A Tale Dark & Grimm

by Adam Gidwitz

Ages 9 - 12

The supposed true story of Hansel and Gretel that is mischevious and loads of fun. This is the authors debut novel and finds Hansel and Gretel walking out of their own fairy tale into eight other classic-inspired Grimm fairy tales.

The author takes the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel and weaves something new out of it. You start with their Grandfather and then their parents marriage and then their own trials and tribulations as they seek a safe place but are constantly met by evil forces that wish them harm.

Gidwitz uses the current popular technique of adding a narrator to the mix which adds a humorous effect to the book though it gets old after the first hundred pages. To his credit though, he knows his fairy tales and many familiar tropes can be found amongst these pages. Within the overall story there are smaller tales which play on a more classic tale. The original tale of Hansel and Gretel is included with a slight variation. What really drives the story is the level maturity he gives to them both. There is an underlining of morality with each tale and as the two face each evil tribulation they grow up a little more each time while never losing sight that there are just kids. The main and very clear theme the author is expressing is that the world is unsafe but kids may not be as helpless and innocent as the world want to believe Not all actions are logical though, but the story moves so fast that you won't care if you even notice.

Chains

Grades 6+
by Laurie Halse Anderson


Isabel tells the story of her life as a slave in New York City at the beginning of the American Revolution. She was sold with her five-year-old sister to a cruel Loyalist family even though the girls were to be free upon the death of their former owner. She has hopes of finding a way to freedom and becomes a spy for the rebels, but soon realizes that it is difficult to trust anyone. She chooses to find someone to help her no matter which side he or she is on. 


With short chapters, each beginning with a historical quote, this fast-paced novel reveals the heartache and struggles of a country and slave fighting for freedom. The characters are well developed, and the situations are realistic. 


An author's note gives insight into issues surrounding the Revolutionary War and the fight for the nation's freedom even though 20 percent of its people were in chains. Well researched and affecting in its presentation, the story offers readers a fresh look at the conflict and struggle of a developing nation.


If you read Fever 1793 and liked it, this would be another great historical fiction novel to read. And if you liked this book, check out the sequel. 

Revenge of the Witch: Last Apprentice Series Bk. 1

By Joseph Delaney 
Grades 5+
Thomas, seventh son of a seventh son, is apprenticed to the local Spook, whose job is to fight evil spirits and witches, he expects a life of danger. However, the boy doesn't realize just how soon he'll face a powerful enemy alone, as Mother Malkin escapes her confinement while the Spook is away. Thomas is forced to use his wits, and the help of his enigmatic new friend, Alice, to fight the evil witch. And defeating her is only the start of the boy's problems. 

Delaney's characters are clearly presented and have realistic depth, and Thomas's mother and Alice stand out for their strong words and actions. The protagonist's voice is clear, and his conflicts over his actions ring true.

I was not expecting to like this book but once I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. I stayed up  to finish the book. This was a fantastic first person horror story that is scary and gory but not too scary and gory. 

A fantastic read.


1.  The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch
2.  Curse of the Bane
3.  Night of the Soul Stealer
4.  Attack of the Fiend
5. Wrath of the Bloodeye
6. Clash of the Demons
7. The Spook's Nightmare (2010)
8. The Spook's Destiny (2011)

Teen Read Week

We're celebrating Teen Read Week right now (Oct. 17 through Oct 23) at all the Warren County Public Library branches, and encouraging teens to "read like a rock star." Anytime this week that you check out a book at one of our branches you will get a rock-star fun band. We will also be giving away some freebies at all of our Wii Guitar Hero Jam sessions this week.

Guitar Hero Jam Sessions:

Main, Oct. 18, 6 p.m.

Graham, Oct. 21, 3:30 p.m.

Kirby, Oct. 22, 3:30 p.m.

39 Clues: Maze of Bones Bk 1

By Rick Riordan
Ages 9+
The story starts when Grace Cahill dies and scatters cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune around the globe. Lead-off hitter Riordan (The Lightning Thief) mixes just the right proportions of suspense, peril and puzzles in a fast-paced read (Riordan mapped the narrative arc for the series, but other high-profile authors have written books in the series). 


Likable orphans Amy and Dan Cahill have moxie (plus Dan can memorize numbers instantly) and frailties (Amy hates crowds). As the siblings compete with less honorable members of the Cahill clan, all distantly related to Benjamin Franklin, to win the fortune by collecting all 39 clues (only two are found in this first book), they learn about their dead parents, each other and world history. 


While waiting for the next book you can go online and play to get more clues and to have more fun: www.the39clues.com.


Here are the books so far!

1. Maze Of Bones (2008) by Rick Riordan
2. One False Note (2008) by Gordon Korman
3. The Sword Thief (2009) by Peter Lerangis
4. Beyond the Grave (2009) by Jude Watson
5. The Black Circle (2009) by Patrick Carman
6. In Too Deep (2009) by Jude Watson
7. The Viper's Nest (2010) by Peter Lerangis
8. The Emperor's Code (2010) by Gordon Korman
9. Storm Warning (2010) by Linda Sue Park
10. Into The Gauntlet (2010) by Margaret Peterson Haddix

(HINT: The books are found on the shelf under JFic Thir for 39 Clues. )

Coraline Four Different Way

by Neil Gaiman

Ages 9+

Coraline is one of those properties that has been excellent in any form that it has been made available to be consumed. Whether it is the original juvenile book, audio book, graphic novel, or movie, all forms of the material have all been well received. It may be because Neil Gaiman's original book is so strong and unique that no matter what medium it is adapted into the story still shines through.

Coraline Jones has just moved into a new flat and cannot wait to explore her new area, but on a rainy day when she is not allowed to play outside she makes a discovery in a little hidden door. With warnings from both neighbors and their pets to stay away from this door, Coraline cannot resist the temptation of a new place to explore. At first the Other World with her Other parents seem great but soon Coraline will realize that their is something dark behind all the perceived sweetness.

