too. There are no 75ers in the South Island (that I know of) otherwise, Id be organising a meetup of my own.

>78 Donna828: Hi Donna -- we had a very nice time. I hadn't been to the gardens in awhile, and remembered how much I enjoy them. And it was so nice to see Jenn!

>79 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! It was great to see Jenn again. I think all the kids enjoyed themselves, too :)

>80 LovingLit: Megan, it was a great day! I could go for a meetup on South Island :) Actually, Callia will be visiting Christchurch March 26-28 (and I am fervently hoping to come, too...) Maybe we will meet!

58. Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Bradley

This work of historical fiction is told from the point of view of Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate sons, who were also his slaves. Jefferson's relationship with his slave Sally Hemings was a secret everybody at Monticello knew. The boys struggle to reconcile their experience and observations of slavery with the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and is the father they can never acknowledge. A very compelling and important book, though I felt the last quarter or so (told, inexplicably, by another young slave) to be rushed and weaker than the powerful heart of the book.

Hi Anne,
Just checking in - hope all is well with your family today.

Thanks, Jenn. We're doing well. A bit shaken by the shooting. I'm headed up to the opera today. Since I have to wear all black from head to toe I'm looking forward to going up to Central City!

Hope you and the family are well. Take care.

Horrible news from Aurora, Anne. Hope all is well with you and your family.

Must have been a shocker being so close to home Anne! Hope you and the family are doing well!

>85 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe, for your thoughts and your kind words. It is devastating to the community, and terrifying as a parent. We're all okay, though, thanks for thinking about us.

>86 jolerie: Yes, Valerie, it was a shocker. We're all doing okay, though, as we appreciate your good wishes.

59. The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Set in Wales in the 1290s, this well-researched medieval story is narrated alternately by Cecily, a thoroughly spoiled English girl whose father is a new burgess appointed by the king to help control the recently subjugated Welsh, and Gwenhwyfar, displaced by Cecily as the mistress of the house, and now her wretched and bitter servant. Cecily is miserable with her lot, having had to give up her comfortable home in England because her father is the second son, and his elder brother is now returned from the Crusades to claim his inheritance. Her sole comfort is asserting herself as mistress and tyrannical ruler of the house, tormenting Gwenhwyfar daily with petty or gross humiliations. Gwenhwyfar is miserable as well, as the cruelties and abuses of the ruling English reduce the Welsh to the point of starvation, and they are viciously taxed on any movement, trading, or storage, and hanged or whipped for little or no reason. Her sole comfort is imagining the hundred ways she could kill “the brat,” as she refers to Cecily. I found the book very hard to read at times, as the story unfolds with no sentiment to soften the brutally accurate historical reality of medieval upheaval and conflict. Cecily, too, is a trial for the reader, earning every hateful invective Gwenhwyfar can conceive. Both characters grow, however, in a skillfully written manner, so that when Welsh anger rises to a violent boiling point, Gwenhwyfar’s choices with Cecily at her mercy are no longer clear-cut, and Gwenhwyfar must consider the fine distinction between vengeance and justice. As someone of Welsh descent, this book felt incredibly meaningful and sad. The medieval language of the book is simply marvelous. As difficult at times as this was to read, I absolutely could not put it down. I count it as one of my top reads of the summer, and that’s saying something.

Great review Anne. Thumb! My local library doesn't have that one but I have added it to my list of books to keep an eye out for.

Ditto, Anne. Excellent review. I've got Welsh ancestry, too (hence the name), so this one really interests me, but I'm not sure about spending that much time with a nasty main character.

>89 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! The Wicked and the Just was just published this year, so it could be that your library will get it soon. Hope you manage to find a copy and enjoy it!

>90 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe. Cecily was very off-putting, that's for sure, but she does grow, and in a way that is extremely skillful and believable. One of the reasons the book was hard to read at times is because it is so realistic -- no sappy, happy endings, no character-changing epiphanies. To me, it was well worth it.

Great reading, great photos and most hopefully a wonderful weekend.

Such a great review of The Wicked and the Just! My library doesn't have it either, but I'm going to write it down somewhere and wait. The Angela Thirkell omnibus (first three novels) finally arrived, so I have plenty to be getting on with.

Hi Anne - You are doing some great reading this summer. The Wicked and the Just sounds like a book that is ultimately rewarding although it may be hard to read at times. Lately I had liked fiction set in medieval times, so I will put this on my list.

#88: That one looks terrific! I will have to add it to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Anne.

>92 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! It was a good weekend. Hope yours was as well.

>93 susanj67: Thanks, Susan! I'm hoping it will be available soon -- it is a new title. I hope you love Angela Thirkell!

>94 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I have really enjoyed my reading this summer. I could do without the assignments, though... I hope you enjoy The Wicked and the Just whenever you may get to it.

>95 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! It's a worthy addition to the BlackHole, I think. Thanks for stopping by!

I am learning to just have the library website open when I visit here.

Hi Anne- Just swinging through to say hi! Hope you had a good weekend and your books are treating you well.

Anne, exceptional review of The Wicked and the Just. #97 Well said, Jenn!

>97 nittnut: LOL Jenn, I do that a lot when visiting threads on LT. It does save time :)

>98 msf59: Thanks, Mark! My books are treating me very well, and thanks for visiting!

>99 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy, and thanks for the thumb!

60. Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan

I chose this book because I wanted another title in the ‘edgy contemporary fiction’ category, and this one certainly fit the bill. Han Nolan is an award-winning author whose books are described in superlative terms, but this book was a bit of a disappointment for me. 16 year-old Eleanor, a rebellious teen with a history of trouble, doesn’t really accept that she is pregnant until she is about five months along, and is terrified that she will raise a child who will be as much trouble as she is. She defies the adults in her life by marrying the baby’s father and volunteering at her in-laws’ summer camp for overweight children in exchange for a place to live.

The good: I admire the skillful way Ms. Nolan portrays Eleanor’s roller coaster emotional ride, as she navigates her way through her judgmental parents, her self-righteous sister, her severely disapproving in-laws, her loser husband, and both the fragile and the snotty girls at camp, for whom she is suddenly a role model. Along with these relationship minefields, she is also sorting through her complex emotions and no-win options for the baby when it arrives. Eleanor grows up in a hurry, making huge mistakes along the way, falling in and out of love, and finding emotional strength and resilience she never knew she had.

