Anne of Avonlea

"Perhaps she had not succeeded in 'inspiring' any wonderful ambitions in her pupils, but she had taught them, more by her own sweet personality than by all her careful precepts, that it was good and necessary in the years that were before them to live their lives finely and graciously, holding fast to truth and courtesy and kindness, keeping aloof from all that savoured of falsehood and meanness and vulgarity. They were, perhaps, all unconscious of having learned such lessons; but they would remember and practice them long after they had forgotten the capital of Afghanistan and the dates of the Wars of the Roses."

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

In the second book, Anne is no longer the student: she has become the teacher, and she pours her soul into it, as she does with everything.  She is home to help Marilla with their two new additions: twins Davy and Dora.  She also makes several new friends, who keep life interesting and full of love and imagination.

A wonderful read.  I love watching Anne grow up.

Anne of Green Gables

"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world."

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Good heavens, how could I have never known Anne of Green Gables?  I have never read this book and I can't imagine how or why!  The only comfort I have in waiting so long is that I have now had such a fun treasure in my twenties that I never knew about!

When Mary saw I was reading this she asked me, "Have you come to kindred spirits yet?"  :)  What a delightful term for those people we all hold near!

I just love this book - it went right along with happy people living in mountains and now on islands!  Anne is so wonderfully endearing I understand exactly why she has become so well known over the years.  Perhaps I love her most because she always has such great intentions.  She is such a fun protagonist.

To start the series, Anne leaves an orphanage to live with a brother and sister (Matthew and Marilla) in Green Gables.  They had planned on a boy, but feel so badly for Anne that the keep her.  Over time, they come to love Anne, in spite of (or maybe because of) her many incidents and accidents.  It is a beautiful, rich story.  I will undoubtedly read this again and again (books 2-7 are on my library counter to read right away!)

LOVED this.

I, Juan de Pareja

"Art must be true.  It is the one thing in life that must rest on solid truth.  Otherwise, it is worthless."

I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

In my quest to read all the Newberys, I picked up "I, Juan de Pareja" in January 2009.  Because I love Spain, and I know who Velazquez is, I devoured the story, wishing genuinely that there was more.

Velazquez is a renowned Spanish painter from the seventeenth century.  His most famous piece of artwork, "Las Meninas" is an intriguing work that I feel privileged to have seen in person.  I, Juan de Pareja, is a book about Velazquez through the eyes of his slave, Juan de Pareja.  Juan is inherited by Velazquez when he is a young boy and becomes a pillar for Velazquez: he sets the canvases, washes the brushes, arranges the palette, and travels many miles at his master's side.  It is a captivating story, both in regards to the artwork that Velazquez created, and in terms of the beautiful relationship that unfolds between master and pupil.  Juan's voice is simple and raw, filled with honesty and emotion.

Whenever I am asked about my favorite book I respond that it is "I, Juan de Pareja."  I can't believe five years have passed since I read it, but I truly enjoyed again experiencing the surprise that comes from being uncertain how it would all go.  I love this book.

By the way, the cover is snatches of the artwork of Velazquez, which I also just love.  Go look up "Las Meninas" and read a little about the history of it.  It is the only self-portrait we have of Velazquez.

Tuesdays at the Castle

There were only two rules the Castle seemed to follow.  Rule One: The throne room was always to the east.  Rule Two: If you turned left three times and climbed through the next window, you'd end up in the kitchens.

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

Sometimes when I walk through the shelves at the library I snag books based entirely on their cover (and usually their inside flap).   This book was one of those, from the award book section in juvenile fiction that I frequent every time I'm a
t the library.  It was a fun, fluffy read, one of those that reminds me of why I so loved (and still do) indulging in books as a child. 

The Glower family lives in an enchanted castle that can transform as it pleases.  Each Tuesday something changes: a new wing added, a hallway lengthened, a secret passage where there was nothing before.  It is a fun, intriguing building and the kids love to live there. 