Neil Gaiman, using Alice in Wonderland as inspiration, creates a fun and eerie novella that can be enjoyed by child and adult a like. I first read Coraline just shortly after it was released because I had loved Neil Gaiman's comic series Sandman and his other adult novels. When I head a movie was being made by Henry Selik (Nightmare Before Christmas), I went ahead and checked out the graphic novel that was illustrated by P. Craig Russell to brush up on the story and I love graphic novels anyways so I was curious as to how well it was adapted. The graphic novel version is the most realistic visually you will experience the book. Coraline looks older here than in the movie or original illustation of the book cover. Because of the realistic look of the illustrations this version may be the best for teen readers as I also found it to be the most creepy when the Other world starts to lose its solidity.

Gaiman chose himself to read for the audio book, and his voice adds a dark, crisp tone to the retelling. There is some odd and not very good music that plays at times but it is not often enough to ruin the whole experience but I still wish it wasn't there. If you are taking a trip this October this would serve as a fun and seasonal listen.

Coraline was also adapted into a stop-motion film and released in 3D in 2009. The film adaption concentrates more on isolating Coraline and making her feel unwanted in the real world rather than portraying her as a more curious child as they do in the book. They also introduce a young eccentric boy who is a relative of the landlord. They did this so there wouldn't be scenes with Coraline talking to herself. The movie's strongest trait is the gorgeous visuals of Henry Selik and some scenes really pop especially the intricate mouse circus of Mr. Bobo.

The book won the 2003 Hugo Award and Nebulla Award for Best Novella along with the Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers. The movie was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.

Fever 1793

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Ages 9+

It is one of the hottest summers anyone can remember in the nation's capital of Philadelphia in 1793, and Matilda "Mattie" Cook just wants to sleep in and not worry about her chores around her family's coffeehouse. Though as the heat is reaching all time highs, Mattie is no longer having to worry about chores or going to the market as rumors of a yellow fever outbreak spreads across the city. Soon thousands lay dead and families are fleeing Philadelphia in droves, and even though the Cook family coffeehouse is doing great business, sickness and death are approaching quickly to Mattie's door.

Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak, creates a protagonist who goes from a sheltered teen to a young woman in just a few months. Mattie has to learn to care and protect for others, sacrifice her own well being and health for the greater good, and make hard decisions that will affect her future while all around her the first great catastrophe of our young nation is playing out. Anderson peppers real historic individuals and portrays the time with authenticity. Mattie, her mom, and close friend Eliza are all portrayed as strong women and would be good female role models during any period.

Fever 1793 is an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults.

Paper Towns

by John Green

Grades 9+
Having kind of enjoyed John Green's first book, the 2006 Michael L. Printz winner Looking For Alaska, and having a friend who swears by him as the teen writer of our times, I decided to give him another shot and read Paper Towns. By the end, which was accomplished in one night, I had laughed a lot and gotten a little teary eyed.

The girl of your dreams, who was also your childhood best friend, appears at your window one night to take you along on an all-night, score-settling spree through Orlando. Just when high school senior, Quentin Jacobsen (Q), thinks Margo is back in his life she disappears. Q with the sometimes help of his two best friends will trace Margo's last days in and around Orlando in hopes to find out where she has disappeared to and along the way maybe find out who Margo is as a person. The drama of this book isn't especially the chase and mystery of where Margo went or even if she is still alive, but Q finding out about Margo herself and coming to terms with finishing high school.

Paper Towns won the 2009 Edgar Award for best Young Adult novel.

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

Grades 6+

What do you want to be when you grow up? An Athlete? A Movie Star? A Musician? A Lawyer? Not many kids or adults really want to see the inside of a courtroom or wade through piles of litagation paperwork. But the main character in this book, Theo can't decide between being a famous trial lawyer or a respected judge.

Well, Theo Boone hasn't taken the bar, but he offers advice to his friends, hangs out at the courthouse, and watches Perry Mason reruns. Things turn serious, however, when a witness to a murder, a young illegal immigrant, comes to Theo with evidence. The trial is in full swing, and it looks like the defendant will walk unless Theo comes forward. But he's promised the young man he will keep his identity confidential. What should he do?

Grisham is known for his legal mysteries, and this kids book is no exception. It is a fun read for anyone, not just aspiring lawyers.

Little Blog on the Prarie

by Cathleen Davitt Bell

Ages 10+

Imagine it is 1890. No iPods, no cell phones, no jeans or tank tops, no electricity, and no indoor plumbing. This is the life that Gen Welsh has to endure for the whole summer, since her mother has decided that the family's vacation will be at a frontier-living fantasy camp near Laramie, WY. When they arrive, all modern conveniences are taken away, but Gen is granted her one wish: Clearasil. Secretly she has hidden her new cell phone in the product's box, and uses it to text her friends back home. 

Meanwhile, back at camp, a first romance and a good, clean girl rivalry are bubbling among the milking of cows and clearing of forest. As the families make their way through a difficult season, they all discover their strengths and weaknesses.

This fast read is humorous and insightful, with realistic characters that are refreshingly well rounded. Bell has captured a 13-year-old's voice, making Gen's unlikely situation feel very real.

Sabriel

by Garth Nix

Please welcome our first teen blogger, Elizabeth! Thanks for the GREAT entry!

I was wandering my school's library and praying for a good fantasy book to do my report on. Finally I gave in and typed 'fantasy' into the search engine and Sabriel came up as a result. The cover looked interesting so I hunted it down and read the back. It sounded like just what I needed, so I checked it out. Then I proceeded to spend weeks reading the rest of the series because Sabriel was so amazing.


Sabriel is the adopted daughter of the Abhorsen, a necromancer sworn to help the spirits back into Death. When her father goes missing, she takes up the seven bells of the Abhorsen, and goes in search of him, hoping her meager knowledge of necromancy is enough. She finds companionship in the form of Mogget, an incredibly powerful Free Magic creature, and Touchstone, a prince imprisoned in the wood of a ship's figurehead for several centuries. She and her friends must track down Kerrigor, a spirit from beyond the ninth gate. Sabriel has to imprison Kerrigor to free her father. Will she do it?

Well I sure ain't tellin'! What I love about this book, is the fact that it is subtly eerie and scary, without being an all-out blood bath. Garth Nix keeps Sabriel focused with a believable familial loyalty, and puts her necromancer skills to the test in many unusual and unexpected ways. The cover makes you really wonder about what will happen, and gives you the chills.