The not-so-good: the melodrama of the book got to be a bit much for me, and I had serious issues with the characters and their development. Or lack of, I should say. I thought Eleanor was a realistic character drawn with sensitivity (and an irritatingly smart mouth), and her sorry husband Lam was well-drawn as a rudderless kid who doesn’t have his s*** together. (Aside: I normally do not use profanity, but writing, I am told, is about finding the best and most exact words to tell a story and convey the right tone and mood, and in this case, it fits. Please excuse me.) The other characters are simply not believable, particularly every adult except the hospital rabbi, and ***SPOILERS…MAYBE?*** Ziggy, who is Eleanor’s other love interest and her supportive rock until his brain transplant. Okay, he doesn’t really have a brain transplant, but honestly, it’s the only way I can explain his actions, so I’m giving him one. ***END SPOILERS***

Wow, another excellent review, Anne. I'll happily drop another thumb at Pregnant Pause. Thanks for that : ). I don't read a lot of YA fiction, but I love to know what's out there for when I do decide to pick one up.

Thank you, Nancy! I have read more YA lit this summer than ever before. There's some great stuff out there!

61. Children's Literature in Action: A Librarian's Guide by Sylvia Vardell

A textbook, and a good one. I always love when I can list my textbooks -- finishing them always means it's just about the end of the school term:)

Finally I get back! I'm not going to live long enough to read everything I own already, so I'm not about to start reading YA books right now. But if I were, The Ranger's Apprentice and The Wicked and the Just would be the first two I'd pick up. What a good course you're taking!
So great that you and Jenn and the 5 kinder could get together. Such a handsome group!
Aurora - I don't know what to say; it leaves us all shaken and scared.
Opera!!!! Wonderful!!!!!
I love hearing about your summer!

So glad to have you back, Peggy! It was so nice to meet up with Jenn and the kids. My two still talk about what a nice time they had.

Opera is fun, though at this point it's a lot -- the summer festival is well underway, and I have four La Bohemes this week alone. The kids are fun, though, and they're doing great:)

Your review of Pregnant Pause made me laugh. Especially the brain transplant.

Thanks, Jenn:) Perhaps it's a sign that my workload is getting to me that I am now performing brain transplants on characters in books. The good news: this is the last week of classes!

62. The Tech-Savvy Booktalker: A Guide for 21st-Century Educators by Nancy Keane

Textbook. Another good one, filled with great ideas about using digital tools to promote and share literature.

63. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

This book is a sequel to Delirium, the dystopian novel set in a future America where love is considered a disease and citizens must have an operation at age 18 to be cured. The protagonist Lena is happily going with the flow in Delirium, looking forward to her cure and the promised tranquility and order it will bring, until she meets someone who “infects” her (with the dreaded disease amor deliria nervosa, or love) and opens her eyes to the realities of her world. That Lena is gone in Pandemonium, buried in the grief and ashes of her traumatic escape into “The Wilds.” Pandemonium is told alternately in “then” and “now” chapters – “then” describing the aftermath of her escape and rescue in the Wilds and “now” a present-tense narration of her infiltrating back into society as a member of the resistance. The book is not perfect, but I happily suspended disbelief and enjoyed the ride. This was a page-turner that I never should have picked up in a week when I had so many assignments due, and the cliffhanging shocker introduced literally on the last page is making me consider a resolution never to start a series until ALL the books are published. Too late, though. I will have to join Ms. Oliver’s many fans anxiously awaiting the 2013 publication of Requiem, the final book in the Delirium Trilogy.

Hi Anne. Congrats on almost winding up the term. I tried to check out The Wicked and the Just from the library but had to put it on hold. There seems to be only one copy in the system.

I love the meet up photo--how fun!

Glad to see that you are enjoying the Delirium trilogy! I just picked up the first book today!

Another YA series that I want to get my hands on. Your review only makes me that much more itchy! Thanks Anne!

>111 AnneDC: Thanks, Anne! Hope you enjoy The Wicked and the Just when you get to it:)

>112 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle! I hope you enjoy the Delirium books -- interesting premise.

>113 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! Hope you enjoy them, Valerie! I'll be putting a hold on Requiem as soon as I possibly can:)

This photo comes from Central City Opera's Facebook page. This photo was taken this afternoon outside one of the rehearsal halls that also serves as the dressing room for our girls in the children's chorus of La Boheme! Happy to report that we changed in there a couple of hours after this photo was taken with no incidents:)

Holy Moly!

Wow, that bear's name just has to be Tom! I wonder who he's looking for?

Anne, I hope you enjoy some down time when your classes are over this week. You have had a busy, busy summer - but I don't have to tell you that! I'd tell you to go read a book, but that's probably the last thing you want to do after your intense YA class.

>116 LizzieD: You're not kidding! I showed the kids that photo on our way up. They were thrilled, of course!

>117 Donna828: Donna, I am looking forward to some down time, and some time to dig out from under piles that have accumulated in the last few months :) I will take your advice -- reading was a great pleasure this summer. What dragged me down was all the assignments.

64. Cataloging Correctly for Kids by Sheila Intner

Textbook. An extremely technical one. Submitted my final assignment today for that class, so that's a huge relief. Nearly done with the lit class assignments, too.

Hi Anne- Love the bear pic and I'm glad there were "no issues". Have a great weekend.

Anne: Good luck with your end-of-semester work. From my point of view, your lit class has been great. I have enough YA recommendations to last me for years. Beautiful scary pic. I'm trying to imagine what I would think if I looked out the window and saw a big bear.

Ooh, love the bear pic! I recently read a book about bears and their behavior -- Smiling Bears -- and it was absolutely fantastic. I'd love to see a bear in the wild... but with myself safely behind glass. :)

>122 dk_phoenix: You've never seen a bear IRL, Faith? I've seen a few (all while safely in a vehicle of course). Upside to living closer to the Rockies I guess.

>119 AMQS: I have a copy of that hanging out on my shelf, Anne. But I haven't read it yet. :)

That's quite a bear, Anne! Was he looking to score a ticket? :)

I happily suspended disbelief and enjoyed the ride. That's the spirit. Interesting premise for a sci-fi.

About the bear: Can't imagine what the reaction had been if this happened in Denmark :)

>81 AMQS: (Im a way back here...but I wont pretend Im not :)) So great that ou have a date for visiting Chch, I hope you can come along too- what an opportunity. Of course Id love to meet up...Ill put it in my diary already :)

>115 AMQS: that bear is looking very inquisitive, not really what you want a bear to look like, not that close up anyway!

I'm not sure I would ever go out if there was a chance of meeting a bear!

>120 msf59: Thanks, Mark! It is a great weekend so far, thanks for stopping by!

