Here is the trailer.
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Getting Away from Doom & Gloom
For the past two months or so - I guess caught up in The Hunger Games frenzy - most of the books I've been reading have been about dystopian societies or futuristic novels set in a fragmented United States. Don't get me wrong, they were good and I recommend them all - Legend by Marie Lu, Numbers by Rachel Ward, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Line and Away by Teri Hall, The Maze Runner series by James Dasher, and Blood Red Road by Moira Young - but I was depressing myself. I needed to read something fun but meaningful, something light but not stupidly insulting, something that might make me think but not disheartened. So, I read Jordan Sonnenblick's new one Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip, good, but a bit like wanting a hot fudge sundae and only having a pop sickle. . . good, but just not quite satisfying.
Then, a new order came in! This innocuous little book - Wonder by R. J. Palacio - was included. I was craving that book that would meet all my needs. You know how sometimes things are just so good you want to clap and jump and maybe even grab somebody by the front of their shirt and say, "You HAVE to read this!"? This book did that for me.
Here is the trailer.
Here is the trailer.
Monday, January 23, 2012
ALA Awards Announced!
Click here to see the complete list of this year's award winners.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Scott O'Dell Award
- Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
In 1982, Scott O'Dell established The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
The annual award of $5,000 goes to an author for a meritorious book
published in the previous year for children or young adults. Scott O'Dell established this award to encourage other writers--particularly new authors--to
focus on historical fiction. He hoped in this way to increase the
interest of young readers in the historical background that has helped
to shape their country and their world.
If you read my previous post, I told you this was one not to miss. I love when I am right.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Potpourri
Potpourri - noun \ˌpō-pu̇-ˈrē\ 2. : a miscellaneous collection (Merriam-Webster online)
The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane is the story of 8th grade Molly. Her father has recently died in an auto accident, her mother is going through the motions of living, and she is just trying to figure out things and cope day to day. To overcome some of her problems, she decides to join the baseball team - the boys baseball team since baseball helps her feel connected to her dad. She only hopes the knuckleball she can throw will help her earn the position. Realistic and memorable.
Legend by Marie Lu is the first novel for this art director of a video game company. (I can visualize the characters and settings in a game.) Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, Day is from the slums and is the most wanted criminal in the Republic. June is a member of the elite, a military prodigy,with nothing but a bright future ahead of her. However, when June's brother is murdered, Day's and June's paths cross when Day becomes the prime suspect. June sets out to apprehend him and bring him to justice. But all is not what it seems. If you like dystopian novels, this is for you. Action, thriller with a sprinkle of romance.
Jack Gantos' Dead End in Norvelt made me laugh out loud. Really. I know many of you (OK, most of you) avoid historical fiction like the plague. Even though this is historical fiction/non-fiction - because the character's name is Jack Gantos - don't miss this one. Jack does some pretty dumb things and suffers an summer of grounding for his actions. One thing that gets him out of the house/yard is helping an elderly lady write the obituaries for the local paper. His summer is filled with death, gore, fire, Hell's Angels, and nosebleeds. If you think your hometown is weird, you have never been to Norvelt. Don't miss this one!
The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane is the story of 8th grade Molly. Her father has recently died in an auto accident, her mother is going through the motions of living, and she is just trying to figure out things and cope day to day. To overcome some of her problems, she decides to join the baseball team - the boys baseball team since baseball helps her feel connected to her dad. She only hopes the knuckleball she can throw will help her earn the position. Realistic and memorable.
Legend by Marie Lu is the first novel for this art director of a video game company. (I can visualize the characters and settings in a game.) Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, Day is from the slums and is the most wanted criminal in the Republic. June is a member of the elite, a military prodigy,with nothing but a bright future ahead of her. However, when June's brother is murdered, Day's and June's paths cross when Day becomes the prime suspect. June sets out to apprehend him and bring him to justice. But all is not what it seems. If you like dystopian novels, this is for you. Action, thriller with a sprinkle of romance.
Jack Gantos' Dead End in Norvelt made me laugh out loud. Really. I know many of you (OK, most of you) avoid historical fiction like the plague. Even though this is historical fiction/non-fiction - because the character's name is Jack Gantos - don't miss this one. Jack does some pretty dumb things and suffers an summer of grounding for his actions. One thing that gets him out of the house/yard is helping an elderly lady write the obituaries for the local paper. His summer is filled with death, gore, fire, Hell's Angels, and nosebleeds. If you think your hometown is weird, you have never been to Norvelt. Don't miss this one!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Gearing up for Summer!