The Book of the Maidservant

by Rebecca Barnhouse
After taking a couple days off from reading (it's awful, I know. But sometimes the brain needs a break), I was in search of a book to read. Browsing the shelves, I came upon this pretty book and thought I would give it a try. Sometimes you CAN tell a good book by its cover!

Johanna is a servant girl to Dame Margery Kempe, a renowned medieval holy woman. Dame Margery feels the suffering the Virgin Mary felt for her son but cares little for the misery she sees every day. When she announces that Johanna will accompany her on a pilgrimage to Rome, the suffering truly begins. After walking all day, Johanna must fetch water, wash clothes, and cook for the entire party of pilgrims.

Way back when, I learned bit about the medieval era and in particular Margery Kempe. This is an interesting take on what life was like back then and also what it would have meant to be a servant to an upper class woman. Very thought provoking.

Wikipedia page on Marge Kempe

The Monstrumologist

By Rick Yancey
Ages 15+
If you like the TV show Supernatural and you don't mind being really grossed out, you will love this book.

Set in the late-1800s in New England, Will Henry is the 12-year-old apprentice to Pellinore Warthrop, a brilliant and self-absorbed monstrumologist (a scientist who studies (and when necessary, kills) monsters). The newest threat is the Anthropophagi, a pack of headless, shark-toothed bipeds. The great mystery is how they got to this continent as they are indigenous to Africa.

As the action moves from the dissecting table to the cemetery to an asylum to underground catacombs, Yancey keeps the shocks frequent and shrouded in a splatter miasma of blood, bone, pus, maggots, and great vocabulary. The prose style is The industrial-era setting is populated with leering, Dickensian characters, most notably the loathsome monster hunter hired by Warthrop to enact the highly effective “Maori Protocol” method of slaughter.

The story is great. The writing is fantastic. The sentiment feels real. It is a wonderful and scary book.

The Compound

By S.A. Bodeen
Ages 12+
In a burst of panic about a nuclear attack, Eli, his sisters, and his parents move into an underground bunker built by Eli's billionaire father. It's an enormous complex. Only his grandmother and twin brother, Eddie, don't make it in. The first six years of the planned 15 have been fairly routine, but now some food has spoiled, and certain things just don't seem right, or even possible. Eli, who is now 15,  is starting to have doubts about his father's motives, explanations, and sanity.

The novel becomes full of tension and suspense and turns into a true edge-of-the-seat thriller. As far-fetched as the premise may be, Bodeen keeps Eli's actions true to life and uses clues planted fairly and in plain sight. The audience will feel the pressure closing in on them as they, like the characters, race through hairpin turns in the plot toward a breathless climax.

The reader will feel connected to Eli's character even though he is a spoiled, self-centered child. As the years pass, Eli is full of teen angst and anger that develops into a realization of what he must do in order to help his family survive. He may even find that he loves his family--something he never thought he would admit.

Hatchet

By Gary Paulsen
Grade 8-12

Brian Robeson, 13, is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack and dies. The plane drifts off course and finally crashes into a small lake. Miraculously Brian is able to swim free of the plane, arriving on a sandy tree-lined shore with only his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present.

This is a great novel to help us, in the modern world, realize how spoiled we are with our wi fi, AC, and DVR. Brian's mistakes, setbacks, could be deadly and without this small hatchet he would have survived the 54 days alone in the wilderness. Paulsen effectively shows readers how Brian learns patience to watch, listen, and think before he acts as he attempts to build a fire, to fish and hunt, and to make his home under a rock overhang safe and comfortable.

This story is over 20 years old but is not outdated. It is still a great adventure about survival, lonliness, and family. Paulsen emphasizes character growth through a careful balancing of specific details of survival with the protagonist's thoughts and emotions. This story has stood the test of time.

What are you reading right now...aside from this blog...

I literally just heard a kid say (complete with Davy Crockett hat (I really am not kidding)), "I don't like no books with no pictures in 'em." This statement leads me to wonder what young people these day do like reading or do, even though they don't like it, read.

I know I fell victim to the "My Life is Too Busy" Syndrome and I couldn't find time to read. However, I found time to hang out with friends, go out to eat, go to church, watch TV, and do crafts. In short, just because I was busy didn't mean I didn't live my life, it meant that I lived my life more. So I think that because you are busy you should be reading more as well. And it can be done. While in law school, my sister read the whole wheel of time series (as was published at the time) at least twice. She read during her commute (this is not recommended unless you listen to audio books or you take public transit), she read before bedtime, and she kept books with her so if she had a down moment she could pick up her book. Even though you are busy you can still find time to read.

I'm not saying you need to go to your public library and pick up Ivanhoe and Moby Dick. If you hate the book you are reading you aren't going to read it and that completely misses the point. Just looking at that page with words on it engages your mind and improves your mental capacity. Let me explain what I mean.

I found the joy of reading first in 6th grade when I found the children's classics (I particularly remember Charlotte's Web)  that most everyone read in elementary school. Because of a learning disability I had trouble reading and wasn't able to read at grade level for a long time. After a burst of reading activity, I got busy again. I didn't find reading again until I was a Junior in high school and my sister was telling me all the great books she was reading in college. I picked up several (she was taking a political science literature class and recommended Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451) of those books and dove into a bright and beautiful world. Then college happened. I was reading plenty of stuff but not for pleasure. During the last year of my graduate school I found an author, Janet Evanovich, and suddenly devoured 12 books in 4 weeks. I have been reading about 3 books a week since then. In 2009 I read 127 books.

Reading has enriched my life in ways I never expected and looking back at my high school and college experience, I wish I had read more. You don't have to read as requently as I do. Obviously you don't have to read at all. But I reccommend that you find some silly or fun series and dive in. If you read 1 book a month then you will be reading 12 more books a year than you did last year. Your life will be better for it.

DISCLAIMER: Yeah, I am a librarian but reading is not my job. As a reference librarian, mostly I refer patrons to educational materials or reference materials. So while I work around books and organize books, I don't read for a living. Oh! What a job that would be!

Gingerbread (Cyd Charisse #1)

by Rachel Cohn
Age 16+
To say goth girl Cyd Charisse feels like she is misunderstood is an understatement to the extreme. Self proclaimed "recovering hellion" was just getting tossed from her posh boarding school. Wild, willful, and coffee addicted Cyd Charisse returns to San Francisco to live with her parents. But there's no way Cyd can survive in her parents' pristine house. Lucky for Cyd she's got her new surfer boyfriend and Gingerbread, her childhood rag doll and confidante.


