"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Sunday Salon...September 30

Don and I at Century Link Field with the Seattle skyline in the background.
Weather:  Sunny and warm.  Simply beautiful day. Yesterday it rained in the morning, the first rain we've had in two months, but the afternoon and evening were dry.

This past week: Was absolutely crazy busy at work. I have been doing book talks and library introduction lessons to so many classes that I am completely running out of my favorite books.  Such a terrible problem to have. :)

Yesterday. My family came up to our house and we all drove up to Seattle's Century Link Field for the University of Oregon vs. Washington State Football game. There were thirteen of us. My oldest daughter and her husband are WSU Cougars, the rest of us are Ducks. It was a good, competitive game but it didn't start until 7:30 PM so we didn't get back home after it until after midnight.

Today: I will drive my daughter back up to Seattle.  She joined us for the game and for the family gathering at our house, now she needs to get back to her apartment with plenty of time to study her Organic Chemistry. This evening we have a dessert social at our church.

Book(s) I've finished this week:
  • Sarah's Key by T. de Rosnay...a young Jewish girl's family is rounded up during the Vel d'Viv roundup in France. 60 years later a journalist uncovers her disturbing story. 
Currently reading/listening to:  
  • Second Chance Summer by Matson...a quick read by a favorite author.  A teen returns to a cabin for a summer with her father who is dying from cancer. She also has to confront an event that occurred during a past summer which altered her relationships with friends in the area.
  • Abhorsen by Garth Nix...the third book in the Old Kingdom trilogy is very tense and exciting. I hope to generate some interest in this marvelous series with my readers.
Scripture Lesson today: true confessions: I didn't go to church today.  With a house full of company it just wasn't happenin'.

I'm praying for: My daughter who is struggling to incorporate good class management techniques with a difficult bunch of students.

From the kitchen: Two big pots of soup for the pre-game gathering (not exactly tailgating food): Split pea and Ham/Bean soup. Both were delicious.



Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Holocaust Literature...filling in the blanks in my own knowledge

I am currently finishing up the Jewish Holocaust story, Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. In the story a journalist is assigned the task of reporting on the 60th anniversary of the Vel'd'Hiv roundup, a horrific event during WWII where French police rounded up Jewish families, sending them ultimately to their deaths. Along the way they separated mothers from their children. The parents were sent to death camps in Poland and the children were left behind to essentially fend for themselves in camps guarded by French police. Hundreds of thousands of French Jews lost their lives and few children survived either.

It was a dark period in French history.  One that I knew nothing about until I read this book. It got me thinking about how spotty my holocaust education has been over the years. But thanks to literature I am starting to fill in the blanks. Here are some other books that have helped fill in my incomplete knowledge of this horrific event in world history.


The Diary of Anne Frank ...the first holocaust book that I read, that most people read on the topic. I was so touched by this diary of a young Dutch girl who had to hide, with her family, in an attempt to avoid the Nazi occupiers. For fuller knowledge of the Frank Family I also read Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary, a photographic remembrance by Ruud van der Rol.

Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally...the fictional account of an actual Holocaust hero, Oscar Schindler whose actions saved nearly 2000 Polish Jews. Even as I was reading this book I thought that it should be required reading for every citizen of the world. I tell my students that it is fiction because the author filled in conversations and actions that may not have occurred. For many readers it is best to get their history lessons with a plot and other literary devices!

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman... is a true account of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, Christian zookeepers at the Warsaw Zoo, who helped save the lives of approximately three hundred Polish Jews during World War II by housing and feeding them on zoo grounds and teaching them how to "pass" as Aryan. I learned a lot from this book about the uniquely terrible experience that Polish Jews experiences because Hitler not only hated Jews, he also hated Poles.

Night by Elie Wiesel...a young Jewish boy from Romania serves as a witness to the world of the atrocities of the Nazi Death Camps. Somehow I avoided reading this book until I was well into adulthood.  It is so powerful and eye-opening. How can anyone allow genocide to occur anywhere int he world after reading this book?