A few pages in, however, the king and queen have gone missing and the three Glower children at the castle must use it to fight those that are trying to take over.  The kids are involved in pranks as well as dangerous adventures as they join forces with their castle to try to make sure the crown stays protected.

Though there was nothing that made it really stand out in a literary sense, for me this book rates high.  It was just fun!  I loved being taken away by my imagination.

Two post scripts here: first, I am the dork that almost always reads about the author and reads through their notes at the end.  I was delighted to see that Jessica Day George not only lives in Salt Lake City but also attended BYU, my alma mater.  Second, my nickname (from one of my siblings) is Glower - odd, but true.  It was hard to read about the Glower children without a smile coming to my face because of it.

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

I may as well get to the point: I absolutely loved Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat.  It was such a FUN read.  I remember watching Monsters, Inc. and walking away saying, "That was a fantastic show.  I can't believe they could construe such an absurd story line into something cohesive."  I felt much the same way about Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat: I could never adequately describe the book but it was just so good.  And so, I'll take a stab at describing it.  :)

Since Emmy's parents inherited a massive fortune from a great uncle they never knew, they have been traveling the world, leaving Emmy in the care of a nasty nanny, Miss Barmy.  Miss Barmy is simply not kind but she is also very odd: she makes Emmy drink all sorts of strange things, rub things behind her ears, keep a remarkably full schedule, and be the perfect child.  It's a mess.  But one day Emmy stumbles on Miss Barmy in an area of town she's never seen before: a rodent store that houses all sorts of animals with unique tags on them, listing powers and abilities of each. 

And on the story goes: a well-woven plot about some impressive rodents and a smart little girl who figures out Miss Barmy while dealing with her own innocent emotions.  It was such a fun ride: one I will certainly purchase for my children and read with them again and again.

Seedfolks

"Gardening boring?  Never!  It has suspense, tragedy, startling developments-a soap opera growing out of the ground.  I'd forgotten that tremolo of expectation produced by a tiny forest of sprouts.  A fact bobbed up from my memory, that the ancient Egyptians prescribed walking through a garden as a cure for the mad.  It was a mind-altering drug we took daily."

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

TJ and I went out to eat with some long time friends at Cafe Madrid, our favorite (...only) local Spanish restaurant.  The food was delightful and the company was great: we sat at the table for three hours.  For a good 45 minutes we discussed books, which is something I can certainly get excited about.  As usual, I suggested Funny in Farsi, which is probably in my top 3 favorites of all time.  Our friends suggested Seedfolks, which they said was a "good, quick read."  They were right.  I picked it up from the library three days later and read it in an hour.

There is an empty lot in the middle of Cleveland that has turn into a dumping ground of sorts: it's filled with old tires, refrigerators, a sofa and rats.  But a little girl who misses her father starts an unexpected change in the old lot when she plants a few beans: she hopes her dad will look down from heaven and see that she is just like him, gardening.  Each chapter introduces a different character, who goes to the lot for a different reason, planting hope with their various seeds.

I anticipated that the same 3-5 characters would each have a few chapters of narration but every chapter, from start to finish, was a different character, thirteen in all.  I really enjoyed it.  My favorite books are happy books and I loved seeing this group of strangers work together to make something beautiful.

I'm uncertain the best age for reading this but you could certainly have some good conversations with children about acceptance, service, kindness and hard work.  I heartily recommend this one.

Half Magic

"Still, even without the country or a lake, the summer was a fine thing, particularly when you were at the beginning of it, looking ahead into it. There would be months of beautifully long, empty days, and each other to play with, and the books from the library.”

Half Magic by Edward Eager

As with most of the book recommendations I pursue, I picked this up based on a recommendation by Janssen at Everyday Reading.  She lists it as one of her favorite middle grade books and I agree completely.  In fact, I told TJ that this is the exact kind of book I imagine reading to our kids on road trips in the future.  It was innocent, fun, entertaining and plain old wholesome: my favorite combination for a book.

