Summer Reads 2012 — A Yankee Doodle Dandy of a List — 4th of July Style!

Wonder what I’ve been up to lately and why I’ve not updated my book blog? Well in the words of one my former college professors: ”multiple factors of causation.”  As 2012 rolled around my impending retirement in education as school librarian at Seneca Grade School was looming in the not too distant future.  After 35 years in education I found myself with so many “lists of things to do” before the end of the 2011-2012 school year came to a close. It was time to close this chapter in my life and turn over my libraries to a new librarian. Something had to take a backseat and it unfortunately had to be my blog site.  Now though, that all of my retirement hoopla has finished — yes, thank you to my loving family and dear friends for two unforgettable retirement bashes — I am now ready to work on my blog!!  Of course it wouldn’t be officially summer to me and my readers if I didn’t post my annual Summer Reading List.  As always, I’ve spent much time over the last month reading reviews and deciding which books to add to my list. Many of my favorite authors are back with new books and there are several new authors as well!  I’ve come up with a diverse book list for all age levels with a variety of genres.

As you are enjoying your 4th of July today and have a few moments to peruse this list, I’m hoping I’ve selected books that will spark an interest with so many of you! Leave a comment as to which books from my list that you’ll be reading this summer!

ADULT – FICTION:

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler

Bent Road by Lori Roy

The Cove by Ron Rash

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick

The Hollow City by Dan Wells

In One Person by John Irving

Into the Free by Julie Cantrell

Iron House by John Hart

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash

The Providence Rider (Matthew Corbett, #4) by Robert R. McCammon

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2) by Deborah Harkness

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer

The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier

Unwanted by Kristina Ohlsson

ADULT NON-FICTION:

The Day Lincoln Was Shot by Jim Bishop

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O’Reilly

Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War by Tony Horwitz

Moonlight on Linoleum:A Daughter’s Memoir by Terry Helwig

Saving Private Healthcare by Michael Kalthoff

YOUNG ADULT – FICTION:

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Between the Lines by Jodi Piccoult and Samantha van Leer

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Daughter of Smoke and Bone  (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1) by Laini Taylor

Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth

From What I Remember…. by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy, #1) by Leigh Bardugo

MIDDLE GRADES – FICTION

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

Middle School: Get Me Out of Here! by James Patterson

The Serpent’s Shadow (Kane Chronicles, #3) by Rick Riordan

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker

The Wizard of Dark Street  (Oona Crate #1) by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

PRIMARY – FICTION

Bad Kitty for President by Mark Bruel

Bink and Gollie, Two for One by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman;  Dan Yaccarino

The Duckling Gets the Cookie!? by Mo Willems

One Two That’s My Shoe! by Alison Murray

Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Monarch Butterflies in January??!!

If it’s January then it’s once again time at my Seneca Grade School North Campus Library for me to begin reading the 2012 Monarch Nominee books to the children in Kindergarten through 3^rd grades.  The 20 books chosen this year are fabulous choices and I’m sure kids will have a difficult time choosing and voting for their favorite at the end of February.  If you’re not familiar with The Monarch Award in Illinois I’ll let you know what makes it so special– the children in Illinois vote for their favorite Monarch Nominee book!  Just after a few weeks the students are already beginning to voice their opinions as to which book they believe should win!  Though I don’t get a chance to read all of them to the students they are available for the children to check out in the Library each week when their class visits the Library. Below are the books I have been reading or will be reading to the students.

Click here for a complete annotated list of all of the 2012 Monarch Nominees. I’ve also linked the titles of each book to the reviews by other readers at Goodreads.  If you’d like to visit the authors’ websites just click on their names & you’ll find a wealth of information.

 Every title is truly memorable, remarkable and special.  Enjoy these with your students, children, & grandkids! I have an absolute favorite already but of course I’m keeping it a secret!  Shhh!