>121 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! Everything has been turned in, so I'm breathing a big sigh of relief! I didn't see the bear myself, though I would have liked to. According to Central City Opera, it's a mama bear who has two cubs, so we're all being very careful walking to the opera house from our dressing rooms and back!

>122 dk_phoenix: Me, too Faith! Smiling Bears looks like a good read -- thanks for the recommendation!

>123 MickyFine: We don't see them often, Micky, but you're right -- living in the Rockies, and even in the foothills you know they're around! So you have some cataloging reading ahead of you? It was a helpful book, even written with some humor, but I admit it was really hard to get through, and much of it so technical I didn't follow too well.

>124 Copperskye: Hi Joanne! I hadn't thought of that:) Maybe she was looking for the box office, in which case, she got pretty close!

>125 ctpress: LOL Carsten :) Not too many bears in Denmark, I guess?

>126 LovingLit: Hi Megan! Oh, I so hope I can go! Callia is super excited, and the itinerary looks amazing. Thanks for stopping by

>127 susanj67: Hi Susan! They would just as soon avoid humans if possible, but a mama with babies is no joke. Fortunately when we're up there, I always have 14 children with me, and with those numbers I'm not very concerned.

Last year, we got a recorded call from our county back country people to tell us a bear had been spotted trotting down a main road. They advised staying inside until it had left populated areas. Since we are on the edge of the back country, we waited (inside), hoping to see it trot down our street, but no such luck.

Too bad, though when they get that close to humans, it doesn't usually turn out well for the bears.

My brother likes to hike and camp, and when he was younger (18-19) he sometimes went to camp by himself, which made my mother crazy. One night he came home and was telling her all about the trip, and she told him how worried she was that he might meet a bear. Then he went back out to the car to unload it, and found himself face-to-face with a bear in our driveway.

Great story, Anne.

>131 BLBera: Thanks, Beth :)

65. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan

The second adventure of young Will, apprentice to the Ranger Halt. Will and his friend (and warrior apprentice) Horace are sent on a diplomatic mission to Celtica to gather support for the king in the face of an impending enemy invasion. When they get there, they discover whole villages abandoned. Will and Horace must use every bit of their training to survive what happens next, and find a way to warn the king. Major cliffhanger, though, eeek! *heads off to library website*

Major cliffhanger :) it's cool business. I guess you are hooked.

Keep going! Much fun lies ahead!

>128 AMQS: Just for personal interest. The subject is relevant to a research proposal I put together for an assignment during library school. If I ever decide to tackle the research project, that will definitely be one of the things I'll be reading. :)

>134 ctpress: I am hooked, Carsten! Fortunately there are a lot of books, so I won't lack for something to read :)

>135 jnwelch: Good to know, Joe! My Chorale boys who recommended the series agree with you :)

>136 MickyFine: Ah. Well, good luck to you, Micky, if you do decide to tackle the research!

66. In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

The second book in The Goblin Wars Trilogy. Still has the fast-paced action and romance of the first book Tyger Tyger, but the problems that bothered me about the first book were even greater with this one. There is just too much going on that seems peripheral to the story, and it made me wish there had been a more forceful editor to clean it up. I wasn't able to follow her world-building in this urban fantasy as well as I did on the first (and I only recently read the first book), and the too-snappy dialog and frequent coincidences and flashes of intuition made me feel like I was on the outside of an inside joke. Or maybe I'm just too old for this book :) Too bad, because the Irish mythology is as appealing as ever, and I think there's a good story in there somewhere.

Hi Anne - Too bad this didn't work -- it's always disappointing when a promising premise is spoiled by poor execution.

Looks like you are knocking out a lot series in your summer reading, Anne! Keep them coming. :)
I like seeing bears from afar. Waking up to one outside my window might make me scream like a little girl!

Getting a lot of update on the fantasy genre here, Anne. What to read and avoid...Great. I'm tinking of reading a danish author in this genre, Lene Kaaberbol. Have you read anything by her? I think most of it is YA-fiction. One of them called the Shamer-series (skammer -in danish).

#138: Too old?! I do hope not, although I find myself wondering about some things I read as well. Better luck with your next one.

Hi Anne, I'm with Carsten in enjoying your update on fantasy genre : ).

>139 BLBera: Hi Beth! Yes, it is disappointing, and I think it's a great premise. I think a good editor could have made it stronger. If the third book was published already I'd probably read it, though:)

>140 jolerie: Me, too, Valerie! I have discovered some terrific books this summer. We had to read books published in the last 5-10 years, so it really pushed me to try some newer titles. Even though my class is over, I'm still reading J and YA lit!

>141 ctpress: Hi Carsten! Thanks for the recommendation -- the Shamer series looks terrific! They're available in my library, too -- even better!

>142 susanj67: Thanks, Susan! I'm currently reading The Yearling with Callia (it's on her 8th grade summer reading list). So far so good with this classic I somehow missed.

>143 lit_chick: Thanks, Nancy!

Hi Anne. A friendly catching-up wave. Saw your post way up there at >104 AMQS:. The Children's Lit in Action Librarian's Guide looks like it would be helpful for a Children's Lit class I have coming up this fall. I'll check it out.

The Cataloging Correctly for Kids book caught my eye since I'm a cataloger. My "kids" are just a little bigger. I'm curious. Did you all talk about the changes that RDA will be bringing to cataloging in the class? Implementation is next year. I can't say that I'm all that excited. I'd rather keep using AACR2R2.

*waving* at Anne

>145 L-Anne: Hi Louanne! Children's Literature in Action was a terrific textbook that I actually enjoyed reading. Over the years I've started borrowing required textbooks from the library and only buying them if they were very good or valuable for me. This one I bought. Enjoy your class!

>146 thornton37814: Hi Lori! We "covered" the change to RDA, but only barely. There was a chapter devoted to it (ch. 5), but our discussion was on another topic that week. It seems like a lot of upheaval. Cataloging is already so difficult and precise, I imagine it would be hard to switch to a new content standard. Good luck!

>147 alcottacre: *waves back at Stasia!*

Hi, Anne!

Hi Joe! How are things in your corner of the world?

Most importantly, our daughter just rescued a grandpuppy for us named Sherlock. :-) She posted a pic over at the cafe. He's a charmer.

I already miss all the reading time we had on vacation, but since we've been back I've enjoyed Gone Girl and the newest Dr. Siri mystery, Curse of the Pogo Stick. Now I'm a ways into a book about the 1992 Olympic Dream Team with Michael Jordan and the rest that only a basketball nerd like me could love.