Memorial Day weekend provided a three day weekend which gave me some time to relax, enjoy the family, and read. So I did.
Day One: Marie Lamba's first book What I meant. . . is the story of fifteen year old Sangeet Jumnal. Sangeet is a good daughter, a good student, a good friend, and a good sister. Her aunt (who she refers to as "evil") seems to be causing her parents to think she is bulimic, her school work to suffer, her friend thinks she is annoying, and her sister thinks she is a thief. Life is not going well at all. And, the boy she thinks she loves is a bit aloof. Find out what happens with Sangeet and her trials. It is funny, sad, and heart warming.
Day Two: Another first novel - How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen is another novel that is funny, sad, and heart warming. Lamar has asthma and loves to bowl. His nickname for himself is "King of Strikers" because he is really, really good. His older brother, Xavier, is a basketball star; everyone is sure he will be pro when he's finished with high school. Typical older brother, X, as he is referred to, puts down Lamar every opportunity he gets. So there is sibling rivalry, friend/girlfriend issues, peer pressure, and self-respect all tied into this one book.
Day Three: "You are indestructible." Three words, innocently written on a cast. Jacob was whispered those three words by his foster parent right before they hit the tree head on. They should have both been killed, and now Jacob is indestructible. However, when the words allow the person to really be indestructible, what happens? Does the Grim Reaper just say, "Oh, that's OK. Later, dude." Or does the Grim Reaper wait and wreak havoc just a bit later? Good mystery, with decisions of good and evil, and life and death on practically every page of Thirteen Days to Midnight.
Day Four: (I took a personal day.) True (. . . sort of) is Katherine Hannigan's first novel since Ida B. This is a captivating look at the ways friendships and truths are discovered. Delly Pattison has been told she is trouble since she was six and left the chickens out of the cage at the county fair. Delly also makes up words (which surprisingly make a lot of sense) like surpresent -a present that is a surprise. She is sure she is going to receive a surpresent the day the Boyds come to town. And, Ferris Boyd is like no one Delly has ever met. This is is another novel that is funny, sad, and heart warming.
Day One: Marie Lamba's first book What I meant. . . is the story of fifteen year old Sangeet Jumnal. Sangeet is a good daughter, a good student, a good friend, and a good sister. Her aunt (who she refers to as "evil") seems to be causing her parents to think she is bulimic, her school work to suffer, her friend thinks she is annoying, and her sister thinks she is a thief. Life is not going well at all. And, the boy she thinks she loves is a bit aloof. Find out what happens with Sangeet and her trials. It is funny, sad, and heart warming.
Day Two: Another first novel - How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen is another novel that is funny, sad, and heart warming. Lamar has asthma and loves to bowl. His nickname for himself is "King of Strikers" because he is really, really good. His older brother, Xavier, is a basketball star; everyone is sure he will be pro when he's finished with high school. Typical older brother, X, as he is referred to, puts down Lamar every opportunity he gets. So there is sibling rivalry, friend/girlfriend issues, peer pressure, and self-respect all tied into this one book.
Day Three: "You are indestructible." Three words, innocently written on a cast. Jacob was whispered those three words by his foster parent right before they hit the tree head on. They should have both been killed, and now Jacob is indestructible. However, when the words allow the person to really be indestructible, what happens? Does the Grim Reaper just say, "Oh, that's OK. Later, dude." Or does the Grim Reaper wait and wreak havoc just a bit later? Good mystery, with decisions of good and evil, and life and death on practically every page of Thirteen Days to Midnight.
Day Four: (I took a personal day.) True (. . . sort of) is Katherine Hannigan's first novel since Ida B. This is a captivating look at the ways friendships and truths are discovered. Delly Pattison has been told she is trouble since she was six and left the chickens out of the cage at the county fair. Delly also makes up words (which surprisingly make a lot of sense) like surpresent -a present that is a surprise. She is sure she is going to receive a surpresent the day the Boyds come to town. And, Ferris Boyd is like no one Delly has ever met. This is is another novel that is funny, sad, and heart warming.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Jordan Sonnenblick's Books
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. Notes from the Midnight Driver. Zen and the Art of Faking It.
I am going to go out on a limb here and just say it: I love Jordan’s books — each and every one of them for basically the same reasons — the characters and the humor. I love Drums for Steven, Notes for crotchety old Sol, and Zen for completely unique San. Each story’s plot involves serious issues which could be overwhelming or depressing, but are neither since Jordan amuses while delivering the message.
Check out Jordan's website!
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