When Cyd's rebelliousness gets out of hand, her parents ship her off to New York City to spend the summer with "Frank real-dad," her biological father. Trading in her parents for New York City grunge and getting to know her bio-dad and step-sibs is what Cyd has been waiting for her whole life. But summer in the city is not what Cyd expects -- and she's far from the daughter or sister that anyone could have imagined.

Cyd's narative is believable, sarcastic, and pretty funny. Recommended for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in her own life.

Flipped

By Wendelin Van Draanen
Ages 12+

Juli Baker devoutly believes in three things: the sanctity of trees (especially her beloved sycamore), the wholesomeness of the eggs she collects from her backyard flock of chickens, and that someday she will kiss Bryce Loski. 

Unfortunately, Bryce has never felt the same. Frankly, he thinks Juli Baker is a little weird. Who raises chickens in the backyard? And don't eggs need to be pasturized or something?

Then, in eighth grade, everything changes. Bryce begins to see that Juli's unusual interests are kinda interesting. But just when Bryce starts to see Juli's side of the story Juli starts to think that Bryce is vapid and annoying.

Bryce and Juli's rants and raves about each other ring so true that teen readers will quickly identify with at least one of these hilarious feuding egos, if not both. A perfect introduction to the adolescent war between the sexes.

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge

By Josh Neufeld
Grades 10+

This is a stunning graphic novel that tells the tale of Hurricane Katrina in the true stories of six survivors. It is overwhelming to think of your home town destroyed and you having to bear witness to the horrors. This book describes that horror.

A.D. follows each of the six from the hours before Katrina struck to its horrific aftermath. Here is Denise, a sixth-generation New Orleanian who will experience the chaos of the Superdome; the Doctor, whose unscathed French Quarter home becomes a refuge for those not so lucky; Abbas and his friend Mansell, who face the storm from the roof of Abbas’s family-run market; Kwame, a pastor’s son whose young life will remain wildly unsettled well into the future; and Leo, a comic-book fan, and his girlfriend, Michelle, who will lose everything but each other. We watch as they make the wrenching decision between staying and evacuating. And we see them coping not only with the outcome of their own decisions but also with those made by politicians, police, and others like themselves--decisions that drastically affect their lives, but over which they have no control.

Overwhelming demand has propelled A.D. from its widely-read early Internet installments to this complete hardcover edition; it shines an uncanny light on the devastating truths and human triumphs of New Orleans after the deluge.

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

By Barry Lyga
Grade 9 Up

On good days, Fanboy is invisible to the students at his high school. On bad ones, he's a target for bullying and violence. When a classmate is cruel to him, Fanboy adds him to The List and moves on. His only real friend, Cal, is a jock who can't be seen with him in public. Their love of comics, though, keeps them close friends outside of school. Reading comics and writing his own graphic novel, Schemata, are the only things that keep him sane. He dreams of showing his work to a famous author at a comic-book convention and being discovered as the next great graphic novelist.

When Goth Girl Kyra IMs him with photos of him being beaten up, he's skeptical. Why does she care what happens to him? He learns, though, that she's as much an outsider as he is. The two form a tentative friendship based on hatred of their classmates, particularly jocks, and her interest in Schemata. Fanboy is a rule follower, but Kyra is a rebel with a foul mouth. She teaches him to stand up for himself, and gives him the confidence to do it. Lyga looks at how teens are pushed to their limits by society. Though he toys with such concepts as teen suicide and Columbine-like violence, the novel never turns tragic. His love of comics carries over into all three teen characters, breathing animation into a potentially sad but often funny story.

This is a great bridge book for teens who already like graphic novels.

Polled Teens

I've been reading about libraries and came across an alarming statistic. Of polled teens, 33% said that they would use the library more if there were more interesting materials to borrow.

First, I would like to say that we have very interesting materials. Sometimes, in a library our interesting materials can be hard to find because we have so many stinking books and movies and cds and the like. If you aren't finding what you are looking for PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ask for help. Everyone who works at the library is trained to help you find what you need. If you don't find what you are looking for when directed, go back and ask again. We want you to find what you need and want!

Also, if we don't own the item that you want to read, you can request it for purchase.
http://www.warrenpl.org/purchaserequest.html

If, for whatever reason, we can't purchase it, we can borrow it from another library and loan it to you. As about our Inter Library Loan services.

PLEASE ASK!

Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan
Grades 5+

Percy Jackson is a 12 year old diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, who has been expelled from several schools. After a terrifying encounter with Mrs. Dodds, the math teacher who isn't human, Percy comes to realize that he is different. With his mother and best friend Grover, Percy is taken to a Camp Half Blood for other different kids--kids who are the children a Greek god and a mortal. Percy is a demi-god.

Days after discovering his parentage, Percy is challenged to go on a quest to discover who stole Zeus' lightning bolt. Percy and his friends must figure out the mystery before the summer equinox or risk the destruction of the world as we know it. Percy faces the wrath of the gods and of the mythical creatures we all thought didn't really exist.

This is the first book in a triology and has recently been made into a movie. Rick Riordan writes an action packed, mythological book with humor and friendship. If you liked this book then you should try Riordan's newest series The Red Pyramid or wait for the fall for the next generation of campers at Camp Half Blood.

At the Main Branch library on July 15th at 3:30pm there will be a Percy Jackson book discussion. Come and join others in their love for this adventure series! Call the Main to reserve your spot 782-4882 ext 215

Fairest

by Gail Carson Levine
Grades 6+

Larger than most humans in Ayortha, 15-year-old Aza feels like "an ugly ox . . . a blemish." However, in Ayortha people are devoted to song and music. Aza's voice is more beautiful and powerful than most; she can mimic any voice and throw the sound, a skill she calls elusing. After luckily getting to attend the king's wedding, Aza is blackmailed by the new queen, a poor singer, to sing for the queen sings in public, Aza secretly provides the sound. As the queen's treachery deepens, Aza is astonished when the handsome prince initiates a friendship.

While reading the story and readers may initially feel like foreign travelers who lack cultural context. But once you get into the book, you'll sink into the fairy-tale romance, the remarkable characters, and magical adventures. The themes of self-image and moral choices are at the core of the novel but are not preachy or irritating.