How wonderful! I have been absent from LibraryThing for several days (too much opera), but I will make sure to see your little Sherlock. What a wonderful name!

Oh, vacation reading is wonderful, isn't it? Sounds like you still have good ones going, though.

Just stopping by to say hi, Anne! I've been a bit busy lately, but I've had the pleasure of visiting Callia's thread. Gosh, everyone seems to be reading Gone Girl - I guess I'll have to look into that one!

67. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Another classic I somehow missed, and a book on Callia's 8th grade summer reading list. I told Callia I would read it with her, but had to wait until my class was over, because I could only use books published in the last 5-10 years for my class. I really enjoyed this poignant coming of age classic, and I think Callia did, too (somehow books are much, much harder to read when they're required). The richly descriptive writing is simply beautiful, and the tale of the boy Jody and his wonderful father Penny is heartwarming and inspiring. Jody's carefree boyhood is carefully tempered by his increasing responsibilities to help the family survive it's hardscrabble existence eked out on the Florida scrub and defended against all manner of predators also looking for their next meal. Jody has longed for a pet of his own to fill an aching loneliness in his heart, but his ma's cold and gruff nature and the simple lack of extra food have prohibited it. He is allowed to rescue a helpless fawn and raise it, and the awe and love he feels for it is palpable. This was a wonderful story, filled with life lessons and wonderfully drawn characters. I wish that every child could grow up with a Penny to guide them.

Hi Deb! So glad you stopped by, and Callia always loves your visits! I have Gone Girl on reserve at the library along with about 200 other patrons :) I just read that our library system has started a new program called "My Lucky Day" with hot, in-demand titles on display and available for one-time checkout and no reserves. Gone Girl was one of the titles featured, so I may try to get lucky at my library;)

Just swinging by to say hi Anne as once again I'm trying to catch up with everyone. Looks like you reading up a storm this summer. :)

#154: I read The Yearling I do not know how many years ago. It is probably long overdue for a reread though!

Have you seen the film version with Gregory Peck? If not, you ought to check it out, Anne.

I keep reading about Gone Girl, so I just reserved it. I think I'm 18th in the queue. The Yearling looks like a lovely read.

Hi there. Just passing through. Great review of The Yearling. What a great book.

Oh, The Yearling! What a wonderful book!

Whistler pics? :)

>156 jolerie: Hi Valerie! It seems that I am always playing catch-up on LT. Glad you've caught up with me! Yes, I did read up a storm -- a happy by-product of taking a literature class:)

>157 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! No, I have not seen the film version, but it sounds like a good one, and it's hard to beat Gregory Peck! It's funny, but I'm also reading To Kill a Mockingbird aloud to the girls -- another title on the 8th grade required reading list, and I've never seen that movie -- also with Gregory Peck -- either. I understand the movie is magnificent, but I've been reluctant to see it because I love the story just the way it is in my mind. Maybe this will be the year to see them both with the girls.

>158 susanj67: Hi Susan -- The Yearling was a lovely read, and definitely an important piece of American literature. Seems like we'll both be reading Gone Girl at some point:)

>159 nittnut: Hi Jenn, it was a great book. Glad I'm reading it now. I plan to keep reading the books on Callia's reading lists -- I'm embarrassed to be reading many of them for the first time.

>159 nittnut: Hi Joanne! Have you ever read The Sojourner also by marjorie Kinnan Rawlings? I've heard great things about it, and now that I've read The Yearling I would definitely like to read other books by her.
I know that Whistler photos are long overdue! I'll post some soon :)

68. Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

I still have a few J and YA books I checked out for my class left over and this is one. I don't think I enjoyed this as much as Callia did, but it was a fun and very imaginative, and reminded me sometimes of The Wolves of Willioughby Chase in that a wicked nanny is cruel to a wealthy but kind-hearted child and plots to get the parents out of the way. Perhaps the comparison is what made the book suffer in my mind. Emmy is helped by a boy who is accidentally shrunk down to Ken-doll size after a rat bite, and some helpful chipmunks, rats, and a sweet Endear mouse, all possessing unique powers.

Okay, some long-overdue photos of Whistler. He is a 4 year-old retired racing greyhound (brindle), and we have been fostering him for about 5 weeks, which was wonderful, as we wanted make sure Callia wasn't allergic. Tomorrow we'll officially adopt him :) We were told that greyhounds are like overgrown cats who love to sleep, and this is certainly true of Whistler. He is a very big dog, but very low-key. He's a sweet boy!



A Whistler-pretzel-- this is his normal state.


From behind I think he looks like a tiger :)

Anne, I'm just catching up after visiting family in Kansas for 3 weeks. We came close to you on the way back--spent our first night in Colorado Springs with my cousin, and then up to Denver to catch I-70 west.

I've enjoyed your course so much. My children's lit course was 40-some years ago and while it introduced me to The Phantom Tollbooth and The Gammage Cup, none of the books read there would have qualified for your course, and I learned a bunch of new titles to check out!

Congratulations on your new dog! Are they supposed to be less allergenic? We need something less allergenic.

>164 ronincats: Hi Roni -- wow, you had a long visit! Hot, I'll bet :) Glad you're home safe, and sorry we couldn't meet as you came through. I didn't love the homework, but I did love the literature! I read some great titles, and learned a lot. I love The Phantom Tollbooth -- one of my all-time favorites! I've not read The Gammage Cup, but I've heard a lot about it, and need to find a copy!

>165 nittnut: Hi Jenn! He's a sweet dog, and Stelios and the girls are thrilled. It took several years of convincing to get me on board (that and the girls promising they would take full responsibility:) No one will say officially that greyhounds are less allergenic, but they do say that often people who are allergic to dogs can tolerate greyhounds. We've been very impressed by the organization (Friends of Retired Greyhounds) -- they want to make sure the dog is a good fit with the family. They host meet & greets all over the state where you can meet some dogs, and their fostering program is very generous. We told them the one that we liked, and they brought him to our house and left us with a few days' supply of food and a phone number, and told us to take as long as we needed. The dogs are rescued after retiring from racing and they enter into a training program at the state prison, where they learn how to be pets, how to housetrain, etc. It's supposed to be a great program for the dogs and inmates alike. I'd send you to their website, but it appears to be under construction at the moment.

Hi Anne- Love the photo of the girls and the greyhound. I think the film version of Mockingbird was both faithful and excellent.
Hope you are having a great weekend.

I'm actually thinking of re-reading some childhood classics that I read long ago in 2013. The Yearling would be a good candidate for that list!