Four siblings - Jane, Katharine, Mark and Martha - find a charm one day and, after a sequence of odd events, figure out that the charm grants them exactly one half of everything they wish.  With that understanding in place the four of them set out to have several wonderful adventures together, fumbling through some wacky wishes (caused by unsound math).  It was a lot of fun to see what sorts of adventures were the most exciting to them (they take turns with the charm) and it was quite funny to see what went awry. 

I also really enjoyed the narrator's voice, which I felt was the perfect tone for children.  I imagined the narrator as a he, since the author is a he, and he acknowledged the audience by saying things like "you know exactly what I mean" or "as I'm sure you know."  They were the sort of acknowledgements that I would bet make children feel connected to the book even further.  A great touch, I think.

I did close this book with a homework assignment to read something by E. Nesbit.  I'm ashamed to say I don't even know who it is but Edward Eager, the author, mentions Nesbit in every book he writes in an effort to point children to her books.  I'll add her to my list!

Every Soul a Star

"Wherever you end up, I wish you clear skies.  Always."
-Every Soul a Star, Wendy Mass

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

At the same time I was reading Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, I was listening to the audiobook for Every Soul a Star.  The two together provided a very nice contrast: while Major Pettigrew was very deliberate and mature, Every Soul a Star had young voices with a quick storyline.

Every Soul a Star has three teenage protagonists and the chapters rotate between each of them: Ally is a down-to-earth girl that lives at a campground with her parents and little brother - she is intelligent, thoughtful and sincere; Jack is an insecure kid living with him mom and brother, but he spends a lot of time in his tree house, where he escapes reality by drawing and daydreaming; Bree is the stuck-up girl from other girls' nightmares - she is obsessed with fashion, her figure, and her prospective modeling career.  I enjoyed that in the audio version each of the protagonists was played by a different person, so their voices were differentiated even further than their voices in the book may have allowed.

As the book opens, Ally, Jack and Bree are all living separate lives.  Ally lives happily with her family, her best friends, at the Moon Shadow Campground.  She and her brother, Kenny, are home schooled and love spending time outside, exploring nature.  Most especially, Ally has been blessed with a great love for the skies and spends many hours exploring the stars.  Her family is preparing for the solar eclipse and their preparations have lasted as long as she can remember: she has never been more excited for any single event.

Jack's life is a constant battle between what he wants to do - art - and what he should do - school.  He has failed science and is trying not to think about looming summer school when his science teacher, Mr. Silver, calls and invites him on a trip to see a solar eclipse.  The two week trip would take the place of summer school, so after approximately 2.8 seconds of thought, Jack accepts.  For the first time he can remember, he fits in with a group, as the others on the bus tour think he's wonderful, in spite of being overweight and imaginative.

Bree has just landed quite an impressive job at the mall's make-up store as Junior Consultant.  She is hoping to start a new modeling career and is the proud leader of the "A Clique" at school.  She gathers pictures of models in her spare time and rates herself, and everyone she sees, on a scale from 1-10 every day.  Her world comes crashing down when her parents announce they're moving and she, against her will, is forced to move with them.

The three meet at the Moon Shadow and have two weeks together leading up to the big eclipse that brought them all there.  They struggle to understand how each of the others thinks and they learn to better understand people in general. 

My favorite thing about this book was how much I learned about the stars and eclipses.  After it ended I told my husband I'd really like to go see an eclipse.  I also learned about exoplanets (aided by my husband's documentary-like explanation of how they're found) and meteorites.  Space is such a fun area to learn about and I liked seeing others' enthusiasm for it.

Maybe what I least enjoyed was the teenage voices: I hated being a teenager, which likely carries into this.  :)  It was okay, and a welcome change of scenery from Major Pettigrew, but I don't think I'll ever pick it up again.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

“...I tell myself it does not matter what one reads--favorite authors, particular themes--as long as we read something. It is not even important to own the books.”
― Helen Simonson, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand 

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Major Pettigrew lives in the countryside of England as a widower in his late 60s.  He is overcome with grief again when he hears of his brother's death, an unexpected occurrence that happens just before the book begins.  He is pulled out of his despair by Mrs. Ali, a shop owner from the village, who stops in and steps in to help when she understands the situation. 

