Oh, so Good - Wendy Mass!

If you have not read anything by the author Wendy Mass - take the time and check one out. She is the author of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, Every Soul a Star, 11 Birthdays, A Mango Shaped Space, and Leap Day. I've read those that are red and have not regretted one minute of the time expended.

The book I have read most recently is Every Soul a Star which is written from the point of view of three very distinctly different teenagers. Ally, short for Alpha, lives with her parents and brother on a very isolated campground named Moon Shadow. The campground is so named because a total eclipse of the sun will be occurring and the campground is at the perfect spot. Ally is an admitted, and proud of it, astronomy fan. Bree's family is moving to the campground because her parents are scientists. To say that Bree is unhappy is putting it mildly. She is into malls, fashion, and her friends. Jack is helping his science teacher on the eclipse tour... so he doesn't have to go to summer school. The scientific talk is way out of his league and comfort level; so is being on a bus with a bunch of strangers to go to a campground. Now, bring these three teens together as they prepare to witness this amazing event and discover their place in the universe.

That is the plot. However, that is only part of the story. There is plenty of scientific information written in an easy to understand way. Information about stars, galaxies, telescopes, space junk, eclipses, planets, even the SETI organization should peak your interest.

Check out these outer space sites:

• Hubble
• NASA Solar Eclipse
• SETI
  

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!