This is such an interesting book. The concept is original and thought provoking. You can experience the vicarious, heart-pounding thrill when Aza discovers love and confidence.

Peter and the Starcatchers

by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Grades 5+

I've just finished listening to this book, read by the talented Jim Dale of Harry Potter reading fame.

In an evocative and fast-paced adventure on the high seas and on a faraway island an orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, overcome bands of pirates and thieves in their quest to keep a fantastical secret safe. Riveting adventure takes listeners on a journey from a harsh orphanage in old England to a treacherous sea in a decrepit old ship. Aboard the Never Land is a trunk that holds a magical substance with the power to change the fate of the world - just a sprinkle and wounds heal and just a dusting and people can fly.

Sound familar? Bestselling authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have turned back the clock and revealed pre-quel to J. M. Barrie's beloved Peter Pan

The authors plait multiple story lines together in short, fast-moving chapters, with the growing friendship between Molly and Peter at the narrative's emotional center. Capitalizing on familiar material, this adventure is carefully crafted to set the stage for Peter's later exploits. This smoothly written page-turner just might send readers back to the original.

This is a great book for (not just 5th graders) anyone who hates evil pirates, loves adventures, and always wish s/he could fly! Highly, highly reccommended!

Vampire Forensics

Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend
by Mark Collins Jenkins

In Vampire Forensics, Mark Jenkins probes vampire legend to tease out the historical truths enshrined in the tales of terror: sherds of Persian pottery depicting blood-sucking demons; the amazing recent discovery by National Geographic archaeologist Matteo Borrini of a 16th-century Venetian grave of a plague victim and suspected vampire; and the Transylvanian castle of "Vlad the Impaler," whose bloodthirsty cruelty remains unsurpassed.

Mark Jenkins’s engrossing history draws on the latest science, anthropological and archaeological research to explore the origins of vampire stories, providing gripping historic and folkloric context for the concept of immortal beings who defy death by feeding on the lifeblood of others. From the earliest whispers of eternal evil in ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, vampire tales flourished through the centuries and around the globe, fueled by superstition, perversion, mystery, fear of disease and death, and the nagging anxiety that demons lurk everywhere.

Jenkins navigates centuries of lore and legend, weaving an irresistibly seductive blend of superstition, psychology, and science sure to engross everyone. Some parts were grotesque but I still couln't put it down. I was horrified and titilated.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Grades 9+

When Clay Jenson plays the cassette tapes he received in a mysterious package, he's surprised to hear the voice of dead classmate Hannah Baker. He's one of 13 people who receive Hannah's story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide. Clay spends the rest of the day and long into the night listening to Hannah's voice and going to the locations she wants him to visit.

The text alternates, sometimes quickly, between Hannah's voice (italicized) and Clay's thoughts as he listens to her words, which illuminate betrayals and secrets that demonstrate the consequences of even small actions. Rumors, an unwarranted "bad girl" reputation, teasing and jeers, all lead to Hannah's decision to end her life. Hannah, herself, is not free from guilt but she reached out for help in small ways and in large ways. But in the end, she was ignored and not taken seriously--at one point she was accused of faking it. 

This is a devastating book. I kept on hoping that Hannah wasn't really dead. It seemed like little stuff but it was big to her. One small action snowballed and enveloped her whole life making her feel worthless and useless. Hannah was smart and pretty. She should have been the most popular girl in school. But that isn't how it worked out. It's really sad and makes the reader think about what his or her careless actions could have caused.

The message about how we treat one another, although sometimes heavy, makes for compelling reading.

Summer Stuff

Teens, what are your goals for summer?

My summer goals were always to have the best summer ever. Back in the old days, when I had summer vacation, I always had all kinds of plans and designs for how this summer would be the best summer. And most summers were pretty good. But the summers that were the best were the summers where I had definite plans about how the summer would be the best: I was going to hang out with my friends at least 3 times a week, I had saved money the whole year for fun activities, I did research on what the best books would be to read.

Now, I am a librarian so I am biased, about how great the library is, but fact of the matter is that we have done all the planning for you. There are summer activities at the library. We have provided the supplies and snacks for the activities.You can bring your friends and have fun. We have done the research and know what books you might like.  There is no planning required on your part (aside from transportation to and from the library).

I don't want to burst the fun bubble, but studies have shown that students participating in a summer reading program have an easier time when school starts up in the fall. Likewise, studies have shown that people who make plans and goals are more successful people and are more likely to follow through.

Summer Reading starts June 7th. Sign up for our programs. Come in and have fun.

Visit our website or call for more information:
Main 781-4882 ext 215
Kirby 782-0252
Graham 781-1441

The Red Pyramid

by Rick Riordan

Ages 9+

Up until now I have only blogged about books that I have read in their enireity. I will have to make an exception today. Last night I started this book and it is incredible. The adventure started with page 1, actually before page one. The book opens with a warning (I love when a book warns me about reading it!) that the book is a was a dictation and was taken down as carefully as possible but it is dangerous to read.

Here is the plot of the 1st 40 pages: Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, something goes terribly wrong and Julius disappears. Carter and Sadie are wisked away to New York (by some kind of magic) and discover that they are not the "normal" family that they thought they were.

See what I mean? Adventure from the first page. It's freaking awesome!

Where Percy Jackson took on Greek myth, in the Red Pyramid, Riordan writes about Egyptian myth. If you liked Percy Jackson you are going to LOOOOVE this.

Haunted Waters

by Mary Osborne Pope

Grades 6+

 Lord Huldbrand meets and becomes enamored of a young woman named Undine. Undine, however, does not know that she is a fey marine maiden. After traveling home with his new bride, Lord Huldbrand notices that Undine has difficulties in adjusting to a terrestrial life. Huldbrand's response is to not trust his wife's magical origins which ultimately causes his downfall. 

Osborne's straightforward tale exhibits superb writing. The descriptions of Undines relationship with the sea are equally beautiful while short, declarative sentences and first-person narration reinforce its inescapable, tragic conclusion. It was a pleasure to read.

This is a sophisticated story and the tale's atmospheric chivalry adds depth. This is great for readers who like ghost stories, Arthurian lore, and other myths.