In time, Mrs. Ali and Major Pettigrew develop a friendship, based on loyalty, compassion, genuine concern for the other and time-honored traditions like drinking tea and discussing literature.  (I can't help but think such traditions would be great to start around these parts!)  Of course, even while they are becoming friends they are both dealing with issues that real life deals out: the Major has a moronic son who is selfish and unkind and Mrs. Ali has a nephew she feels obligated to help (he brings a host of issues himself).  The story, then, weaves back and forth between the current events with family and friends and a blossoming love story. 

Until the last 75-100 pages the book was very steady, quite inconsequentially eventful, and, as I can best describe it, deliberate.  The writing is beautiful, detailed and witty, as only an example can demonstrate:

My dear Mrs. Ali, I would hardly refer to you as old," he said. "You are in what I would call the very prime flowering of mature womanhood." It was a little grandiose but he hoped to surprise a blush. Instead she laughed out loud at him. "I have never heard anyone try to trowel such a thick layer of flattery on the wrinkles and fat deposits of advanced middle age, Major," she said. "I am fifty-eight years old and I think I have slipped beyond flowering. I can only hope now to dry out into one of those everlasting bouquets.

I truly enjoyed how rich the text was; it seemed to me that each sentence was crafted to perfection (I can't imagine how someone can write like that and think it is nothing short of a true gift).  It was delightful to be allowed to listen to the conversations of such eloquent characters.

Sadly, I found myself quite disappointed in the ending, which felt very far-fetched considering the previous 300 pages of the book.  Though the ending wasn't sad, the twist was so unexpected and evil that I had a hard time accepting it as the true ending for the book: it left a sour taste in my mouth.  The rest of the pages, however, were a lot of fun to read, and for those that aren't sensitive readers (as I definitely confess I am), this may be the perfect book.

The Shakespeare Stealer

The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood

Over Thanksgiving last year, my husband and I went on an 8 day trip to California.  The first three days we spent at Disneyland, running between rides and eating ice cream with the excitement of children.  On day four we drove down to San Diego, where we met up with his family for the rest of the week.  We ate like it was going out of style, attended his little brother's soccer tournament and played games  And I read.  I walked miles each day with my nose in a book and the sun on my skin: I believe that is my definition of contentment.  Or maybe happiness itself.  Whatever it was, I loved it so much that I read the three books I had taken and, with three days left of the trip, we had to go to Barnes and Noble to find something new.  How devastating.  :)  It was there that I picked up Shakespeare Stealer (and two others...reviews to come).  It was also there that I read it (in California, I mean, not in the bookstore).

The Shakespeare Stealer is a clever story about Widge, a boy whose harsh master makes him learn an ingenious shorthand that he (the master) invented.  Though the system is not nearly as great as the master thinks, Widge masters it and becomes the only person who can capably use it.  One day a disfigured man comes and offers the master a handsome sum to buy Widge and take him away at once: suddenly, Widge's whole future has changed. 

Widge is taken to a whole new world, it seems, as he enters London with the very clear directive of transcribing, in its entirety, Hamlet.  Though the new master won't discuss it, it becomes apparent that his hope is to steal the play and make another traveling group of actors rich with it.  But Widge gets caught up in the magic and the beauty of the play, and soon he becomes involved with the actors and escapes his master to learn the art of acting.  He actually has friends, is learning a skill and, for the first time, has a place to call home as he spends each day rehearsing for the upcoming plays.

Of course there is a twist at the end, but that I won't tell you about; why else would you read it? 

My biggest complaint about this book is that I was so worried about Widge!  I found myself reading as quickly as possible, as though turning the pages faster would protect Widge from his new master, who is enraged when he does not have the play after the first performance.  I wouldn't mind rereading for the sake of taking in more of the details (as opposed to having my eyes flit quickly across pages looking for any signs of distress).  Alas, these concerns are petty issues of the reader, not of the book.  :)  It was a fun read; I think boys around sixth grade would enjoy it very much.

