Beautiful Creatures

I'm expecting lots of tweens to enjoy this book! (Especially Twilight fans) Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is a romance novel that spans several generations of Southern families. I love how the authors intertwine themes like prejudice, friendship, romance with a fantasy plot while maintaining a historical perspective.

The authors met over coffee one day and while talking about young adult literature, decided to write a novel themselves. They came up with a story arc, recorded in on the only available surface (napkins) and then went to work recording the history of two families...the Duchannes girls and the Ravenwood boys. Without getting too caught up with dark magical themes, they record the struggle between light and dark, good and evil, nice and mean, right and wrong...you get the picture.

We have the romance between Ethan and Lena to keep us interested, the Civil War town of Gatlin to set the stage and a ghost to lead us back in time to add just the right amount of magic. Of course there are villains. Boys will LOVE Ridley. (They won't have a choice. Not going to reveal why...) I am most interested in Macon Ravenwood, the patriarch of the family. I think he's a vampire.

And I say "I think" because for the first time, I'm reviewing a book I'm not quite finished with. I only have a few chapters, but my inference will hopefully be correct. I'm also predicting I won't have time to properly record this blog entry if I don't do it now. Every time I sit at the computer, my kids take the opportunity to ask me to do something for them. Something vital to their survival. Has to happen NOW. Mothers will understand what I'm talking about.

So I leave you to hopefully record Beautiful Creatures on your "To Read" list. This is a novel for everyone. Mothers, daughters, tween boys who like fantasy, the 8th grade teacher needing to teach the Civil War in an interesting way, the English teacher wanting examples of descriptive writing, the book club leader needing something different that can truly be "discussed".

May I say it's refreshing to read something NOT inspired by the recent vampire trend?

Don't miss the opportunity to read an original Southern tale, written by Southern gals. And if you read it aloud, it sounds best with a Southern drawl.

Happy Reading Ya'll
RC

GoodSearch

It's that time of year...new school supplies are carefully packed into spotless backpacks, new lunchboxes are purchased (because I can't stand the smell of old juice boxes!), the choices about what to wear on the first day are made, and I begin my mourning period. Mommy guilt gets me every August. Summer is gone for Kentucky school kids. The rest of the nation appears to be gearing up for summer while we're anticipating fall break! But somehow we remind ourselves just how fortunate we are to be happy and healthy and we start the new school year with a positive attitude each time.

That's why I'm thinking about GoodSearch this morning. One of the highlights of my job as a librarian is watching as tweens get excited about books. I use peer pressure to my advantage - former reluctant readers often become curious as their "reader" friends want to visit the library instead of pass notes when they have some "down time". I have my fair share of converts each year. (smile)

In order to finance one of our more popular reading events, the Book Fair Cafe, we rely upon the money earned from searches and shopping through GoodSearch.com. So far, we've earned 11 cents this year and that's just not enough! (hysterical laugh) In the past few years, we've earned $369.48. They send us a check each December and we deposit it in our Rewards Day Fund. In May, LT and I go shopping for cafe supplies and spend the money.

When you shop online, go through GoodSearch to reach your websites because sometimes online stores will donate a % of your purchase to your "charity".

So I'm going to make a better effort to advertise GoodSearch more. Starting now.

The process is a simple one. (I'll admit that GoodSearch is not as productive a search engine as Google, but since our school earns 1 cent for each search, at least you can feel good about donating to a local "charity". )

1. Go to www.goodsearch.com
2. Set your "charity" as Muhlenberg North Middle School
3. Click the verify button to lock in your selection.
4. You may begin searching. Each search gives MNMS a penny.
5. Each time you revisit GoodSearch, please check to see that the charity you are searching for is MNMS.



*Sometimes we have to put down our fiction and face reality...books cost money!
Happy Reading!
RC

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: an eclipse novella

It's been quite a while since I read a novella. What is a novella, you may ask? The simple answer is a "short novel". However, I decided to investigate and found several interesting definitions on the Internet: a novella is "shorter than a novel but longer than a novelette", "between 20,000 and 50,000 words", and/or "fewer conflicts than a novel, but more than a short story". Whew!

After reading the Twilight Saga and viewing the movie version of Eclipse, I decided to read Meyer's latest addition to the collection. There were several moments while watching the movie, where I felt as if I was missing something...I knew I'd understand once I read the novella. Now, I want to see the movie again so that I can be in on all the "secrets".

When you read a book and then watch the movie, you are privy to the hidden messages and clues left by the author. The viewers who have never read the book don't know what they're missing. It is "over their head". I've often giggled during a Harry Potter movie while my husband misses the joke. And despite my best effort, I can't explain to him what he's missed. Since he refuses to read novels, he'll never "get" the joke! How sad!

For those of you who are truly interested in reading Bree Tanner's story, please understand that you'll not get her complete biography. As the title suggests, Stephenie Meyer provides you with Bree's thoughts shortly after being made a vampire up until the moment of her second death.
You won't be disappointed, especially if you've been craving more gory scenes from a Meyer book...she doesn't skimp on the gore. I lost count after 5 limbs were ripped from vampire bodies and I have no idea how many vampires were burned or how many were created in total. They are truly savage vampires, thirsty for blood, without an ounce of compassion or regret. All except Bree, who manages to retain her humanity.

That is, until she feels the burn...