PLUS, the water theme ties in great with our Summer Reading Program that starts June 7th.
MAKE WAVES!

TeenReads.com

TEEN READS!

I am always looking for the new cool thing to read. And sometimes I don't know where to look. I can read book reviews but those are often bias or not really informative. It is quite irritating sometimes. I JUST WANT A BOOK!

Then, I stumbled upon this website. I was almost overwhelmed by the volume of the content. There is a top navigation bar and sometimes a left AND right navigation bar. Each link brings you to a new cool page where all kinds of books are discussed. There are contests (see above), polls, newsletters, videos, pod casts, information on writing to authors, and books books books!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that any good writer can write a review--yes, that includes you teens. There is a application process and then you can start reviewing your little heart away.

I am still discovering things that this website has on it. I LOVE IT!

Marilyn Monroe by Barbara Leaming

This was an interesting and detailed account of Marilyn's career in Hollywood (rather than her earlier life). The information is taken largely from primary texts and the information is incredibly detailed. The result is a retelling of events that occurred and an insight into the reasoning behind the events.

Even if you haven't seen a Marilyn Monroe movie, you know who she was and you are familiar with the iconic image from the movie The Seven Year Itch (white halter dress getup). The name is synonymous with beauty and charisma. But the real Marilyn-Norma Jean-struggled with depression, alcohol and substance abuse, self esteem, paranoia, and chronic fear that she would not be taken seriously. What came across in the book was that Monroe was needy and mentally unstable. Monroe surrounded herself with people who she thought would help her become a serious actress. It seemed that most people in her life wanted something from her, in particular her dramatic coaches.

 I felt quite sorry for her by the end. Marilyn, while bringing on much of the illness herself, did have a few very painful things to overcome. First, she was always living in fear that she would go insane like her mother who was institutionalized for most of Marilyn's life. Second, she suffered from endometriosis, a condition in which the lining of the uterus attaches to other stuff in the abdomen, and grow, causing pain, irregular bleeding, and, in severe cases, infertility. Several times Marilyn had to take time off to undergo gynecological surgery  Third, she had a series of emotionally and physically  traumatic miscarriages during her marriage with Arthur Miller. Not to mention the amount of pressure put on Marilyn to perform and do well from production companies, directors, and foremost, herself. Marilyn was a beautiful and troubled woman.

I would like to have had more details on Marilyn's constant sickness and early childhood. However the book is already more than 400 pages. So, I guess the early childhood and constant illness is another book completely.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

Elizabeth Kostova's first book, The Historian (a story about the infamous Dracula), met public acclaim quickly and hit right before the Twilight vampire craze began. This, Kostova's second work of fiction, is a story of obsession, mental illness, the power of art, and the human ability to hope and love.

Psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe is a psychiatrist who lives by himself, paints on the evenings and weekends, and likes his solitary, simple life. This order is destroyed when renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient. In response, Marlowe finds himself going beyond his own legal and ethical boundaries to understand the secret that torments this genius, a journey that will lead him into the lives of the women closest to Robert Oliver and toward a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.

I am going to get my gripe out right off the bat. I've got to say it but I don't want to dwell; this book was really long. I listened to it and it was 17 audio discs. The book is 564 pages. Aside from the Bible, I think this might be the longest book I have ever read. I should have know that the book was going to be so long because The Historian was so long. At times, the book felt slow (when too much information was dispursed) and then at times it flew by (when Kostova didn't tell you everything and you HAD TO FIND OUT. I am of the mind that less is more!). It wasn't until the last disc (about the last 50 pages) when it is revealed the reason behind the title, which was kind of frustrating.

Ok. That aside, Kostova does an excellent job of creating believable characters and characters with whom the reader would want to be friends. As the reader, I was able to listen to the characters grow. Creating realistic characters is quite a feat and one that I apprecaite.

Another excellent aspect is the amount of research I know it took to write this book. The acknowledgements at the end of the book are mammouth. Kostova did research on psyciatry, 19th century authors, art school, being a professor, modern day psch wards, the medical profession, being an artist...There are so many things to discuss with this book and it would make a great book club book if the book club members can get past how long the book is.

There were great plot twists and the ending was a surprise to me. Good book. Very good listen.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

I have seen these books fly off the shelves. People ask for them by name and want to know the order of the books. I wanted to know what all the hype was about. So I read the book.

It was exciting from the first page. Set in London, Alex Rider's uncle died in a car crash, or so Alex was told. Later, Alex finds out that his uncle wasn't a banker; he was a spy. MI6, the secret organization that employed Alex's uncle, coerces Alex to finish the job his uncle started.

Alex is quickly trained and sent out on his first mission. He runs into a the Russian mercenary who Alex suspects killed his uncle. Instead of informing MI6 who would then pull him out of the operation, he continues the mission. During his mission he swims through old mine shafts that are now underwater to find a secret laboratory, hijacks a plane, escapes from a giant jellyfish and so much more.

This isn't a long book. It is action packed. Apparently there is a movie based on the book. You can read it in a few sittings. I finally understand why they are so popular. I want more! Luckily there are more books in this great series.

Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Age: Grades 9-12

I heard about this book several years ago on NPR. I had wanted to read it right away, but here I am several years later...at least I remembered I wanted to read it. This is a true story about Debbie Rodriguez, an American who got out of an abusive relationship and went to Afghanistan to help with humanitarian aid. After several epiphanies, Debbie decided to open a beauty school in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Now when I think of a beauty school, I think of superficial things and negative aspects of being a woman. But really, a beauty school is empowering to women. It is a women centered organization, run, and staffed by women. In Afghanistan, men are not allowed in a beauty parlor because women have their heads uncovered (actually if men are caught in a beauty parlor it will hence forth be considered a whore house). In a beauty parlor, it is the one place where women can be themselves and be successful business women. What Debbie did was see that there was a need and work to fulfill it.

Anyhow, being that Debbie was a beautician and not a writer, I was concerned that the book wouldn't be well written. However, it is fabulous! I went on Amazon and saw that there was another writer listed, likely writer who could help Debbie organize her thoughts. Well, that other lady did a great job!

