fuzzi's Ouster Accounts for 2023

In previous years I've placed my discarded thread elsewhere, but I promised myself I'd use this group next time...and here I am!

Here's my ticker for culled rehomed, aka "transplanted" books, read or unread...because finding a good home for a book is important!



And if I read and review a book before sending it out the door, I'll post it here as well. I never spoil in my reviews so read without apprehension.

Let's go!

Note: my main "journal" thread is here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/347135#

My ROOT thread is here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/347190

Hello tortoise friend!

>3 reconditereader: he's cute, isn't he? The only land turtle species in NC is the box turtle.

First rehome of 2023, a mostly-unread book:

Lord Peter: A Collection of All the Lord Peter Wimsey Stories

The box turtle carries his home wherever he goes, but it looks like there's not much room for books in there!

Read, enjoyed, rehoming...


The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg (Newbery Medal 1997)

A captivating story of four children who form a special bond and how it affects those around them. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and will look for other books by this author.

Fallon by Louis L'Amour

Fallon is a swindler, gambler, looking for a way to score some money to head for San Francisco, but gets entangled in his own web, and winds up questioning his motives.

Started a little slow, but became more interesting as I continued reading. Not L'Amour's best, but fine for fans and completists.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech - Newbery Medal 1995

While on a road trip to go visit her mother in Idaho, thirteen year old Sal entertains her grandparents with strange tales about her friend Phoebe. There's a lot in this story to digest, I may go back for a re-read soon.

The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes - Newbery Medal 1924

This story has been described as kind of like Treasure Island, but I thought it went beyond that classic tale, with plenty of nautical jargon and historical references to flesh this out into an interesting adult read.

Books rehomed in January:
1. Birding for Babies: Migrating Birds: A Colors Book
2. Birding for Babies: Backyard Birds: A Numbers Book
3. Somebunny Loves You! - (ER)
4. Lord Peter
5. The View From Saturday

Books rehomed in February:
6. Fallon
7. One Morning in Maine
8. Walk Two Moons - (ROOT)
9. The Dark Frigate

#10 The High Graders by Louis L'Amour

A story of mining, cattle, and how easy it is to look the other way when there's gold for the taking. Good read, better than average L'Amour.

#11 Where the Long Grass Blows by Louis L'Amour

Slow-starting but eventually this was a fairly good read. I did like a few unusual plot twists but they didn't lift the story above average for me. Don't judge the author's body of works by this one.

Note: this is a novel length retelling of The Rider of the Ruby Hills.

#12 Star Gate by Andre Norton

Fairly standard yet somewhat interesting story about a halfbreed forced to leave his legacy and join ranks with superior powers. It was a little uneven but I enjoyed it.

#13 Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

Set in late 1300's England this is an engaging story of an orphan boy who is, for reasons unknown, targeted for execution by his Lord's steward. I appreciated the characters and the well-drawn setting. I felt the ending was just a tad contrived but it didn't spoil it for me.

I will keep an eye out for the sequels!

#14 The Animal, the Vegetable, and John D Jones by Betsy Byars

Amusing look at two single parent families going on vacation together with typical adolescent reactions to being forced into close proximity with others NOT of their choice. The author is good at getting into pre-teenagers' heads. Worth reading.

#15 Jerry of the Islands by Jack London

As much as I usually enjoy Jack London's work I just couldn't get over the incessant use of the N word. Discarded.

#16 Anne's Tragical Tea Party by Kallie George

Delightful, captivating adaptation of a tale familiar to Anne fans. The illustrations are perfect, and complement the story. I am looking for the other books in the series to share with my granddaughters.

#17 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Fun read, needed to suspend disbelief just a tad but enjoyed it nevertheless. Looking for more books by this author.

Books rehomed in March
10. The High Graders
11. Where the Long Grass Blows
12. Star Gate - (ROOT)
13. Crispin: The Cross of Lead - (ROOT)
14. The Animal, the Vegetable, and John D Jones - (ROOT)
15. Jerry of the Islands - (ROOT) - Discarded without finishing
16. Anne's Tragical Tea Party - (ER)
17. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - (ROOT)

Books rehomed in April
18. George's Marvelous Medicine

#18 George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl

I was disappointed in this short book by an author that I love. It never grabbed my interest, and if it had been longer I might have given up, it was that much of a slog. But I loved the illustrations by one of my favorite artists, Quentin Blake, so I gave it an extra 1/2 star for those.

In the door and out in one day...


#19 What Does Little Crocodile Say At the Beach? by Eva Montanari (Early Reviewer)

Delightful book about a small crocodile's visit to the beach, with lots of examples of onomatopoeia for the younger child. And the whimsical illustrations perfectly match the text. This one is headed for my granddaughters!