 

Dogku by Andrew Clements

 

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

 

Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic

 

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

 

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

 

Let’s Do Nothing by Tony Fucile

 

Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith

 

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian

  

 The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth

 

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton

2011 Winter Reads – Cozy Up With a Good Book

“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour. ”
-  John Boswell

 

What a brilliant quote to personify how we as readers stockpile our books to read over the lingering wintry season!  Choosing the best suited reading list takes some pondering, especially at this time of year when we read numerous “best lists” to assist us with our selections. It is my hope that many of these titles I’ve chosen will find their way into your homes for you to read this winter.  I can think of no better place to idle my time than sitting in my cozy reading chair at home with many of these titles listed below in my possession!  What bliss and gratification befalls us when we finish a book and think of it as a lovely dear friend.

For those of you who are well acquainted with me know that the other part of my idling time will be spent enjoying the company of my two young grandsons, Bryce and Kashton! I surely will be reading books to the both of them over these cold winter days.  I can’t think of a better way to bond with them but through sharing the love of books and reading to another generation of children. 

Want to purchase some of these books? All you need do is click on any of the titles to go directly to Amazon and you’ll own the books in minutes.

 May your holidays be safe and happy!

Childrens’ Fiction

 E-Mergencyby Tom Lichtenheld and Ezra Fields-Meyer

 M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual) by Doreen Cronin and  Laura Cornell

 Press Hereby Herve Tullet

 I Want My Hat Backby Jon Klassen

Childrens’ Non-Fiction

America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown

 Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

Middle Grades – Fiction

 Bread Crumbsby Anne Ursu

The Outcasts (Brotherband Chronicles, #1) by John Flanagan

 The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus, book 2) by Rick Riordan

 Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Middle Grades Non-Fiction

 Titanic Sinks! By Barry Denenberg

Young Adult – Fiction

Ashfall (Ashfall, 1) by Mike Mullin

 Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, Book 3)  by Cami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

 Circle of Fire (Prophecy of the Sisters, Book 3) by Michelle Zink

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1) by Lainie Taylor

 Divergent (Divergent, Book 1) by Veronica Roth

The End of Everythingby Megan Abbott

 How to Save a Lifeby Sara Zarr

 Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenby Ransom Riggs

The Name of the Star (Shades of London, 1) by Maureen Johnson

The Night Circusby Erin Morgenstern

Young Adult Non-Fiction

 Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibitionby Karen Blumenthal

Adult Fiction

1222 (A Hanne Wilhelmsen Novel)by Anne Holt

 11/22/63by Stephen King

 The Baker’s Daughterby Sarah McCoy

Breaking Silenceby Linda Castillo

The Discovery of Witchesby Deb Harkness

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

 A Grown-Up Kind of Prettyby Joshilyn Jackson

Joy for Beginnersby Erica Bauermeister

 The Kitchen Daughterby Jael McHenry

The Silver Sparrowby Tayari Jones

 These Things Hiddenby Heather Gudenkauf

 The Violets of Marchby Sarah Jio

Adult Non-Fiction

 Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of  Nazi-Occupied Paris  by David King

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War by Tony Horwitz

Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legendby Susan Orlean

 To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 by Adam Hochschild

Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II  by Mitchell Zuckoff

Kindle Update

I was recently asked to share my thoughts on our school’s Kindle program with Digital Book Readers.  I liked to share the article with you today because I feel it’s important to continue to help and assist other educators as they embark on establishing their own e-reader program.

It’s my hope this article with be of benefit to you: Digital Book Readers: e-readers guide and review.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Kathleen

Pump Up Your Book — August Virtual Book Tour–The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb!