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom...the touching account of the Ten Booms, a Dutch family who hid Jews in their home during Nazi occupation in their country. The father and his two daughters were arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Only Corrie survived. This book is told from a Christian point of view and addresses the issue of how to forgive after such atrocities.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli... A street child, known to himself only as Stopthief, finds community when he is taken in by a band of orphans in Warsaw ghetto which helps him weather the horrors of the Nazi regime. Though this is a fiction story for young adults it is enlightening about the horrors that occurred in the Warsaw ghetto. It is very readable, too.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry... a junior book set in Denmark during the Nazi's occupation a young girl and her family help save a Jewish friend. Unlike in many other countries, the Danes, at personal risk to themselves, helped evacuate over 8,000 Jews to Sweden so that very few Danish Jews died at the hands of the Nazis during the war. My daughters read and loved this book when they were in elementary school.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak... a young German girl is forced to live in a foster home because her parents were deemed to be enemies of the state. While in the new home she and the family help hide and shelter a Jewish man. Though this book isn't exclusively about the holocaust and the Jewish experience it is still a serious condemnation of war. This is not only my favorite holocaust book, it is one of my favorite YA books of all times.

Day After Night by Anita Diamante...A tale inspired by the post-Holocaust experience is set in an immigrant holding camp in 1945 Palestine, where four women, refugees from Nazi Europe, find healing in the bonds of friendship that are forged while recounting their losses. I was shocked to learn that Jews, who survived the horrors of WWII were imprisoned at Atlit, an internment camp run by the British for illegal aliens, when they finally made it to Palestine. This is an eye opening account of the a remarkable raid which freed 200 Jews from this camp. 

What books would you recommend to the a young adult reader to help enlarge their knowledge of the Holocaust experience?


Monday, September 24, 2012

Top Ten Series I Never Finished

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish

Series I haven't finished (with rationale notes):

  • The Old Kingdom series (Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen) by Garth Nix...I probably shouldn't add this series to the list since I am currently half finished with the last book and will likely finish it sometime this week. I love this series and want to sing it's praises to all who will listen.
  • Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer...I read Twilight and recognized what all the buzz was about but didn't feel compelled to read on.
  • Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray...I love The Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angel , #1 & #2 in the series. I will eventually turn my attention to the third book, The Sweet Far Thing, but it keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list even though I liked the first two books a lot.
  • Ender series by Orson Scott Card...I've read and enjoyed Ender's Game. In fact, I think it should be required reading. It is that good.  But I haven't even cracked open the other nine books in the series and likely never will.
  • The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams...I love this zany book so much. I'm afraid that the other books in the series won't live up to my expectations. Hence, I am avoiding them for now.  Who knows if I will ever get to them?
  • The Books of Bayern series by Shannon Hale... Goose Girl is a favorite of mine as it is a fairy tale retelling. Enna Burning, #2, takes the story from another character's point of view. The other two books continue with the story but focusing on another character. Realistically I doubt I will ever get to the last two.  So many books, so little time...
  • The Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz...a vampire/paranormal romance, a Twilight spinoff. I liked the first book and think that de la Cruz is a good writer but it is unlikely that I will keep reading the other books in the series.
  • Escape from Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith... Lockdown and other books in the series are VERY popular in my library with boys. I read the first book and understand the appeal but it is not for me.
  • Graceling by Kristin Cashore...I hope to get to Bitterblue, the third book of this fabulous series, soon. The best laid plans...
  • The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare...I enjoyed the paranormal romance City of Bones very much but I haven't kept going. Maybe some day...
  • Anne of Green Gables series by L.M Montgomery... true confessions: I didn't even read the first book in this series until last year. I am a fan and know someday Anne of Avonlea will be on my reading list, maybe even more of the series.
  • The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa...I read the first book, The Iron King, and found it a bit tedious. One of my followers encouraged me to keep going as the series improves. There are so many good books begging for my attention...
  • The Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick...I was pretty captivated by this paranormal romance. That said, I don't see Crescendo in my near future.  Alas....
  • The Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett...I accidently read the 2nd book in the series first, A Hat Full of Sky. I found it charming and hope to go back and read the first book soon. Pratchett is a master and though I don't plan to read the whole discworld series I'd like to finish this shorter, YA series within a series. 
  • The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fford...very clever and tremendously unique. I will keep going.


Monday, September 17, 2012

Top Ten Bookish People I Would Like to Meet

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish
Ten bookish people I'd like to meet....


1. Oprah Winfrey...I admire her "book clubs" and the way that she promoted literacy and stimulating discussions about books.

2. President Jimmy Carter...I've read several of the books that our past President wrote since he left the White House. I tremendously admire him as a man of deep convictions but he puts his faith into action through service to mankind on many levels.


3. John and Hank Green...the Vlogbrothers have created a vlog that posts several times a week, have a fan base of Nerdfighters, and a space that not only speaks to kids who often feel left out or marginalized, but also actually have an educational component, a place to donate money to help micro-businesses and other loans to make a difference in this world.  Plus, I adore all of John's books.  My new favorite is his latest, The Fault in Our Stars.