Dropped off a number of books at the used book store yesterday, some I'd not yet marked as discarded:

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer (marked as rehomed in 2021)

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi (marked rehomed above)

The Animal, the Vegetable, and John D. Jones by Betsy Byars (marked rehomed above)

Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne (marked rehomed 2022)

Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne (marked rehomed 2022)

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (marked rehomed 2022)

Star Gate by Andre Norton (marked rehomed above)

The Holy Thief by Ellis Peters (marked rehomed 2021)

Flight of the White Wolf by Mel Ellis (marked rehomed 2021)

The Journals of Lewis and Clark (introduction by John Bakeless) (marked rehomed 2021)
Link to book here: https://www.librarything.com/work/25287149

#20 A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck (review from 2021)

What a delightful read! This book consists of short stories about two children's summer visits with their grandma in 1930s Illinois, told from the perspective of the older brother. Their grandmother is an original, a non-conformist, and the children learn to love and emulate her.

The local library has the other two books in the series. I've put in a request to borrow them, and plan to enjoy more about these characters this weekend.

#21 Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour

An earlier novel by L'Amour that is mostly a formula Western, though I thought it picked up towards the end. Not one of his better novels, but still superior to other westerns as a whole, and worth a read if you like the genre.

Books rehomed in May
#19 What Does Little Crocodile Say At the Beach? by Eva Montanari (Early Reviewer) - going to granddaughters!
#20 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
#21 Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour

#22 Callaghan by Louis L'Amour

A story of cavalry and Indians, a professional soldier, his nemesis, and a lady who is admired by both men.

The author has done this type of story before, but much better. There were several subplots that disappeared, and the ending was rushed and disappointing. Not L'Amour's best, barely gets that third star.

#23 The Care and Keeping of Grandmas by Mook-Sang (Early Reviewer)

Cute concept, about a little girl's observations when her grandmother comes to live with her family. I think it would be better as a book to be read to children, as some of the text has very advanced vocabulary words, such as "discombobulated". The pictures are bright and cheery, and convey emotions very well. Off to the granddaughters!


#24 The Key-lock Man by Louis L'Amour

Average L'Amour offering. There was little background story for the main character, which I found unusual. Also, in this story I felt the love interest was better sketched out than anyone else, and truly strong as a person. Worth reading, but I'm rehoming this one.

#25 Brionne by Louis L'Amour

At first I wasn't sure about this one, but it grew on me. No typical lone gunman or cattle rustlers, or baron/nester wars, just a man and his son trying to start over again after tragedy strikes. Yes, there's a gang out to kill him, but it's entertaining and pretty good L'Amour, almost worth that extra 1/2 star.

#26 The Broken Gun by Louis L'Amour

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The following are wonderful, and headed for my granddaughters!


#27 Anne Arrives by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

The author and illustrator of this adaption from Anne of Green Gables both capture the essence of Anne's arrival at Green Gables. I believe Anne fans and purists will be delighted as much as I was when I read it. Highly recommended.

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#28 Anne's Kindred Spirits by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

Another wonderful retelling from Anne of Green Gables!

And the illustrations are perfect.

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#29 Anne's School Days by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

I liked this adaptation almost as much as the previous two in the series but was disappointed that the author and illustrator made some unnecessary changes to the original story.

#30 Killoe by Louis L'Amour

Fairly standard story of pioneers heading west, meeting danger not as one might expect from native tribes but from Comancheros and outlaws. Good read.

>30 fuzzi: Ah! No wonder you remembered it was Diana who sampled the cordial.

#31 When I Became Your Grandma by Susannah Shane and Britta Teckentrup

Sweet rhyming story about the love of a grandmother for her grandchild. The collage-type illustrations are enchanting, simple, and perfect for the subject. This one is headed for MY grandchildren.

>32 2wonderY: eyup!

#32 Off the Mangrove Coast by Louis L'Amour

I am pretty sure this was a book I never did read, bought only to complete my collection. It's not L'Amour's best, imo.

#33 The Proving Trail by Louis L'Amour

This was a good read, it's been reviewed, and I think it's time for someone else to enjoy it.

#34 Canyon Winter by Walt Morey

An engaging tale of a young man stranded in the wilderness, and how he comes to appreciate his surroundings as well as fend for himself. It's a young adult story that should appeal to adults, like me, who enjoy a well-told tale.

#35 Lean on Me by Bill Withers & illustrated by Rachel Moss

What a great concept! And well executed. The illustrator matches the lyrics of the famous song Lean on Me to pictures of four friends growing up together. Now I have the song repeating in my head, not necessarily a bad thing.

#36 The Man from Skibbereen by Louis L'Amour

Fairly standard L'Amour, with a little bit of everything: Confederate renegades, outlaws, fisticuffs, bison stampedes, train robbery, and some young women inserted in the mix. Worth a read, but headed out the door.