Which reminds me. I haven't had my second cup of coffee!
Happy Reading!
RC

Radiant Shadows

Wicked Lovely Book #4, Radiant Shadows written by Melissa Marr, was a struggle to read. To understand, you must read the series as I have been forced to ... with many months in between each book and with many fantasy plots/characters to muddle my memory of Marr's unique faery world. I'll admit that she beautifully paints a picture of her "world", with just enough rebellious teen angst to draw in even the most reluctant teen reader, but she does not do what so many other young adult authors do, that is, she doesn't remind the reader of each character's journey. She simply continues to build and build and build upon her story with each new book and I was forced to read Wicked Lovely twice just so I could begin Ink Exchange (#2). I refused to reread both when Fragile Eternity (#3) was released and I paid dearly. With the fourth book now complete and added to my journal, I almost dread having to read the final book, which is due to be released in February of 2011. I can't even remember the title. Oh, and while reading, I felt so much like a tween reader...I couldn't remember the title, character names, etc... Perhaps we as educators should take this into account the next time we question a reader. Did the author do a good enough job writing the book so that the student COULD make a connection? We assume all authors are good authors simply because they have a book published. Not so.

Although I enjoyed the first book immensely, I would not recommend reading this series unless you can pick them up and read them all consecutively.

Exhausted and frustrated beyond belief!
Happier Reading!
RC

Anything But Typical

Well, I polished off another one of our Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominees last night. Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin, is an opportunity to step inside one 6th grade boy's brain. And you'll be intrigued, because this is no "neurotypical" brain. Jason Blake has Autism and doesn't think or respond like you might assume he would. For anyone interested in Autism Spectral Disorders, this novel successfully manages to help the reader understand what goes on inside not only Jason's mind, but the minds of his classmates, teachers, therapists, parents and total strangers.

Another surprising lesson learned from this novel could be how to successfully write a story. Jason is a creative author and takes the reader through the writing process as he weaves another story throughout his own. I could see this novel being used in a writing class to teach empathy and short story writing.

Not every young adult will "get it" and may soon put down the novel because they don't understand where Jason's story is "going". Gifted readers and adults will understand right away that Jason is unique. His mind works differently. Therefore, "his" writing is different. But those readers who stick with this story will be rewarded. (Jason has his own idea about rewards, by the way.)

I highly suggest this book to talented readers and writers, as well as anyone who has a particular interest in the Autism Spectrum Disorders. All teachers should read this book.

Besides, there's a character named Rebecca that piqued my interest! For those who have read this book, you'll understand what I mean when I say, "You go, girl!"

Happy Reading!
RC

The Friday Night Knitting Club

As LT promised, The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs was a "precious" read. The book jacket promised a "Steel Magnolia story set in Manhattan". Check! Walker & Daughter, a yarn shop set above a deli in Manhattan, is the setting for a group of women that I had no problem connecting with. Each character held some resemblance of a life well-lived. Each woman at a different stage in a typical, yet unique life. Something to remember, something to look forward to...but more importantly, something to consider as we live our life each day. Are we holding on to grudges that are impeding us from moving forward and living the life God provided us with? Are we reaching our potential? What is our path? What about regret? Will there come a time when I'll be the mentor? When do we stop being the daughter and become the friend? Does that happen?

An author that can manage to put these questions (and more) in a reader's mind while simultaneously entertaining, is a successful one. It doesn't take much to make me cry, and for the record, I usually avoid books that I know will have that emotional pull on me. However, after finishing the last page, recording a few quotes that I never want to forget and texting LT to thank her again for sharing this book with me, I logged on to our public library to look for the sequel, Knit Two.

I laughed, I cried, I neglected the family for an hour while I finished the last part of the book...
Happy Reading! (But don't read the end of this book without tissue!)
RC

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Well, I finished the Millenium Trilogy several days ago and can't stop thinking about Lisbeth and Mikael. And to think the work was delivered shortly before the author's death. After reading his biography at www.stieglarsson.com, I can't help but wonder if the author's death was natural? If you read this trilogy, you'd understand. (And remember, students, this is one for adults.) I seem to be haunted by places like Goteborg, Stockholm, Uppsala, and Soedertalaeje. The nagging urge to see these places for myself just won't go away. I've Googled them...they're beautiful, just as I imagined them. Just as Larsson described them. Wow, what a legacy he left behind of his love for his country and his fight for democracy and human rights.

I also have a compulsion to either purchase the movies (in Swedish with English subtitles) from Amazon or to download them from some online "free movie" site. I'm trying not to do either. But one can only watch a movie trailer so many times...

Glad to have read this trilogy after all...perhaps crime fiction is for me. As long as it's as good as Larrson's work.

Thanks again LT...
Happy Reading!
RC

Million Dollar Throw

I am pleased to report that this book, written by sports writer Mike Lupica, ended much better than I imagined it would! I thought I had it all figured out, when the author pleasantly surprised me. If you have a tween or teen boy who needs to read some fiction, this book is an easy read. Football, friendship, blossoming love (perhaps, but not too much) and financial hardships are topics for discussion. I don't choose sports fiction for recreational reading, but will definitely recommend this to my middle school boys.

As the title suggests, there's a million dollars at stake if Nate can just make the football throw! Without giving away too much, I'll say that there are plenty who could benefit from his success. His parents are enduring financial hardships due to our nation's economic problems, his best friend has a degenerative eye disease and is quickly losing her sight, Nate begins to fail as the superstar quarterback on the middle school football team, and beyond that, he has been chosen to participate in the Patriot's halftime show. Pressure? Sure. Lots of it. But it's a great lesson for tween boys who seem to be disconnected from reality... there are problems beyond our own. As adults, we know this, but tweens sometime forget.

Lupica does a great job reminding us all that one unselfish act can be worth a million.
Happy Reading!
RC