March Book Breakfast!

This month's book breakfast was a trip back to May 1910, the year Halley's Comet made it's way close to earth once again.  In Selling Hope, we met Hope McDaniels a 13 year old who travels the vaudeville circuit performing magic with her father, Nick.  Along her travels, she meets many characters including Buster Keaton as a boy.  So this morning, we used YouTube to watch some old vaudeville routines and "Seven Chances" starring the real-life Buster Keaton.  The girls were so enthusiastic and receptive.  The discussion was mature, as always, and we had moments of joy and heartache as we discussed Hope's metamorphosis and life-altering decisions.  How this book did not score a Newbery medal of honor, I'll never know.  It would be fabulous to use in a US History classroom.  And Hope is just so enjoyable a character to spend some time with.  It's a fairly short read if you're looking to learn something about our nation's past!

As soon as I can this evening, I'm going to start the final book in The Ascendants Trilogy by Jennifer Nielsen.  I was pleasantly surprised by The False Prince and then impressed with The Runaway King, because an author finally kept my attention throughout a sequel.  Dare I say book 2 was better than book 1?  Maybe...

Looking forward to revisiting Jaron and pals as they brace themselves for war.  Love reading fantasy!  Here's a blurb from the goodreads.com just in case you're interested in the trilogy. 

"War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does. His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighbouring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?"
  
Happy Reading!
RC