Debbie is a fighter. She barrels into Afghanistan and wants to help everyone. Later, she realizes that her American 'Can Do!' sensibility has often hurt other's feelings and she is able to reflect and accept why--which is hard for anyone to do. When she hears the horrible stories of the Taliban, she wants to jump to action. But that is not the way of things in Afghanistan.

One story, I LOVED and also HATED was when Debbie when to the market and a creepy man groped her. She did what an American woman would do. She punched him and yelled out that she was being assaulted. This behavior was so embarrassing to Debbie's Afghan friend who accompanied Debbie, that she vowed to never go to market with Debbie again. In Debbie's mind, she was protecting herself. In Debbie's friend's mind, Debbie was humiliating herself. This is a vast cultural difference that makes me furious, but at the same time, these women's perspectives are not any less valid than mine because they are different.

At one point Debbie visits a women's prison. The overall experience was utterly depressing. When she spoke with the women in prison, she found that many were in there for running away from abusive husbands or for being raped. Debbie herself had just escaped an abusive husband. According to Afghan law, she should be in prision for that offence. It was a very moving moment in the book.

I guess what I am trying to get at, is there are ways you can work within a system that is dysfunctional and make people's lives better. The women Debbie helps would be lost with American women's independence. Many women had never made a decision on their own before. It would be a trial to just pick out what to wear in the morning (having only had the decision between a blue burqa or a black burqa in the past). What Debbie did was go behind the lines and make a difference immediately. Sometimes you can't want for a culture or whatever, to change. How many of these women would have starved or been killed before the culture made a change allowing them to be independent? Who can wait for that?

It is an incredible book. It blows my mind. I was born in America. What if I had been born in Afghanistan? That could be my life.

I, Claudius by Robert Graves

Grades: 9-12

I have undertaken the mammoth responsibility of reading I, Claudius by Robert Graves. Now, the book isn't even really that long. I guess it is like 400 pages. That is not the problem. And it's not that the book is dry or boring, it is just a commitment. I am entering another time, a time before watches, computers, cars, electricity, radio, Nike shoes...really, there is more that that world didn't have (that I need and use in everyday life) than what that world did have. The book is just epic.

It is the "auto-biography" of Claudius the grandson of Augustus Caesar (Octavian), or the great-grand-nephew of Julius Caesar. The book is based on the historical accounts of the time. However, it is important to not that the historical accounts wildly vary. History at that time is more relative. I mean, Homer's Odyssey is, for the most part, considered a historical piece--you know the whole thing with the sirens and the cyclops. So while this book is definitely historical fiction, it is still mostly fiction. There is just no way we can know for sure what happens.

Claudius is an unexpected hero. He stutters, has a permanent limp, drools, and is frequently ill. It is amazing that he lived at all. Think about the kind of medical care he would have received. Basically, none. Sure they had doctors but they didn't know anything. Plus, he is born into a family that is famous for the "accidental" deaths, back stabbing, immorality (despite Octavian's insistence of the old school moral code), and borderline incest.

I mean look at this family tree! This family tree is ridiculous. When you have to list the number of times a person is married and who that person had affairs with, the family tree gets very confused. Basically, you might be a redneck if your family tree needs a key. But, let's keep in mind that marriage is a different thing then.

Double click on image to see full display.

Now this could be very confusing because everyone basically has the same name. Rome is a culture of nick names because of this fact. But Robert Graves writing as Claudius is very clear when he mentions someone. But, it's still confusing.

But, it is not at all boring. Look at that family tree! HOW COULD IT BE BORING! You have Tiberius and Caligula as characters. If you don't know anything about those two, then you are in for a scandalous surprise. Tiberius hated being emperor. He built a pleasure palace in Capri. There he holed up and when not participating in demented and strange activities, he spent his time being paranoid.  He was able to run away to the country because of the momentum of the economy that Augustus left behind. When it was discovered the kinds of things he was doing there, it is thought that he was murdered by his great-nephew, adopted son, and successor Caligula (although it is not clear exactly what happened. Tiberius was in his 70s. He could very well have died of old age.).

Now, Caligula was just about as bad but he was just stinking crazy. At one point, while fighting in England, he ordered his troops to charge the ocean. He was just crazy. Although, he is considered moderate a moderate ruler for the first few years of his reign. After these relatively peaceful years it is thought that Caligula suffered from the end stages of syphilis which caused his insanity. But you have to think about how Caligula would have been effected by Tiberius's peculiar tastes as they spent a good deal of time together. Make a long story short Caligula is assassinated and our good Claudius becomes the emperor!

So it is sooo not a boring book, but as you can see complicated.

EPIC!

The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel

Grades: 6-12

Story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Adapted by Ian Edginton, Illustrated by I.N.J. Culbard

When I saw this on the new book I squealed with librarian glee! I've often thought that the Sherlock Holmes books would be great in the graphic novel format. I have to say that even I, literate librarian, get bogged down by the Victorian language used.

I was however afraid that the story would be watered down into "BAM" and "SWOOSH!" that are generally associated with graphic novels. The Hounds of the Baskervilles is a very complex story that has many story components. It would completely change the value of the story to remove these. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of text that was kept. I tend to be a purist as far as how I feel with regard to abridged texts--that is, I hate it when a text is abridged--and this was a great adaption.

Mr. Librarian is likewise a stickler for detail in renditions of literary masterpiece. You did NOT want to sit next to him during the Harry Potter movies or Troy. He fumed that why would anyone want to change the storyline of a book series that was as popular as Harry Potter or as infamous and classic as that of the city of Troy. Sometimes there is a reason to change the storyline. However, in these cases, it was ridiculous. I know. But, I think EVEN would enjoy this adaptation.

The illustrations really make the graphic novel. If the illustrations had been some kind of wispy stick figures or some really pretty flower stuff, it would have been an utter disaster. I like the way the characters were drawn. While the reader is unable to read the descriptions of people, it is very evident that the illustrator has read the descriptions of the people and taken that to heart when he draws. The mood, tone, and general feeling of Victorian London and countryside was taken into account in the colorful, yet gritty images.

If you haven't read this story, you must do so immediately.

Eli The Good by Silas House

I know we've always been told not to judge a book by its cover, but when I saw the cover of Silas House's newest novel I knew I was going to love it. Just look at it. . .that gorgeous sunlight flowing through that leafy canopy. Stare at it for awhile. Can't you just smell the earthiness of it?