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

“I did not want to be forgotten.
More than that, I wanted, desperately….to be remembered.”  (Benjamin)

Melanie Benjamin who debuted with her first historical fiction novel, Alice I Have Been, in 2010 has penned another stellar piece of work in the same genre with her newest book, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb.  Benjamin creates her book with such style that as you read you feel as if you’re part of a theatrical performance.   As Mrs. Tom Thumb begins her “memoir” reflecting on her life, Benjamin sets the stage with the curtain rising on the world in 1841 when Vinnie was born. Benjamin interjects intermissions throughout the novel filled with historical vignettes of the times consequently giving the reader a sense for the era. Renowned all over the world as Mrs. General Tom Thumb, Vinnie –Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump Stratton Magri imparts her amazing and extraordinary story upon the reader as only she could.  Why might you ask was she so astonishing and remarkable?  Vinnie was a mere 32 inchestall but she always lived by this mantra: “Never would I allow my size to define me.  Instead, I would define it.” (The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb,Benjamin)  Instead of living a quiet unassuming life on the farm where she was born and raised with her parents and siblings in Middleborough, Massachusetts she embraced who she was and ventured out into the world.

Vinnie chronicles her life from her humbling beginning, her education, her stint as a schoolteacher, and eventually to when her life truly began.  In March, 1858 Colonel Wood entered into her life to change her very existence.  During Vinnie’s time performing with Colonel Wood and his Floating Palace of Curiosities she learns
many life lessons as she travels on the Mississippi River with the rest of the troupe.  The Civil War inevitably calls a halt to their journeys on the river and Vinnie once again finds herself back on her family’s farm – but not for long.  Being the bright person she is, Vinnie recognizes and spearheads a plan to catapult herself to greater heights – no pun intended! This proposal includes non-other than the illustrious showman P. T. Barnum!

Not only is the novel regarding Vinnie’s life but it centers on the men in her life, General Tom Thumb and P.T. Barnum. Booklovers, discover the resilient and intense personality of Mrs. Tom Thumb as she soars into the American spotlight and into the heart of General Tom Thumb.  Together, side by side, they share their observations of the world from their own stature. Benjamin brings Vinnie’s illustrious life story to the forefront in The Autobiography of Tom Thumb. You will find yourself forgetting you are reading about a woman who is only 32 inches tall.  This is an extraordinary tribute
to Melanie Benjamin as a writer.

As the curtain eventually began to go down so to speak– as I neared the finality of such an amazing and remarkable novel– I found myself thinking how elated I was to have had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of such a special and memorable person in Mrs. General Tom Thumb!  Benjamin finishes the story of a heroine that
was never completely told before this.

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin is available for you to purchase at Amazon today! Book clubs, what a wonderful book selection for your next discussion with these reading guide questions.  A special note of appreciation to Random House for sending me an Advanced Reading Copy and to Pump Up Your Book for allowing me to kick off the month of August with Melanie Benjamin’s virtual book tour!  Many thanks!

 

 

 

Revisiting Tatiana de Rosnay’s, Sarah’s Key

Now the many fans of Tatiana de Rosnay’s novel, Sarah’s Key, will be clamouring to see the movie version, starring Kristen Scott Thomas as Julia and Melusine Mayance as Sarah, in theaters across the nation — I will be one of them! Over a year ago I read this riveting and haunting Holocaust tale and I knew I must share it with my book club.  Since that time Sarah’s Key has been read by countless book clubs!

 

 

For those who might not be familiar with the book, de Rosnay, intertwines two stories.  Sarah’s story takes place in 1942 in Paris during the Vel’ d’Hiv’ Roundup as Sarah and her family suffer the astrocities of the roundup and the deportation to Auschwicz at the hands of the Nazi. The roundup of the Jews took place on the orders from the German military and were carried out by the French government. The other part of the book takes place in 2002 as Julia Jarmond, an American journalist living in Paris deals with her own personal crisis.  While in Paris, Julia discovers a mystery that she feels she must uncover.  Over the course of time the past and the present come together. Julia learns of a horrific discovery which involves her husband’s family and leads to the eventual connection to Sarah.

