Friday blogs...

Hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

Feature and Follow Friday, February 2, 2012

Featured Blogs: Omnom Books.  Congratulations to my new friend Down Under! Nice blog!
 and Progress and Procrastination which hadn't updated her page by the time I looked at it.

Question of the Week:  Define what characteristics your favorite books share.

•  I look for books that are well-written with lots of descriptions and realistic/strong dialogue. (Think: Shipping News by Annie Proulx; Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns.)
• I tend to lean toward YA books that deal with Teen Angst issues. If this book has a bit of romance, then I will be pleased.  (Think: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, or Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handley.)
• For me to really enjoy an adult book, I must learn something or be swept up in the story and the language within. (Think: Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery; Fragile Beasts by Tawni O'Dell.)
• I attempt to avoid, at all costs, books that are formulaic and trite.

Top Ten Book Club Selections

Top Ten Tuesday asks: "What books would make good book Club selections?

Every year I put out a list of my book club selections from the past year.  Check out my 2010 and 2011 lists.
Here are a few books that worked really well in my book clubs over the past few years in terms of the level of discussion that the book generated:

Historical Fiction
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett---Civil rights, 1960s
2. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan---the late 1940s in the deep South, racial tension
3. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese---set in Ethiopia during its civil war in the late 1960s.
4. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See---during the 1800s in China, about the lives of women and foot-binding.
5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Annie Burrows---set on the island of Guernsey which was occupied by the Nazis during WWII.
6. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan---Frank Lloyd Wright and his affair with Maima Bostwick
7. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks---A village beset by the plague in Derbyshire.
8. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant---The story of women during Biblical times.
9. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen---A traveling circus and its cast of characters.

Nonfiction
1. The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan--- the beginning of the Forest Service and National Forests and a fire that nearly brought it all down.
2. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand---The great American race horse.
3. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson---The Chicago Worlds Fair at the turn of the century juxtaposed to a mass-murderer in the same area.
4. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan---The American Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.
5. American Nightingale by Bob Welsh---about the first American nurse to die in Europe after D-Day

YA/Children's Books (for Adult Book Groups!)
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak---WWII inside Germany.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie---the divided life of an Indian on and off the reservation. Very funny and poignant.
3. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan---set during the Great Depression about the plight of Mexican laborers.

It's Monday, January 30 and I'm reading...

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey

I'm Reading:  

The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin---a middle-grade biography of American's most famous traitor. This book won the YALSA Nonfiction Prize this year.

A Death at Pemberley by P.D. James---Elizabeth Bennett Darcy involved in a murder mystery? Why not?

I recently finished:

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler--- another award-winning YA novel that is both funny and poignant; anyone who has ever had their heart broken should read this wonderful book.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green---this book may very well end up on my all-time-favorites list. I love it.

 Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann---I listened to this YA mystery/horror novel on audiobooks and thought it was really well done. 

Fragile Beasts by Tawni O'Dell--- can't wait to discuss this book with my club. This is a wonderful story of love, loss, and redemption.

I'm listening to:

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen--- this is my second Dessen book and it is shaping up fine.

What's Up Next:

Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater---I am very excited to get started on this award-winning love story.

 Henry Tilney's Diary By Amanda Grange---next week is Austen Week in my library. I'd like to get to this book before then!

Review: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped. ---Goodreads

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler is the book that anyone who has ever been dumped and had their heart broken wishes that they could write. It is the last letter and the exclamation point at the end of that letter. It says what the heartbroken one always wants to say but never has the chance. It is a rant, a prayer, a song, a final goodbye. It contains the tears and the laughter and a "how-could-you" all wrapped up in one document. It is a powerful reminder that all of us, no matter how artsy, or creative, or different we are, want to be loved and to feel special.

Last week Why We Broke Up won a Printz Honor for excellence in YA lit and, in my opinion, deserved it. The first thing I noticed about the book is that it is heavy.  It looks like a typical YA novel until you actually pick it up and the thing weighs a ton. Okay, so I am exaggerating, but it really is quite heavy because it has all of the special paper required for all the creative art work. As Min writes her letter to Ed of why they broke up, there is a corresponding drawing of the item she is also returning.  Maira Kalman is the artist and I loved her whimsical and colorful paintings. Handler writes like a teenager speaks so there are often long, run-on sentences and odd phrasings that would make me pause and go back for a re-read. A few times I wasn't sure what Min was talking about or what just happened, which would also cause me to back up and try again. But instead of being put-off by this, I was charmed.  The book was fresh and creative. It was poignant and funny in turn. I am so glad that I read it and I hope you find your way to it, too.

