Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nichols

Grades 6+
I should have known. When I read the back of the book I knew it was about a kid, Sam, who has leukemia. But as I read, it became evident that Sam not only had terminal leukemia but he had less than 6 months to live.

Sam, as one would expect, struggles with the idea of death. To try to figure out life's big questions, Sam makes lists of questions and documents how he tries to reason them out. Then he starts to make lists of things he wants to accomplish before he dies and documents how he achieves those things.

The family dynamic was the most interesting part. The mother was so emotional about the whole thing. The father seemed to be in denial. The sister was just too young to know what was going on. Towards the end, the roles reversed, as they often do in life.

I hate to spoil the end, but Sam does die. So yeah, this was a depressing book. But it was also sooooo good. Sam is a believable character. He doesn't white wash anything and he is not perfect. He is brave in facing his own death and sometimes he has to show an example for his parents who can't easily accept that their child is going to die.

When I finished this book, I cried like a little baby. My grandfather died a few months ago and that was my first experience with true loss. While Sam's death was vastly different from my grandfather's, but Sam's character reminded me of my grandfather. Sam prepared for his demise and wanted to make sure his loved ones would be prepared and able to continue on without him. He showed strength and great heart.

Loss is universal and a scary part of life. The reason I cried so much when I was finished reading this book is that the book proved to be true and it touched my little librarian heart.

File this book under "life changing."

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

Grades: 6+

The Red Necklace is the story of Yann, a gypsy boy with the ability to read minds, and Sido, the daughter of a bankrupt nobleman. If either are going to survive the French Revolution they are going to need one another.

The power of gypsy magic was a well-accepted fact of the time period and the inclusion of the paranormal does not distract from the historical context of the novel, but actually adds to the dangerous and unpredictable atmosphere of the times. Gardner does an overall excellent job of depicting the Reign of Terror.

The night that Yann and Sido first meet, Yann is working as a magician's apprentice, putting on a show for Sido's father other members of the French aristocracy, including the sinister Count Kalliovski. When the magician is murdered by Kalliovski, Sido shows unexpected courage in helping Yann escape a similar fate.

Years pass before Yann has a chance to repay the favor. Sido, like all French aristocracy, is in danger of the raging passions from the hoi polloi, and also from an impending marriage to Count Kalliovski, a fate that is perhaps worse than death. Can Yann rescue Sido from both the guillotine and one of the most merciless men on the planet?

Gardner is successful in crafting a strong hero in Yann and villain in the Marquis de Villeduval, Sido's father and Count Kalliovski. Marvelous historical fiction set during the French Revolution. What more could you want when a novel contains mystery, romance, a magician, an orphan, a dwarf, an automotan and evil incarnate?

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Grades 4+
For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy"--a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. The story starts on the eve of Mibs's 13th birthday. But when Mib's father is in an accident, Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital. So she sneaks onto a salesman's bus . . . only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up--and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

This is a very interesting premise. I really like the Beaumont family. Everyone knows that there is something not quite right but of course, no one will ever guess that the Beaumonts have special powers. I also like the family because even though their situation is extraordinary, they act like a real family. There are little inside jokes, fights, and all that stuff that happens in a family--they just keep a different kind of secret.

The Beaumont family, even with it's oddities(Mibs' brother name is Fish!), when juxtaposed with other familes, are doing just fine. Maybe even better than fine. They care about one another and support one another. I would rather be weird, than have a family that doesn't really love me.

I love the premise of the book and the cover art doesn't hurt either. Isn't it a good picture?

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Conor

This book started out very depressing. Then it progressed to really depressing. But then, there was a happy ending.

Addison, also called Addy, is a 12 year old girl. She is very optimistic and makes the best of her situation which is her mother is crazy, her father is dead, and her step father who loves her and wants to take care of her can't get legal custody.

I loved Addison. At first, I didn't want to finish this book because it just seemed too depressing. But after I read about 50 pages, I fell in love with Addy. She is strong, caring, and loving. She is a wonderful person and so much better than her circumstances.

I am not so much an optimistic person. Could I have survived? Would the author have been able to write a happy ending if the main character was Ms. Librarian? I kept on worrying that everything was going to go wrong and I had to keep reading to make sure Addy was alright. I read this book in 1 day and in 2 sittings (I sat down and read 25 pages and then came back to it and finished the book). It was a delicious satisfying read!

This book reads very much like The Higher Power of Lucky so if you liked that book you should give it a try!