Thanks for the info Anne. I'll look them up. We (not the husband but the rest of we) would really like a dog. He thinks he's allergic, and while I try to be sensitive to that, lots of the things he was "allergic" to when we got married turned out to not be a problem. IMHO, all due to a hypochondriac mother. Anyway, the point is that a foster type program would be ideal for us because we could find out for sure before we were committed. I would hate to take in a dog and then back out. It would be hard on all of us.

You've got me thinking of favorite childhood classics. What are yours? Mine are Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, The Hobbit, Beauty, probably my list could go on and on. LOL. I also remember reading All Creatures Great and Small and others in that series at quite a young age and really loving them.

Congratulations on your new addition to the family. I know someone with a couple of retired greyhounds and hers do sleep a lot :-)

Gone Girl seems to have arrived at the library already. They must have a heap of copies.

>167 msf59: Hi Mark! A good weekend so far -- I go up to Central City today for the last performance of La Boheme :) I have never heard anyone say anything bad about the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. I imagine I'll break down and watch it this year -- maybe when Callia's class is studying it. I hope you have safe travels and a wonderful trip!

>168 thornton37814: What a great project for 2013, Lori! I've been lucky enough to reread many of my favorites aloud to the girls.

>169 nittnut: We had the same reservations about adopting, Jenn, and in fact, we adopted a cat a couple of years ago that Callia could not tolerate. We had had a cat for her entire life, so we were totally unprepared for her to have allergies -- it was the farthest thing from our minds. The cat now lives at the office, where six people love and play with him all day, but I really miss having a cat in the house. So far no problems with Whistler, and we've had him for almost 6 weeks now!

>170 susanj67: Thanks, Susan! They're funny dogs, but that breed seems to work for our family. No such luck with Gone Girl here. That's okay -- I can wait:)

>169 nittnut: Ooh, favorite childhood classics. The books that I loved and read over and over were the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and all the Narnia books, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and the rest of the Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken, Heidi, the Little House books, Charlotte's Web and others by E.B. White, The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, Mary Poppins, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Incredible Journey, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I know there were more -- this is just looking over a list of books I've read to the girls :)

69. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Icebound Land by John Flanagan

The third installment of The Ranger's Apprentice series picks up right where the second left off. Not sure I can offer many details without spoiling Book 2. This is a really fun series that has great action and doesn't take itself too seriously. I would definitely recommend these to boys who are reluctant readers.

Love the pictures of Whistler! Such a cutie

Whistler is a fine-looking pup! The brindle colors are gorgeous. A friend of mine also adopted a retired greyhound and I was amazed at how gentle and low-key it was. I guess I assumed it would go racing around like it was still on the track. :)

That is so wonderful of you and the family to take in a retired dog, Anne! He looks beautiful and I'm sure he is lucky to have such a great family take him in. :)

>174 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! He fits right in :)

>175 rosalita: Thank you, Julia! I had assumed the same as you, but he is very mellow, which suits us just fine:) Thanks for stopping by!

>176 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! We're really enjoying him, after not having a dog for several years.

Whistler is beautiful Anne! Congratulations! How old is he by the way? I have no idea when they stop racing. We drove past the old dog track up along I25 a week or so ago and wondered if they still raced dogs in the state.

You'll wonder how you lived without a dog for so long.

Hi Anne--trying to catch up a bit. I love your list of childhood classics. Many of my favorites are on there. Somehow, though, I've never read Rabbit Hill. Maybe that's one to look up.

Hello Anne - just a drive by catch-up - love the pics, and looks like you've had some great reads lately. I just finished Olive Kitteridge which I LOVED (though I gather that many LTers have not shared my enthusiasm). May you continue to make the most of your summer - it's a grey Melbourne day here, as I look out from the 25th floor of our office building. Roll on spring - please!

I loved Olive Kitteridge too, Prue!The "novel in stories" idea can be tricky to execute but I thought this one was very well done.

Hi, Anne! Whistler looks like a keeper, all right - and you seem to have the room a big dog like that probably needs for roaming.

How great to be reminded of The Yearling - I haven't read that either. I didn't see your review posted on the book page or I would've thumbed it.

Recommending The Ranger's Apprentice series for boys who are reluctant readers - I agree completely. And the quality stays high throughout.

>178 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne! Whistler is 4 years old. I think their prime racing years are 1-3 years old or so. I think he raced in TX, but I'm not positive. Friends of Retired Greyhounds rescues from all over. He's very sweet and mellow and we love him!

>179 AnneDC: Hi Anne! We loved Rabbit Hill. Your kids might be a bit old for a read aloud of it, but we thought it was charming. It's a good one. I do love revisiting all of those wonderful books.

>180 PrueGallagher: Hi Prue -- hope spring arrives soon! I have never read Olive Kitteridge, but it's been on my list, and I'm glad to see you you enjoyed it so much. Thanks for stopping by!

>181 rosalita: It is tricky, isn't it Julia? Good to know this one was done well.

>182 jnwelch: Hi Joe! We don't have much of a yard, but we live very close to several good parks. Actually, Whistler mostly sleeps. We've heard that greyhounds are good apartment dogs, even for their size, because they don't need a lot of room -- just a walk now and then:) I think you would really enjoy The Yearling -- I can't believe it took me so long (and an 8th grade reading list) for me to read it. I'm continuing with The Ranger's Apprentice books -- they're so fun:)

70. The Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia by John Flanagan

More adventures of Will, Halt, Horace, and Evanlyn. This one wraps up a three-book story arc in a very satisfying and page-turning way. Fun!

Anne - You've done some great YA reading this summer. I'll refer back to your thread for YA recommendations. One of my favorite all-time books is To Kill a Mockingbird, and the movie is just as good. It is one of the only movies that lives up to the book. You'll like it. How fun to be reading this with your girls.

Welcome to Whistler.

Hi Beth -- Whistler says thank you :) We've had to pause To Kill a Mockingbird first because my younger daughter rode RAGBRAI (bicycle ride across Iowa), and then because the Olympics took the place of our read aloud time. Now my older daughter and I are going to Aspen tomorrow with the Chorale to sing Mahler's 8th Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival. Hopefully we'll be able to start again next week -- school is starting, so we should fall into a routine. I think we will watch the movie at some point after we've finished the book. Glad to know it's as wonderful as promised:)

You must have a challenge with calendars at your house! My brother-in-law rode RABBRAI this year, and a friend hosted some riders. Have fun with your music festival. I've been reading The Cello Suites (and listening to them), so music is much on my mind these days.

The calendar is always a challenge!