Okay, so I'm going to love this book. That's what I told myself, but, wait a minute--it's about the Vietnam War. For someone who majored in History that shouldn't be a problem, but I have a bad history when it comes to reading books having to do with the Vietnam. They're always too depressing (think In Country) or gory (think The Things They Carried), and they tend to give me nightmares. Silas House, how could you do this to me? And with your Young Adult debut?! After much anguish, I mustered up the courage to read Eli the Good, and I loved it!

It's the summer of 1976 and the whole of the US is finding itself in a paradox. The Bicentennial has everyone in patriotic celebration, but the anger and disillusionment from the Vietnam War still pain the country. Ten-year-old Eli Book realizes this all too well. His father, Stanton, was one of the men who survived the conflict physically, but was mentally scarred instead with post-traumatic stress syndrome. To make matters worse, Eli’s war-protesting aunt comes to stay with the family. While her free-spirited, music-adoring lifestyle is a welcome refreshment, she is hiding something that casts another shadow over the family. The bitter resentment Stanton feels toward his sister’s protests of war increases the tension in the household. Despite this palpable bitterness, Eli’s own sister begins to call the war into question—further fueling the conflict. Eli also has questions, but they are ones he does not think he can ask. He feels a distance between himself and his mother, and he knows his father will never talk about what happened to him in Vietnam. For solace, Eli turns to his best friend and neighbor, Edie, who is also struggling to cope with familial turmoil. In this delicately handled and endearing coming-of-age tale, Silas House has managed to take on the burdensome confusion and hurt carried by children of Vietnam War veterans while exerting the universal truths of love and hope. Eli the Good just might make me read another book about the Vietnam War. So, sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

Grades: 5+

The summer of 1899 is HOT in Calpurnia Virginia Tate's sleepy Texas town, and there aren't a lot of good ways to stay cool. Her mother has a new wind machine from town, but Callie might just have to resort to stealthily cutting off her hair, one sneaky inch at a time. She also spends a lot time at the river with her notoriously cantankerous grandfather, an avid naturalist. It turns out that every drop of river water is teeming with life - all you have to do is look through a microscope!As Callie ecplores the natural world around her, she develops a close relationship with her grandfather, navigates the dangers of living with six brothers, and comes up against just what it means to be a girl at the turn of the century.

I thought this would be a boring science story. It is funny. Calpurnia has an interesting point of view and comes to interesting conclusions. It also brings in some history without even meaning to. You know how people are still angry about evolution? Well, think about how people must have felt about it when the idea was fresh. Yeah, Calpurnia's neighbors are livid about the very idea of evolution. When Calpurnia tries to go to the library to get Darwin's book, the librarian refuses to give it to her. The librarian said it was inappropriate subject material. Such a change!

There were times when I laughed outloud funny. Just a really great story.

Cirque Du Freak Series by Darren Shan

Grades 6+

1. A Living Nightmare
2. The Vampire's Assistant
3. Tunnels of Blood
4. The Vampire Mountain
5. Trials of Death
6. The Vampire Prince
7. Hunters of the Dusk
8. Allies of the Night
9. Killers of the Dawn
10. The Lake of Souls
11. Lord of the Shadows
12. Sons of Destiny

I have only read the first 6, but what I have found has really surprised me. Looking at the cover of the book, I thought they would be wayyyyy to gross for me to even consider reading. But the sucker that I am, I went and saw the movie. While there are gross elements in the tales (a spider is kinda central...creepy!), it was an interesting storyline and the plight of the character Darren intrigued me. Thus, I was sucked into the underbelly of the vampire world.

The story follows Darren, a normal kid, who has an interest in horror. He and his friend Stephen sneek out one night to see a "freak show" and he is awed by what he sees, mainly, a strange red and blue spider who has top billing in the show. He manages to steal the spider and when the owner of said spider, a vampire, comes calling Darren realizes that his whole life is going to change.

Darren is a surprisingly sympathetic character and I find that what he is thinking is what I am thinking (apart from wanting to go to a freak show. ahhhH!)

Flush By Carl Hiaasen

Grade 5 Up–In Flush (Knopf, 2005), Carl Hiaasen's ecological concerns focus on illegal dumping of raw sewage from a floating casino. Noah Underwood's dad has sunk the gambling ship, the Coal Queen, in protest. Now the elder Underwood is launching a media campaign from his jail cell to raise public awareness since the sewage-spewing ship will soon be back in operation. Though Noah and his younger sister Abbey believe in their father's cause, they also fear their mother will file for divorce if he continues to react so outrageously to environmental issues. After a few false starts and run-ins with the casino owner's son and the ship's hired goon, the siblings come up with a plan to use food coloring to expose the hazardous dumping. Working with Shelly, the casino's bartender, and aided by a mysterious white-haired man, Noah and Abbey set their trap, but end up adrift off the Florida Keys. Rescue and an unexpected family reunion make their successful exposure of the corrupt casino owner even sweeter. It takes a few more plot twists before the Coral Queen is closed forever, and by then Noah's parents have learned better ways to manage their marital problems.

I really enjoyed reading this book . I predicted based on his other book Hoot that it would have an enviromental issue in it. The characters were believeable and it gave me a new appreciation for the enviroment in Florida where the book is set. It also made for a great discussion book becuase of not only the enviromental issues but, beacuse of many of the other issues about character, divorce, bribery, and even going to jail and the lesson of whats right and wrong.

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Grades 4+
Peewee idolizes Jake, a big brother whose dreams of auto mechanic glory are fueled by the hard road coming to link their Indiana town during the early 20th century. Then, motoring down the road comes Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee’s life upside down.

This novel, with its quirky characters, folksy setting, classic cars, and hilariously larger-than-life moments, is vintage Richard Peck – an offbeat, deliciously wicked comedy that is also unexpectedly moving.

If anyone has read A Long Way From Chicago and liked it (and honestly what is not to like?), you will totally enjoy this book. There are some pretty silly characters but at the same time the sillier the events, the more believable the plot. The half inbred competitor mechanics are ridiculous, but you know there are people like that out there (right here).

I think what really makes a great books are its characters. What makes a great character is if I would want to be friends with him or her. I definately want to be friends with PeeWee, Jake and Irene. It's official. I love this book.