4. Rachel Maddow...her book, Drift, addresses hard questions about the unmooring of American military power. I admire Rachel and she often promotes books and political authors that speak to me.


5. Ernest Cline...I am really "into" his book, Ready Player One right now and I have this funny feeling that it would be a kick to meet this guy in person.


6. Maggie Stiefvater....love, love, love Scorpio Races and her Tweets are a hoot.


7. Shaun Tan...I am a huge fan of this author/artist. If you haven't read Tales from Outer Suburbia, you must!

8. Bill Bryson...all of his books are very funny, yet insightful, and intelligent.


9. Suzanne Collins...the creator of the Hunger Games series, need I say more?


*10. Jane Austen...I know.  She's dead.  But wouldn't it be lovely to have afternoon tea with Miss Austen?

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sunday Salon...September 16

This photo of Mt. Rainier was taken sometime during a winter since there is so much snow on it, but you get the idea of the view I see as I drive around the area around my home.

Weather:  
Sunny and warm.  Simply beautiful. Mt. Rainier is in full view.


This past week: My job consisted of checking out textbooks every period, all day long.  I only succeeded in filling out two small book orders and one supply order. This next week I will actually be a librarian again meeting with classes, giving an intro to the library.

Yesterday. I finally went grocery shopping. I think my family was beginning to wonder if I every would again. It is never my favorite thing to do, but after a day a textbooks I couldn't face the grocery stores after work. I had to wait for a week-end.

Today: We move my youngest daughter back to college. It is likely to be an all-day affair. I am going to miss her so much.

Book(s) I've finished this week:
  • The Elegance of the Hedghog by Muriel Barbery...I read this book several years ago, so I decided to listen to the audiobook version. At first I wasn't sure if I liked it in this format but eventually the exquisite story took hold and I loved it as I did the first time. 
Currently reading/listening to:  
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the sequel to Divergent.  I am STILL reading this. The slow rate at which I am reading this book has kept me from fully enjoying it.
Scripture Lesson today: 

I'm praying for: Our church as we have to find a new music director and we know it won't be easy.

From the kitchen:  In addition to not wanting to grocery shop I haven't felt like cooking either.  But I did manage to make a dish with Israeli couscous and mangoes that everyone thought was pretty good.


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Do I change my opinion if I find out new information after finishing a book?

This past summer my husband and I listened to the audiobook version of a memoir about the atrocities that happened to the Zeitoun family after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. The Zeitoun's story was very disturbing. The husband, who stayed behind to protect their home and businesses during/after the hurricane, was arrested and held without due process. He wasn't even allowed a phone call to a lawyer or his family. His wife did not know what happened to him for over a month and thought he might be dead. Zeitoun was never charged but was told that he was thought to be a terrorist because of his Syrian heritage. The message of the book was very clear: that one horrific event (the hurricane) led to an even more horrific events: seeing American citizens as criminals and terrorists because they are poor, non-white, and non-Christian.

The story, for obvious reasons, greatly upset my husband and I and we spent several hours discussing it. I even placed the book on one of my lists of favorite audiobooks, though I use the term "favorites" loosely to mean well-done/interesting, rather than 'I love it.' I included it in a blog post about the audiobooks we listened to on our California vacation. An anonymous reader posted a snarky comment about Zeitoun being a terrible person. I decided to publish the comment after doing a little research on my own. Indeed Zeitoun had been in legal trouble for domestic violence. You can read my long-winded reply to anonymous on the post.

I selected Zeitoun by Dave Eggers as an audiobook for our road trip because it is an upcoming Book Club selection. The gals in my club aren't sure if they want to read it as even worse news about Zeitoun has recently surfaced. It was reported in the LA Times.

Now what do I think? I am disturbed by this news about the way the whole story is playing out. The events surrounding the hurricane and the illegal arrest were bad enough. Now this, Zeitoun is under arrest for threatening to kill his X-wife. Should we read the book or not? It seems to me that the current events add to the disturbing aspects of this story and I believe they are interconnected.  This would give our club lots to discuss but will it taint the story for other members knowing this information before reading the memoir?

Your thoughts?

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Banned Books Week Hop Coming Soon


Sign up to participate in the Banned Books Week Hop @ I Read Banned Books and participate in a worthy and fun hop related to censorship and Intellectual Freedom. I will be hosting a giveaway during Banned Books Week, so hop on back September 28 and join the fun!