Music is on my mind, too. The Mahler 8 is one of the most difficult pieces, musically speaking, the kids will ever do. Callia is upstairs listening to her CD and practicing her Latin and German right now:) We had two rehearsals this week to practice with both adult choruses (there are two full choruses) and we'll hear everything all put together on Friday morning. The Mahler 8 is often called the Symphony of a Thousand because of the huge scale -- we will perform this weekend with a huge orchestra, two full adult choruses (about 300 singers), eight soloists, and us (70 kids). It's also amazing, and I can't wait!

http://www.aspenmusicfestival.com/index.cfm?method=c.eventDetail&eventID=473...

Hi Anne, love Whister! I think he looks like a tiger from the back, too! The Aspen Music Festival sounds delightful; enjoy!

Stopping by to play catchup! I love your pictures of your kids and Whistler is just darling! What a sweetie!

How did your daughter enjoy RAGBRAI, Anne? It came through my little town last year, but this year it passed to the north of us.

>189 lit_chick: Thanks, Nancy! We're having fun in Aspen and working hard!

>190 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb!

>191 rosalita: she loved it, Julia! She had done it before, but this was a special week with just her and her dad. I'm impressed that your town hosted RAGBRAI, that's quite an undertaking.

***************************
So Mahler's 8th Symphony will be broadcast live on Colorado Public Radio and on their website (www.cpr.org) on Sunday at 4:00 pm mountain time. An added bonus: Callia was interviewed along with 4 other kids, so she'll be both singing and speaking on the radio:)

I'm quite familiar with the greyhound rescue people, being from Abilene (site of the Greyhound Racing Hall of Fame) and know what wonderful work they do and how calm greyhounds are as pets. More pictures, please!

Roni, I didn't realize you were from Abilene! We first "discovered" greyhounds when my husband created the interactive kiosk for the greyhound hall of fame in Abilene. He's been there a few times, and says it's a charming town.

It would be nice to see a post from Callia in German or Latin and I am impressed that she and your choir are attempting such challenging pieces. Does Whistler actually whistle and will there be any place for him in the choir? Just kidding - have a lovely weekend.

How exciting for Callia to be interviewed! I think the time difference will rule me out, but I have bookmarked the page, so I'll see if they archive it.

>195 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! The Mahler 8 is one of the hardest pieces these kids can do. I was full to bursting with pride yesterday during the performance. It was simply glorious!

>196 susanj67: It was exciting, Susan! I think Stelios recorded the broadcast, and we've been told there will be a CD available for purchase. It was an incredible experience, so we'll definitely want one!

Anne - let me know if the CD does become available I would love a listen.

I will, Paul, thanks!

71. The Family Man by Elinor Lipman

This was a quick and fun read, and I realized it was my first book written for adults since May. A perfect book to pick up now and then during a weekend of touring. Henry Archer is a retired New York lawyer, a gentle, kind gay man whose small act of kindness -- sending a condolence card to his recently widowed ex-wife -- upends his orderly world completely. Denise the ex-wife is a scattered social whirlwind who is thrilled about mending fences with the reluctant Henry, who had no such intentions when he sent the card. Denise is estranged from her adult daughter and actress-wannabe Thalia, who was briefly Henry's step-daughter when she was little and Henry and Denise were married. Henry feels the loss of Thalia keenly, and is delighted to discover that he actually knows her as the coat-check girl from his salon. Henry and Thalia happily resume their relationship unbeknownst to Denise, with Thalia asking Henry to assume the role of father and legal counsel as she agrees to pose as the girlfriend of a horror-movie actor whose image and lack of personality are preventing his career from diversifying. A light end-of-summer read.

Anne - You have been immersed in YA fiction! Lipman is a great way to jump back in. I haven't read this one, but I have enjoyed others of hers. I think my favorite was The Inn at Lake Devine.

The Family Man sounds like just the thing for me right now! Great review Anne.

>201 BLBera: Hi Beth! The only other book of Elinor Lipman's I've read was The Inn at Lake Devine, which I enjoyed very much. You're right -- this was a great way to jump back in :)

>202 lkernagh: Hi Lori! I think everyone needs fun and light books every once in a while. Thanks for stopping by!

I think the only Lipman I've read was My Latest Grievance and I really liked it. The Family Man sounds good, too, as does The Inn at Lake Devine. I need to look for more of her books.

Hi Anne! Just checking in and keeping up with your readings. Looks like your summer is still hopping with lots of activities lined up. :)
Is the fall any quieter for you or is it just as busy?

>204 rosalita: I've only read two of her books, Julia, and enjoyed them both. They're light and fun, aren't they?

>205 jolerie: Thanks for checking in with me, Valerie! Both kids are back in school as of yesterday, and I am as well. The good news is that the re-design of my program is complete, and I only have two classes to go to finish my master's! I'll take one of them this semester, although independently. Not sure what that means, though... No matter what, I seem to be busy. The Chorale season officially started with Mahler's 8th Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival this weekend, and I'll be substitute teaching as well. What's going on in your life? I'm hoping there will be more Little Monkey photos soon:)

Another Whistler pic:

Light and fun is the perfect description of a Lipman book to me, Anne!

Whistler is so darn adorable. I really want to ruffle those ears!

Hi Anne - Happy school days. Good luck with your last two classes.

Hi! I'm glad the tour went well. Sorry to have missed the broadcast. I haven't read threads for a few days.

>208 rosalita: Thank you, Julia! I love it when his ears are up. Normally they're flat against his head -- makes him aerodynamic, I guess:)

>209 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! If everything goes according to plan, I'll have one class this fall, and one last one in the spring. I am more than ready to be done!

>210 nittnut: I'm having a hard time keeping up too, Jenn. The tour went really well, and the kids worked really hard. It was hard to come back late at night and get up for school the next day. Are your kiddos back to school yet?

You're so close to finishing, with just two classes left! What will you be studying for fall?

Great book review, Anne! The Family Man sounds like a book that I'd enjoy! What lovely greyhound you have! We have a local ski mountain around here that is called Whistler - I can't help but think of that whenever I read about Whistler!

Callia knows Latin and and German -wow!

>212 susanj67: So close!! I'll be taking Leadership in Library -- normally the last class of the program, but it's not actually offered this year, so I'm taking it independently. Not sure what that will entail... In spring I will have an online learning course, and then I'll be done!

>213 vancouverdeb: Actually Deb, Callia does not know Latin or German, but can sing in both. No translation or conversation required -- though the kids do know something of the meaning of what they sing -- but a lot of memorization and diction coaching.