(Oh, and what an interesting time to read about!  In spite of it being fictionalized I really enjoyed thinking about living during Shakespeare's time.)

Replay

"When I am happy, I tap-dance."
-Replay, Sharon Creech

Replay by Sharon Creech

Last time I was at the library I went to grab Love That Dog and Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech...and just grabbed a stack of books while there.  Replay was one of them, and the first one I picked up.  

Replay has several circumstances at play throughout it, but the theme remains: that of players on a stage, whether the stage is life itself, a play at school, the daydreams of a young boy or the stories of the past.  The story is told by Leo, a young boy in an Italian family, trying to figure out what part he plays in life, both the present and in the bigger scheme of things.  He uncovers more as he learns about the past, dreams about the future and prepares for his school play.

I didn't love it.  It took me too long to figure out who was narrating (the voice is that of a child, and it is Leo, but is always in third person) and I think I may have missed the symbolism entirely (which is just a reminder of my lack of training in literary analysis...)  I don't think I'll pick this one up again; too many other options that appeal to me more than this.

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

I love people with good hearts, both in literature and in real life.  The protagonist of this book has a good heart, which is put to the test when the new family in town, with a girl just his age, is black.  The setting is the early 1900s and Dit (the main character) hoped for a new boy his age to play baseball with: proper Emma, with her avid love for books and distaste for dirt, is the last person he  could imagine spending time with.  But he does, and soon enough he starts liking it.  As a child, he struggles to understand why everyone can't be treated equally: today we do too.  I found myself cheering for Dit as he stuck up for Emma, more strongly over time, throughout the town.  The ending was bittersweet, but it was the right ending which I always appreciate.

I thought this book was especially neat when I realized the title is more than 3 words long and still all the words are capitalized - you don't see that everyday.  :)

A very good read, especially for teaching kids good lessons about the value of each person (or for reminding yourself of them and of the battles the nation has been through to get here).

Double Dutch

Double Dutch by Sharon M. Draper

About five years ago my youngest sister, Tiny, received double dutch ropes for her birthday and we spent many hours learning to jump.  It became almost standard that every night that summer we pulled them out and worked on transitioning in and out smoothly as well as tricks; all my little sisters are dancers so we worked on things like holding your foot by your head while jumping, toe touches upon entering the ropes, etc.  It was a grand time.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when I saw a book about double dutch I snagged it.  I rented the audiobook version to pass the time on my daily commute more quickly and was hopeful that I would be swallowed up in the world of double dutch, learning new tricks and terms to share with my sisters.  Sadly, I didn't love it.  The main characters did double dutch together, but the book wasn't about double dutch.  It may be my expectations that ruined it for me; there was a good storyline about literacy and poverty and friendship that was nice, but as a reader that hoped for hard core double dutch (is there such a thing?) I walked away disappointed.

Oh, and one thing that tells you a little bit about me: it was very difficult for me to listen to this book and not know how the character's names were spelled!  This was my first discovery that when reading I really do see words rather than always hear them (as I know some readers do).

Overall, a mediocre read about a young girl struggling with literacy and a young boy struggling with poverty and the lengths they go to figuring both out. 

Hattie Big Sky

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

I found Hattie Big Sky on a list of Janssen's favorite books (see the list of her book index here) and picked it up at the library simply based on the catchy title (I would submit that readers absolutely judge books by the cover...and the title and the author, etc.)  This book was so intriguing, delightful, heartbreaking and enjoyable; I can absolutely understand why it merited a Newbery Honor.