#37 The Moorchild by Eloise MacGraw - Newbery Honor 1997

I'm going to begin this review with a WOW. Great read! I was drawn in to the characters and situation, which never felt stereotypical or superficial, or contrived. The people in the story had some dimension, depth, and I had a hard time putting this book down despite it being past my "bedtime".

Nice, very nice, worthy of the honor. I felt it possibly could have been a Newbery Medal winner.

#38 The Iron Marshal by Louis L'Amour

A young Irish orphan arrives in New York, finds work as a smith and assisting the shoulder-strikers of Tammany Hall. One day while facing enemies in overwhelming odds he hides in a freight car and eventually winds up in a Kansas town in need of a sheriff.

I liked this story, quite a bit, probably as it's a slightly different plot in the Western genre.

#39 The Red Shoes by Eleri Glass and Ashley Spires

Delightful little book about a young girl whose mother takes her shopping for new shoes, sensible shoes, while pretty red shoes are what she really wants.

#40 Love You Snow Much by Melinda Lee Rathjen

Cute rhyming story about a snowman parent and child, and the animals they meet in the wintery woods where they live.

Off the dusty shelves!


Heavyweight Boxing in the 1970s by Joe Ryan


Boxing by Bob Mee


Great Preaching on Soul Winning by Curtis Hudson


Rousseau and Revolution by Will Durant
(never catalogued!)

#45


The Empty Land by Louis L'Amour

An interesting premise about a newly formed town turned bad, and what it takes, WHO it takes, to bring law and order to a place of anarchy. The story was uneven at times, but I liked some of the plot twists, and eventually decided it did deserve that extra half star.

#46 Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

I enjoyed this story, the world-building especially, but I feel that the last few chapters were an unnecessary addition to a tale that was good enough on its own, without one more crisis tacked on.

Probably heading for the thrift store, I'm still not totally sure...


With These Hands by Louis L'Amour

I've read this collection before, kept it on my shelves for several years and recently decided upon a reread. The title story is very good, and there's a rustling/cowboy story that was okay, but the rest of the collection is made up of boxing, detective, and adventure stories which I didn't feel like rereading, not my favorite genres.

I might keep the book just for the With These Hands story, it's that good.

#48 The Not Just Anybody Family by Betsy Byars

Fun read about a dysfunctional family with plenty of plot for an adult to enjoy. I finished it in one sitting by staying up late...for me, that's a compliment.

>48 fuzzi: I remember Byars from my kids childhoods. I think I will revisit with her.

#49 Taggart by Louis L'Amour

An absorbing story of a man being pursued unjustly by a posse. He discovers a miner and his family hiding from an Apache war party. A little of everything, fun read!

Note: there are echos here of Trap of Gold, one of L'Amour's most riveting short stories.

#50 The Tall Stranger by Louis L'Amour

Settlers heading west listen to a slick sales pitch, and soon find themselves in a land grab war. Standard L'Amour tale, worth a read but far from his best work.

#51 To Tame a Land by Louis L'Amour

A youth is orphaned after he and his father are abandoned by a wagon train, but is befriended by a gunman. He learns to survive and eventually becomes a gunman himself. Can he escape his reputation and find the girl he loves?

This was actually a pretty good story, worth the reread. I'm rehoming it but would pick it up again in the future.

#52 The Little Books of the Little Brontës by Sara O'Leary and Briony May Smith

A delightful book about the Bronte children and how their love of reading combined with their imaginations propelled them into successful authors as adults. The illustrations are simple, yet rich. Well done.

Note: although this is a picture book, and the loss of life in the family is handled extremely well by the author, the somewhat sad tale of these siblings might be better aimed at a slightly older audience, like my almost eight year old granddaughter, and not the usual pre-school crowd.

#53 Tucker by Louis L'Amour

Young man finds himself hunting those who killed his father and stole money entrusted to him. Lots of action, less retrospection, good read.

#54 Time to Move South for Winter by Clare Helen Welsh and Jenny Løvlie

Cute story and illustrations of a little tern heading south for the winter. There's also a glossary in the back of terms and animals within the pages.

Just checked, I've only added 12 books to my library this year.

My main goal this year was to read mainly from my shelves.

#55 Radigan by Louis L'Amour

A lone rancher in high country finds himself facing a land grab by a family with thousands of cattle and bringing more hired gunmen than hired hands. Better than average L'Amour read, I finished it in one sitting.

#56 Reilly's Luck by Louis L'Amour

I've read almost every book L'Amour wrote, and as far as I am concerned this is not one of the author's better works. Though parts were good it dragged at times, and I debated if I should give it 2 1/2 or 3 stars.

Two more out the door!


#57 The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein


#58 The Melting Clock by Stuart Kaminsky

Something wonky is going on with the tickers, I will fix the total once the issue is fixed:


#59 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams


#60 Gateway to Yellowstone: The Raucous Town of Cinnabar on the Montana Frontier by Lee Whittlesey

Next year's thread is here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/356400#n8333179