I did know that Whistler was a BC ski area, but I had forgotten that! The dog came with that name (his official racing name was Katy's Whistler), and the name seems to suit him :)

That is awesome that you are working towards your Masters! I hope to be able to go back to school at some point in the future. I'm not so keen about sitting back in a classroom so would probably pursue something along the lines of online courses perhaps.
Wow, kids back in school truly does mean the end of summer is finally upon us...

It is, oh, it is! Sorry to see summer go. I've done two consecutive programs -- first a teacher licensure program, then the library master's program. The teacher ed program was face-to-face courses; the library classes are all online. I am getting used to online learning, but I will say that it is more work: instead of in-class discussions, everything is written. We respond to a discussion by a certain day (usually with citations, etc -- it's also more formal than face-to-face discussions), and have to respond to other classmates' discussions by a certain time, and then respond to the people who responded to our original post... it's a lot of writing, and I miss the personal interaction. I have lucked out, though, in that my fellow library students are wonderful, and we can usually create a sense of community and support even though we never meet. I do appreciate the flexibility, though!

What do you think you might want to study if you go back?

Hi Anne. My kids go back tomorrow - well the younger two. Jonah's been in school for a week. There is something wrong about sending my babysitter back to school before the babysat go back. It's been a rough week. :)

If I had the opportunity, I'd love to go back and do a Masters in Counselling of some sort. I like the prospect of helping people in a one to one setting, but that is a far off dream at this point. *looks over at the 2 year old running wild in the house*

Anne - I thought you were a library master already! If I were to go back to college it would probably be either book (maybe creative writing) or history (medieval history in UK or the native americans).

Where did the summer go!!?? Enjoy the new school year!

Whistler is too cute!

>217 nittnut: Hope it was a good day for everyone at school today, Jenn!

>218 jolerie: I love that, Valerie, and I think you'd be a wonderful counselor. My kids were in school full time before I went back to school myself -- I can't even imagine studying with a toddler afoot!

>219 PaulCranswick: Paul, how wonderful! I am inspired by our LT friends who do take university courses. When I was an undergrad I had the hardest time choosing courses -- I wanted to try everything! I did minor in medieval European history:)

>220 Copperskye: Joanne, it went *POOF* just like that. Hard to believe it's over. Whistler is very sweet -- we are enjoying him.

72. My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve

This is a sprawling book told from the perspective of Ziska, a young girl whose family is persecuted in Nazi Germany for their Jewish ancestors, though the family converted to Christianity a few generations back. As their friends make plans to emigrate, they stay, reasoning it will get better, until it's too late. When Ziska's father is detained, and their world closes in on them, Ziska's mother grasps at the one option available: the kindertransport that smuggled Jewish children out of Germany and to host families in England. Ziska is taken in by the Shepard family, observant Jews who are a bit disconcerted to find themselves fostering a Christian. Son Gary is delighted to have a sister, and warmly helps her assimilate. Ziska learns English, attends school (from which she sneaks away every day, knocking on doors to try to secure a position for her parents), and gradually embraces her Jewish heritage. The book takes place over the course of the war -- Ziska, now called Frances, is wrenched away from the Shepards to the safety of the countryside and another host family; her parents are deported to Holland, where their declining health and precarious circumstances strain and finally end their correspondence; Gary enlists to the dismay of his parents; the Shepards reclaim Frances and attempt to survive the blitz together in London. The war transforms everyone and everything, and at its conclusion Ziska/Frances must come to terms with her losses, and determine to whom she really belongs, and who she really is. This is far from a perfect read, with Frances's immature voice sometimes grating, and enough writing and/or translation issues to be a distraction (the book was published in Germany in 2007). Nevertheless, I was riveted and deeply moved.

Just stopping by to say I love you!!! :)

Hi Anne - Great review. Good luck with school.

>223 calliasbooks: I love you too, Callia! What a nice surprise. XOXO

>224 BLBera: Thank you, Beth!

73. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

From the back cover:
"Don't judge a book boy by its cover his face."

I almost did not read this book, and that would have been a terrible thing. This book follows 10 year-old Auggie, who is entering 5th grade, but also attending school for the first time. Auggie was born with a genetic mutation that resulted in severe facial abnormalities, and has endured countless surgeries and invasive medical interventions. Auggie's rocky road through the already rocky terrain that is middle school is told from the viewpoints of several central characters, including Auggie himself, his older sister, and a few fifth grade colleagues, all of whom learn painful lessons about friendship and kindness. I wish every child would read this book.

Hi Anne,

Just stopping by to add a few more books to the pile. :)

Stopping by to say hi and best wishes with back to school! I can't belive that both of my boys are finished school - my youngest finished his BSc in May - so now that's it! Lucky hi, he got a well paying job in his field. I guess I can't complain too much!

Thank you, Deb! How wonderful that your son got a job in his field, congratulations to him!

ABANDONED:

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Blech!! I almost never give up on a book, and I think I could have blazed through this one if I had been reading it, but with an audiobook, you get every word and every syllable in all their glory. Not that the narration was a problem, it was definitely the book. Evidently this southern vampire series is not for me, and I don't watch TV, so while I've heard of the True Blood series inspired by these books, I've never watched and never plan to.

Anne, I also loved Wonder, and I felt the same about Dead Until Dark, except that I had it in a regular book. It was one of those things that I could see where some might enjoy the series, but I could also tell it wasn't for me, so I abandoned it. Heaven knows there are plenty of other books to read!

Looking forward to seeing you next week!

Oh, I'm glad you liked Wonder, Anne! It's a special book. I wish every child would read it, too.

Hi Anne - Wonder sounds great. I am with you about the Harris books. I read the first one and feel no desire to continue. I just don't get the attraction of vampires...

Anne, forgive me for chuckling on your thread! It's the Dead Until Dark. I cannot read vampire books either. I really can't read Science Fiction, fantasy or dystopian novels. I seem to have this huge blind spot in my reading life. Glad that you enjoyed Wonder though.

My favorite YA-site :)

The Yearling was one of my favorite reads last year. A wonderful story.

Vampires....well, Dracula was good, but it's a genre I don't particular care for - so my sympathies.

Hi Anne, I didn't realize it had been so long since I stopped by. I can't even keep up with my own thread this summer!

Whistler looks like the perfect dog for your family. So, are the girls still doing all the work? ;-)

I'm glad you have been able to read a few adult books lately even though your last one was a disappointment. I think it's great that your library has some "lucky" books. I get so tired of waiting in the long queues for new books at my library. Good luck on getting Gone Girl.

Anne- I'm glad you decided to read Wonder. It's a terrific book. Auggie is a special creation. Hope your weekend is going well.