Hattie is a young (16-year-old) girl who was orphaned early in life and has been tossed from relative to relative for as long as she can remember.  While living with distant relatives that she calls aunt and uncle, she receives a letter from a Perilee in Montana.  Perilee has sent a letter from Hattie's now deceased uncle inviting her to Montana, to take over his plot of 320 acres and his house if she's interested.  Without much thought she packs her single bag, boards the train with her cat (a delightful character) and heads out to Montana, where she finds her "house" is a clapboard 9' x 12' shack in the midst of very difficult terrain.

Over the next year you'll watch anxiously as Hattie works to "prove up" her plot of land, building a whole lot of fence and planting her crops for the harvest.  Along the way she becomes genuine friends with characters she did not initially anticipate loving and she learns a lot about what makes a person truly good. 

I really enjoyed learning more about homesteading, farming (which I have not learned a lick about through life experiences) and WWI (which I am deeply grateful for not living through).  My heart hurt with Hattie as she struggled through difficulties and I was so excited for every little victory she achieved along the way.  A worthwhile read.

Granny Torrelli Makes Soup

Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech

While my husband was gone (ice fishing) this morning and I was feeling too sick with a cold to get to the gym, I picked up Granny Torelli Makes Soup.  Nobody recommended it to me, but I've really enjoyed others by Sharon Creech and simply couldn't resist grabbing it at the library when I saw the cover.  Plus, who doesn't love Italian? 

It was a fun, quick read.  I really enjoyed that the book spanned just two days and that the whole thing was the conversation between Granny Torrelli and her granddaughter, Rosie, as they make Italian food.  The style was unique, with all spoken dialogue italicized (not in quotations) and I found myself reading the book as though I was watching a play.  Plus, with the way they talk about the food you almost feel like you're in the kitchen.

This would be a great book to read with a child who's struggling with losing their best friend to someone "newer" or fighting feelings of jealousy because of what's going on with their friends.  Lots of nice lessons sprinkled throughout that would be good to talk through after reading (you could plan convenient ending times each day while reading and talk about that day's section).  I liked it.  It was simple, quick and light with some good lessons underneath.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This one was fabulous! 

The first thing you'll notice about this book is that the whole thing is written in letters; the setting is immediately after WWII in Europe, where so many have lost everything.  There are letters between the folks that live in quaint, gorgeous Guernsey and there are letters the are to "outsiders," talking about the German occupation of the Channel Islands (something I had never before thought about but was fascinated by).

I loved the character development in this book and really enjoyed figuring out who was who by the letters they wrote (as well as the gossip neighbors wrote about them!)  Initially I wished there was a list of characters and their relationships, but after the first fifty pages I found that figuring it out was part of the fun and the authors were certainly going to give me everything I need.  I only wish that there was more by the authors for us all to enjoy.

As a side note, the original author passed away before the book was completed and her niece took over finishing it.  I was surprised to find this out as I never found a change in tone or style: well done, Ms. Barrows!

This is one I heartily recommend: it absolutely makes the list of best books I've read this year.  In fact, I would not mind having this one on my shelf so I could easily come back to it over and over again.

Also, for what it's worth, Ella Minnow Pea is also written in letters and is a fascinating, clever read!

Crispin: The Cross of Lead

Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

This book was anything but light at the start.  Crispin's father died before his birth, his mom dies just before the starting page and his only friend, the priest, is murdered for associating with Crispin.  I put it down after 30 pages because it seemed to be going nowhere good.  I'm glad I picked it back up: it was a good read.

The setting is Europe in the 1300s and Crispin is one of many peasants living in brutal conditions, forced to work to their death in the limits of their township.  But Crispin is different, as hinted from the very beginning, and the book chronicles his many escapes from those seeking to kill him because of his unknown uniqueness.This book would be great for a first lesson in foreshadowing: within the first quarter of the book it was clear that Crispin had royal blood in him (though it took him 200 more pages to figure that out) but there was still an adventure as it was unclear who to trust and what would happen next.

The ending was not as I imagined, though perhaps fitting given the characters.  Perhaps above all it was enlightening for me to read about the situations of the peasants and lords in the Middle Ages; though I recognize it is fiction, reading about the times helps me better appreciate what the real situation must have been.