The back cover is filled with little quips from other YA authors about a time they had their heart broken like this one by Holly Black:

"The first boy I fell in love with didn't know I loved him, but he managed to break my heart anyway." 

Ed and Min's story of heartbreak may remind you of your own heartbreak stories, it did for me. Here is mine:

My college boyfriend broke up with me at the end of a college term but then had to drive me the 30 miles to my parents home.  I cried all the way. When he dropped me off and drove off to return to Portland I knew I would never see him again. The next day I left for Europe. From there I wrote him the most pathetic letter. If I could I wouldn't do anything different except the pathetic letter. I'd spare myself that embarrassment.

Got a heartbreak story you are willing to share? Do so in the comment section.  Thanks.

Top Ten Historical Novels

Top Ten Historical Novels (in random order):

• 1. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally---Based on the true WWII story of the holocaust hero Oskar Schindler.

• 2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys---Stalin's reign of terror with the relocation of thousands of people from the Baltic States to Siberia. (YA)

• 3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett---set in the deep South during the Civil Rights era. This book should be required reading for all Americans.

• 4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak---WWII in Germany. This book is powerful. (YA)

• 5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith---Set in the early 1900s about an Irish-American-immigrant story. Exquisite.

• 6. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly---at least the French Revolution parts of the book were fascinating. (YA)

• 7. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay---Set in South Africa prior to the dissolution of apartheid.

• 8. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh--- Set in the decadent 1920s in Britain. 

• 9. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns---I know I always put this book on just about every list I can.  This one is set in the early 1900s in a small town in America.

• 10. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell--- Civil War and the old South. 

As usual, I feel like I am missing some good ones.  I'll sleep on it and amend my list tomorrow.Ah, a good sleep and I've thought of some others...

• 11.  The Red Tent by Anita Diamant---set in Biblical times about the lives of women during those times.
• 12.  The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks---set in Britain during the middle ages about a community beset with the bubonic plague.  It is based on an actual historical event.
• 13.  The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland---Artemisia Gentileschi was a post-Rennaissance artist that gained fame during her lifetime. This is her amazing story. 
• 14. The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig---set in the American West in the early 1900s. the story centers around a one-room school house.
• 15. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides--- an immigrant family from Armenia living in the Detroit area during the late 1960s.

2012 Mock Printz Results

Mock Printz 2012 Results

You may be wondering why I am reporting the results of my Mock Printz Workshop on the very day that the American Library Association reported the results of the actual Printz Award winners.

Here's why...

My Mock Printz Workshop was scheduled for last Thursday, January 19th but school was canceled for three days due to snow and ice. When I got back to school today I had to make contact with all 50 of the student participants and tell them that the workshop would be after school today. Amazingly around 25 kids were able to attend on such short notice. For two hours we debated, voted, and came up with this list as our 

Mock Printz slate:

GKHS Mock Printz Award:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Honor Books:

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

After we discussed, debated, and finally decided on our slate we went on-line to check the actual Printz award list of books. It had a chilling effect on us since there was only one book on the that list that we had even read. It was like all the air went out of our balloon.  Out of 15 books on our original list we only read one of the winners. Ugh. 

Here is the link to the Press Release from the ALA about their awards:

Sunday Salon...Jan. 22

Japanese Maple covered in ice

This willow was so covered with ice that is fell over, only the deck saved it from breaking.

The Weather: This week has been all about the weather and none of it was good. It snowed several times (Sunday through Wednesday) and then freezing rain fell on top of the snow and covered everything with about a half inch of ice (Wednesday and Thursday.) We went into a deep freeze.  We lost electric power for over a day. We were cold and had to hunker down in the dark.


Family doings: We did what we needed to do to stay warm and create light. The storm ended yesterday and it started to warm up but our power wasn't restored until last night. Today my husband went out to survey the storm damage.  Almost all of our trees sustained damage with limbs that fell off due to the heavy weight of the ice. Five of the trees lost the crown branch but will survive, one tree lost all of it's branches and we will have to replace it. It has been a day of mourning. We love our yard and our trees.
 
I'm listening to:  Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann


Book finished this week: 1. His Dark Endeavors by Kenneth Oppel; 2. The Future of Us by Asher and Mackler; 3. Fragile Beasts by Tawni O'Dell
 
I'm reading: 1. Dancing with Mr. Darcy: Stories Inspired by Jane Austen; 2. Death Comes to Pemberley by PD. James. (Guess it is winter since I am reading Austen retellings!)