Monday, September 10, 2012

Top Ten Books that Made Me Think

Top Ten Tuesday... Books that Made Me Think about History 
(a variation on the original question which was more generic)

1. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen...The 1893 Chicago World's Fair and an incredible period of time when so many things we use today were being invented (electricity, etc.), plus a gruesome backstory of a horrific mass murderer operating at the same time. The juxtaposition of the two makes for a phenomenal book. (Nonfiction.)

2. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan... The Great American Dust Bowl of the 1930s.  The author realized that he needed to act immediately if he wanted to actually get first hand accounts of this horrific period of time in American history.  The book is based on the many interviews that he conducted with folks who lived through the Dust Bowl. (Nonfiction.)

3. Playing the Enemy by John Carlin...Nelson Mandela and the game that saved South Africa in the 1990s! How did South Africa move from apartheid to integration without a civil war? This book explains the role that rugby played. (Nonfiction.)

4. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden... Japan before and during WWII and the life of a geisha. Fiction but you will think it really is a memoir. (Fiction.)

5. The Race to Save the Lord God Bird by Phillip Hoose... The beginning of the Audubon Society and the race to save a woodpecker from extinction. (Nonfiction.)

6.  The Big Burn by Timothy Egan...Teddy Roosevelt and the fire that saved America in 1900s. This book was fascinating and eye-opening. (Nonfiction.)

7. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See...China in the 1800s. What is was like to be female and specifics on the horrors of foot-binding. (Fiction.)

8. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann...What happened to the British Explorer Percy Fawcett in 1925 when he was searching for the lost city of Z? (Nonfiction.)

9.  A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson... Bryson set out to understand the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves and in his typical straight forward style made everything accessible and often funny. (Nonfiction.)

10. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom...During World War II in Holland the Ten Boom family hid Jews. Corrie and her sister were imprisoned in a concentration camp. This is their story.

11. The Help by Kathryn Stockett...Civil Rights and what is was like for for black maids raising white children in the deep South in the 1960s. This should be required reading.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Sunday Salon, Sept.9, 2012

My daughter's 4th grade classroom, her first teaching position.

Weather:  Overcast.  Will it finally rain?

This past week: The 2012-13 school year has begun. Our school added the 9th grade class to our school, adding over 500 students. I've been busy checking out textbooks. It is tiring and tedious work.  I look forward to the end so that I can focus on library activities and books. In the good news department, my daughter got her first teaching contract the Friday before Labor Day. She is now a first year teacher in a 4th grade classroom. The whole family spent the day with her on Monday getting her classroom ready for students.  By the end of the day the room was ready for the school year.  See the photo above.

Yesterday. I did five loads of laundry.  It wasn't a very exciting day.

Today: I've been nibbling on anything I can find that has ginger in it as my tummy is upset.

Book challenge: I finished three 400+ for the Read a Long Book this Summer Challenge...Well, actually one of them was 399 pages, ha! (Sabriel and Lirael by Garth Nix; Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fford.)

Books I've finished since my last Sunday Salon:
  • Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation by John Carlin...my husband and I listened to half of this book our a trip to Leavenworth, and the second half on our trip to Oregon last week-end.  Now I want to see the movie Invictus.
  • Lirael by Garth Nix...the middle book of The Old Kingdom trilogy this book ends on a very exciting note now I am eager to read the final book: Abhorsen.
  • Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fford...the second book in the Thursday Next series.  Anyone who considers themselves a bibliophile and enjoys satire would love this book.
  • After the Snow by S.D. Crockett---a YA dystopian novel.
Currently reading/listening to:  
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the sequel to Divergent.
  • The Elegance of the Hedghog by Muriel Barbery...I read this book several years ago, now I'm listening to the audiobook. I think I actually like the written version of this book better.

Scripture Lesson today: Mark 2:9  Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?

I'm praying for: My daughter Rita as she embarks on her teaching career..

From the Kitchen: My youngest daughter made a batch of no-bake "miserable" cookies for my first day of school. We call them miserable cookies because they are the perfect remedy for a miserable day, or you eat so many you feel miserable.  Ha!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Snapshot Saturday...September 8



It's Fall and that means UO Duck Football games.  This is a photo of me and my sister wearing identical sweatshirts at the game last week-end.

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by Alyce At Home with Books

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

My favorite summer reads of 2012


These are my favorite summer reads that I think teens will enjoy.