On a winter evening back in January 2010 our book club found in Sarah’s Key a realistic and exquisite piece of work by de Rosnay.  Many readers will discover this as the story unfolds. The history of the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup came to life for all of us as we read and discussed Sarah’s Key.  It interconnected the past with the present which we felt made the message of the story so powerful.  We were much more informed and enlightened of this relatively unknown event in history due to reading this particular book.  The portions of the book which affected us most were: the roundup, Julia’s husband’s treatment of her, and most importantly “Sarah’s key to the secret.”

Our book club agreed on the following as the main central theme and the moral of the story. The theme of keeping secrets was quite present. Secrets become heavy weights and many times they are kept to protect someone.  We felt in this particular
story, secrets are best if they are NOT kept. There were exceedingly numerous events which occurred due to the fact secrets were not divulged.   We determined
those who stood aside and let the round up of the Jews by the French on the orders
of the German government take place, had a moral obligation to try to at least
help their fellow citizen.

If your book club has yet to read and discuss Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, now is the perfect time to do so. Here’s the link to discussion questions for Sarah’s Key. Join the magnitude of book clubs who have already discovered and embraced this mesmerizing tale.

Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

“Dear Alice,   I wrote you a few letters,  They’re not really for right now.  They’re for just in case I have to miss anything important.  I love you sweetheart.  Never forget it.     Dad”      (Alice Bliss, Laura Harrington)

 

Letters to live by written for Alice by her father are just part of what makes this coming of age story, Alice Bliss, by Laura Harrington, so unique and special. For fourteen year old Alice she chronicles how she deals with life in the absence of her father while he goes to Iraq. Matt Bliss has joined the National Guard because he feels it’s his duty to contribute to the war.  He joins knowing there is the possibility of being called to duty to serve his country.  The day arrives when it becomes a reality.  Life goes on in the Bliss household as Alice, Ellie, & their mother deal with missing Matt in their own respective ways.

The bond between Alice and her father is a special one as any daughter knows.  Alice cherishes the days when a letter arrives for her from her father – or the far and infrequent phone calls just to hear her father’s voice.  One of Alice’s favorite pastimes was the joy she experienced as she and her enjoyed gardening together. This relationship resonated with me on a very personal level –BUT I can’t divulge why unless I give away the outcome and ending to the story. What I can say is I felt as though I was reliving a part of my youth as I read about Alice and her feelings with the absence of her father. She’s at a time in her life when she will be experiencing the “firsts” such as a dance, a possible boyfriend, and joining the track team, in her young teenage years and she wants and needs her dad to be a part of it all. I enjoyed reading about Alice’s blooming relationship with her best friend, Henry.

 Ellie, Alice’s younger sister, deals with the absence of her father by reaching for a particular book from her father’s favorite bookshelf –his leather bound college dictionary.  This is her way of feeling close to her father just as Alice has latched on to her father’s worn shirt she discovers in the hamper, with his lingering scent.  His dictionary and his shirt are Ellie’s and Alice’s physical connection to their father.

Alice and her mother have somewhat of a strained relationship as they both are trying to cope. Alice doesn’t realize what her mother is going through while Matt is gone. As a husband and wife share family responsibilities, Angie now discovers she must be in charge of everything, which can be an undertaking. Angie is lost without him and finds herself working more hours to combat her loneliness. Alice in turn has to help her mother with some of the daily household chores.  Each of them are dealing with their own inner turmoil but not letting the other one in to help them to cope.  This is a time when they should be reaching out to each other for help.

I stated above I found a personal attachment to the character of Alice.  The tears shed by Alice’s separation with her father were also reminders of the tears I shed as a young fourteen year old myself with my own somewhat similar father/daughter experience - yet different.  Laura Harrington hits on a very timely issue for families everywhere who have parents serving our country. I would highly recommend this to be shared with families to help generate discussion.  The characters are quite identifiable to the reader as is the essence of the story which will ring true for so many. Purchase your copy today at Amazon!  You will fall in love with Alice and and her heartwrenching story!