One good thing about storms: I got lots of reading done. With no power, I was not tempted and couldn't watch TV or spend time on the computer. My husband and I also finished two jigsaw puzzles and we played lots of dominoes as a family. (We did get cabin fever, though.)


Scripture lesson in church: Matthew 2:13  ^"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 


I'm praying for: Myself. That I can have a more encouraging spirit.


Around the house: I cleaned out the pantry cupboard where I store candles today as I was putting them away. I threw away one garbage bag of old junk. That feels good.

From the kitchen: Anything that could be heated on the stove top by gas because our oven requires electricity.  I figured out how to steam the pesto fish I planned on baking.  It was OK that way.

On the Web: Clever Household Storage Ideas...you have got to take a look. This is so clever.  If you didn't look at it last week, look now!


A favorite quote this week: "Seattlites are snow wimps." Kim Murphy, LA Times. Oh, yeah, Ms. Murphy.  You try living in this ugly storm and see if you think we are such wimps!

Icemaggedon...Day Two of Weird Weather in the Northwest

Yesterday I reported on Snowmaggedon in the Northwest, weird weather that paralyzes our whole area. Well, today, day two, is worse.  I am calling it Icemaggedon. Freezing rain is falling on the snow causing sheets of ice on everything. The snow looks like it has a pretty sheen on it until you get close and realize that it is a layer of ice about a 1/4 inch thick. If you look closely at my photos you see ice on every little branch/twig of the trees. The tree in the first picture is bent over with the weight of the ice.  News reports today are of cars in ditches, accidents everywhere, and the SEA-TAC airport is closed. My whole family is staying home from work and school today. Now we keep our fingers crossed that the power stays on!

PS...Soon after I posted these pictures on Thursday we lost  power and didn't get it back until late on Friday. In the meantime the ice was wreaking havoc on our poor trees. We would step outside and you could just hear snaps and pops as tree branches were breaking under the weight of all the ice. All of our trees are damaged, hopefully all will survive though I'm not sure they will look good.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK!!!!!

Before I even finished the novel I turned to my daughter and said, "I think that this is quite possibly my favorite book...ever." "But Mom, you haven't finished the book yet and you've cried throughout." Pish-posh. I can use up a box of tissues and still love a story. And, boy, there is a lot of story to love.

No spoilers, I promise.

First, this book is so John Green.  If you are a Nerdfighter or have watched John on Vlogbrothers with his brother, Hank, you know that he makes up words and then uses them over and over. He also makes fun of words and the way they are misused, like the oft misuse of the word literally. It is one of his very endearing qualities.  In this novel his characters do the same thing. Here is a quote that touches on this:

'That is why I like you. Do you realize how rare it is to come across a hot girl who creates an adjectival version of the word pedophile? You are so busy being you that you no idea how utterly unprecedented you are.' -p.123

In a lot of ways this beautiful love story is about life and death is also about the power of literature, both prose and poetry.  I love that! I love it when characters recite poems to each other or quote from great works of literature, even if one of those great works doesn't exist. After Hazel recited a portion of a poem, Augustus says:

"I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you." p.153

Lastly, among the many, many things I like about this story, both Hazel and Augustus have wonderful and attentive parents.  So many YA books are full of absent, awful or ignorant adults. My college daughter was also reading The Fault in Our Stars at the exact same time as me. When I asked if she had used as many tissues as me she thought not. "I think it is a Mother thing," she told me. Maybe so, but I doubt it.  I bet other readers will be as profoundly touched by this book as me.

Check out John Green reading the first chapter of The Fault in Our Stars here:  Enjoy.

I don't normally buy copies of books for myself, preferring to check them out from libraries.  While reading this library copy I decided to buy my own The Fault in Our Stars.

Snowmaggedon in the Northwest

For those of you in other parts of the world you may not understand how crippling snow events are in the Northwest. Schools are canceled, government agencies are closed, people are encouraged to stay off the roads...for good reason, I might add. We have so many hills around here anyone driving has a good chance of ending up in a ditch.  In fact, I saw a news account of five cars in a ditch just this morning. It becomes like "snowmaggedon" around here.  In order to celebrate my own snow day I am staying in, reading The Fault in Our Stars, drinking coffee, and finally writing those Christmas "Thank You"  letters. I LOVE SNOW DAYS!