>231 tloeffler: Hi Terri -- yes, good thing there are plenty of other great books! I'm looking forward to meeting you next week, too. I got a good breakfast recommendation:)

>232 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I got my wish in my family, anyway: my husband and both girls also read Wonder this weekend:)

>233 BLBera: Hi Beth, I like some more traditional vampire stories, but definitely not this one. I really enjoyed Wonder.

>234 vancouverdeb: I completely understand, Deb! I read quite a lot of fantasy and at least one dystopian YA this summer, and enjoyed them all. They're not for everyone, though, although some teens (and adults) love them:)

>235 ctpress: Thanks, Carsten:) I can't believe I hadn't read The Yearling before now. I plan to keep reading my daughter's required books for her English classes, as there are many, many more I've missed. No vampires on that list, but Frankenstein is coming up this year.

>236 Donna828: Glad you stopped by, Donna! I find it very easy to fall very far behind on LT. I haven't made it to the library to check out the "lucky" selections lately, but will in a day or so. We're really enjoying Whistler -- he's a sweet boy.

>237 msf59: Me too, Mark! I had it on hold for the whole summer, and when it finally came in it was too late to read it for my class. I brought it home, and it sat around very lonely for a couple of weeks. Once I saw how many holds it still had, I felt I needed to read it, and I'm so glad I did. Even better: Stelios and the girls also read it this weekend. Speaking of weekend, ours was quiet -- we're all back in school, and the girls seem to have back-to-school colds :(

I am getting a big chuckle out of your review of Dead Until Dark. I know the feeling when you're stuck with an audio book and it's just excruciating. :) I had a friend who listened to the Twilight series on CD. I think I would have lost my mind.

Oh no! An abandoned book on Anne's thread! :/
I've had my fill of vampires and werewolves and such for the time being. I know I will probably return to them at some point, but there's lots of good books to keep me entertained for the time being. :)

>239 nittnut: Oh dear. I jokingly told my sister she could listen to the Twilight on audio while she was running, and even though we both enjoyed them alright while we read them, neither of us thinks we could stand it on CD. (I can't speak for her, I have no particular need to reread them at all.) Somehow audio just brings out any weaknesses of writing that can be glossed over when you read fast....

Anne, glad to see you enjoyed Wonder. I read & loved it too.

>239 nittnut: Jenn, I'm sure I would have, too. I did read Twilight -- all four books in fact, but I blazed through them. I would never have been able to endure them on audio.

>240 jolerie: Yes indeed, Valerie! It's rare. I hate giving up on a book. Fortunately, LT has improved my reading "pool" so to speak, so that I almost always love what I'm reading.

>241Hi Mary! No, I can't see ever rereading Twilight either. I was inordinately proud when Callia abandoned the series halfway through the second book. You're right about audio. Audio can bring a book to life, and in fact, I love to listen to classics on audio, but a poor book on audio is torture. I'm so glad to see there are so many Wonder fans!

74. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

My mother read this book to my brother and me when I was about Callia's age, and I went on to reread it countless times. It is my favorite, favorite book. I have been looking forward to reading this aloud to my kids since, well... let's just say it's been a part of my fantasies, along with the wedding dress and the white picket fence (still waiting for that one) since forever. What a wonderful experience, with lots of laughter and plenty of tears (mostly from me) and meaningful discussions. Still my favorite book.

It's one of my very favorites, too, Anne, and I reread it a few years ago. I'm so glad you could share it with your girls - what a wonderful experience for you all.

You could have a great family movie night with it sometime, too!

Hi Joanne! Yes, it was. I'm hoping they'll let me read it aloud again when Marina is going into 8th grade. I definitely want to see the movie, too! Movie night sounds perfect.

Terri (tloeffler) drove to CO yesterday, and I was able to meet her for breakfast this morning. She is as lovely in person as she is on LT.

Yay! Another LT meet up. :)

Once again, Anne, Thank You! I had a delightful time, and I loved the restaurant. I appreciate you being willing to meet up with me!

Great photo of you two!

Anne - nice to see you and Terri with such beaming faces - what a great advert for LT and its' habit of bringing us all together. I have my turn on Thursday hosting Prue in Kuala Lumpur as she cuts a swathe through South East Asia.
Loved the review of My Family for the War. I don't know how you manage to unearth them but I am as glad as my hitlist is strained by your presence.
Agree wholeheartedly on To Kill a Mocking Bird - perhaps my favourite American novel too.
Callia - cute.

Hey! Can I come next time? :)

I think I will start reading To Kill A Mocking Bird with Jonah tonight. Whether he likes it or not. haha. I agree with Paul - one of the BEST American novels ever.

Love the photo! You two look very happy.

>247 jolerie: Hooray -- it was nice to meet Terri!

>248 tloeffler: Hi Terri, hope everyone came in okay and that you were able to navigate DIA without any problems. Have a great day at Red Rocks tomorrow!

>249 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe!

>250 PaulCranswick: Paul, I hope you and Prue have a wonderful time together. My Family for the War was a happy accident -- it was on the "new books" shelf of the library when I was taking my class. I did not get it read for class, but I'm glad I read it after.

>251 nittnut: Jenn, YES! You and Joanne should have come THIS time, but I was too scattered and stupid to think that far ahead :( I'm sorry!! The good news is that Terri said she really likes Denver, so hopefully she'll be back.

I hope Jonah lets you read To Kill a Mockingbird, and I hope he loves it. Callia already said I can read it aloud again in 2015:) At the very least, I hope it helps her understand and love the book more when she studies it this year in English. My heart just breaks when I read about people who "had to read it in school" and hate it.

>252 msf59: Thank you, Mark!

Great picture, Anne! It's always wonderful to have an LT meet up!

We read Chapter 1 last night. Jonah's main comment so far is that the language is very different from the books he usually reads. So true. He has an extensive vocabulary for his age, but asked the meaning of at least 4 words in the first few pages. Then he wanted to know what the Battle of Hastings was - and I am embarrassed to say that I had forgotten. Even after reading 1066 and All That last year - lol. So we had a fun discussion of how a battle in 1066 would have anything to do with people in America in the 1900's. That's what it's like reading with Jonah.

>254 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deb!

>255 nittnut: I found that I didn't have to clarify the language too much for the girls -- perhaps I did more so earlier on. I remember spending a lot of time "translating" when I read Treasure Island and A Christmas Carol, but my girls understood To Kill a Mockingbird better than I thought they would. I love what a curious reader Jonah is -- it will be slow-going, but very meaningful!

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