1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
2. Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers
3. Sabriel and Lirael by Garth Nix
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
6. A Dog's Purpose by Bruce Cameron
7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
8. Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright
9. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fford
10. Stotan! by Chris Crutcher
11. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith
12. Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield
13. After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
14. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
15. The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison
16. A Bride's Story #1 by Kaoru Mori
17. The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci
18. Playing the Enemy by John Carlin


Monday, September 3, 2012

End of Summer...How'd I do on the reading list?

At the beginning of the summer I posted a list of books that I wanted to read this summer.  The list was laughably long.  Now that summer is over it is time to take stock. How did I do on this list?  
Aqua Highlights=I read the book; 
Strike through=I didn't; 
Yellow Highlights= in progress; 
Pink Highlights=books I read that weren't on the original list

Books for Book Club meetings:
  • Heart in the Right Place by Carolyn Jourdan
  • Still Alice by Lisa Genova (I started it but had to release it back to the library. I will finish it before our book club in November.)
  • Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls 
  • The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
  • Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
  • The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
Books for Personal Challenges:
  • Stotan by Chris Crutcher---Chris Crutcher Challenge 
  • Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher---Chris Crutcher Challenge
  • Delirium by Lauren Oliver--- Read a Long Book, Summer Challenge
  • Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright--- Read the ALA Winners Challenge
  • A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry---Read a Long Book, Summer Challenge; From My Own Shelves Challenge 
  • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern--- Audiobook Challenge 
  • Ready Player One by Ernest Cline---Audiobook Challenge
  • Lirael by Garth Nix---Audiobook Challenge and Read a Long Book Summer Challenge
  • Dancing with Mr. Darcy, a collection of short stories---Austen in August Challenge
  • Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fford---Audiobook Challenge, Read a Long Book Summer Challenge
  • Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Saved a Nation by John Carlin---Audiobook Challenge
Books as possible Mock Printz selections:
  • A Grave Mercy by Robin La Fevers 
  • In Darkness by Nick Lake
  • Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi 
  • BZRK by Michael Grant
  • Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers 
  • A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle
  • The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George
  • Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein 
  • The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison 
  • Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks (Graphic novel)
  • The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci and Nate Powell (1/2 graphic novel)
  • Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield 
  • After the Snow by S.D. Crockett 
Books as possible Nifty-Fifty Cart selections:
  • Lockdown By Alexander Gordon Smith 
  • The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
  • Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien
  • Sabriel by Garth Nix 
"Just because I want to read it" books:
  • A Dog's Purpose by Bruce Cameron 
  • Legend by Marie Lu 
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth 
  • Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen (I started this but didn't like it. I won't finish it.)
  • The Vow by Kim and Krickett Carpenter 
  • Bride's Story 1 by Kaoru Mori (Graphic novel) 
  • The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith 
  • Cinder by Marissa Meyer 
  • Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Not bad.  I read 15 of the books on the original list, 13 that weren't on the list, and I'm working on four others. Considering my summer I deserve a B or B+ for my efforts.  :)

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Review: After the Snow by S.D. Crockett


Dystopian tales are HOT, HOT, HOT right now in YA Lit thanks to the Hunger Games series. After the Snow by S.D. Crockett is a dystopian story in the manner of Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking series. The protagonist, Willo, narrates the story in pidgin English, presumably because he isn't a strong reader so he invents his own spelling and words. This technique can be a bit off-putting, especially in the beginning until the reader gets used to the literary devise. It does, however, help make the character more authentic.  It would seem inauthentic to have an illiterate character narrate a story with impeccable prose, wouldn't it?

Willo lives in a world that is dominated by snow and ice. A hard world ruled by a company that controls all the power resources. He and his family eek out a life in the mountains by trapping animals and farming their own food. Then one day his father, stepmother, and siblings are snatched by the company. Willo is left behind. He decides that he will try to find his family and bring them home but he has no idea what adventures and misadventures await him once he moves out into the harsh world. Along the way he discovers information about his family that puts him in extreme danger.

As I closed the final pages I thought this book deserved a spot on my Mock Printz list for 2013. It is a unique, well-plotted book that will resonate with teens who like to read the dystopian genre. Now that a few days have passed I still think it is a strong contender but the story has faded a bit in my mind. Unlike Hunger Games its prototype YA novel, After the Snow ends on a less hopeful note. I am not sure how teen readers will respond. Hopefully it is not a commentary on what we should expect in the future concerning out climate and access to resources.  I prefer to think of a more hopeful future.


Snapshot Saturday, September 1

Snapshot Saturday. Hosted by At Home With Books.

The weather is starting to turn. The school year begins next week. Memories of a fabulous trip to Italy.

Scaligeri Tombs in Verona, Italy