she is reading

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

2010-11-13T21:07:00.000-06:00

I was excited to read this book after it pulled #10 on Persnickety Snark's Top 100 YA Novels earlier this year.

It was our YA Book Club selection last month, so I dutifully read it. However, if it was not required reading, there's a good chance I would not have read past page 100. Remy is our main character, and the girl likes to cuss, drink (illegally), have premarital sex, and use the Lord's Name in vain. I knew that Remy changed in the novel, and we're supposed to see an improved version of her by the end, so I kept reading.

She did have some positive changes; I'll give her that. In fact, my problem is less with Remy and more with Sarah Dessen.

Another blogger wrote that she "regularly recommends Dessen's novels to her middle school students." Here is the response I left her:

"My hesitation for recommending Dessen to middle schoolers is her inclusion of under-age drinking/partying (in many of her books) and drug-use (in 'Lock and Key'). At least the drug-use is cast in a negative light, but the underage drinking is written about in a way that shows it to be a normal activity for teens. I personally feel that Dessen is condoning the behavior, and may even be encouraging or promoting it as well."

Now that I've read 'This Lullaby' I stand behind that comment even more.

Heather

It's Monday! What are you Reading?

2010-10-25T19:46:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Sheila at book journey; join the fun!

Books I Finished Last Week:

The Christmas Gift by R. William Bennett (review is posted)

Books I'm Reading:

Tempering Your Child's Tantrum by Dr. James Dobson. A very short manual on discipline that a friend recommended after I confessed my frustration over my child's tantrums.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. Our YA Book Club selection. So far, I like it!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I'm halfway through. At least now I've met Max, so there is more of a plot. I haven't given up on it!

Personality Plus for Parents by Florence Littauer. I've barely cracked it open, but I think I'll like it.

Goals for This Week:

Finish reading Tempering Your Child's Tantrum and This Lullaby and post reviews of each.

Heather

The Christmas Gift by R. William Bennett

2010-10-24T22:41:00.000-05:00

From the back of the book: What if the person you needed to apologize to the most was the one that deserved it the least? In a world with diminishing civility, increasing rancor and moral relativism, The Christmas Gift is a simple story about our relationships and the values that make them precious. Told through the experiences of Scott and Ben, two sixth grade boys, The Christmas Gift gently illustrates the power of apology, forgiveness and understanding, and the lasting impact we can have when we reach through the mists of hurt and mistrust to offer a hand of kindness to another.

Short Review: It's great! I loved it! I recommend it!

Longer Story: I was sitting around, wondering what Christmas book I should read this year. (Each year I try to read two Christmas novels.) I had one picked out: Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn-- a re-read that I loved. Then lo and behold, I got an email asking if I'd like a copy of The Christmas Gift to review. What? Of course I did! Woo-hoo!

It's a short novel. Fourteen short chapters with lots of white space in between them. I could have read it in a day--which is saying a lot for me because as I've said before, I'm a slow reader.

It is an engaging novel. I see its appeal for elementary school students (as a read-aloud) up to adults. I could easily read this aloud to my boys in the near future. I predict reading a chapter each night for a couple weeks in early December. I appreciate that it re-enforces character traits that I'm teaching at home: forgiveness and kindness. Other things I liked about the book: a loving dad who listened to his son and offered sound advice, and a son who did the right thing even when it was hard.

P.S. You may cry. It's touching like that. : )

Heather

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

2010-10-17T22:17:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Sheila at book journey; join the fun!

Books I Finished:

Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn. Review here.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Review here.

Books on Deck:

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak...I'm listening to it, and it's a bit slow. Let me clarify: it is interesting, but there is no definite plot yet besides her learning to read.... Any encouragement to keep reading??

Heather

Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn

2010-10-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

Premise: Empty-nester Carissa is suddenly let go from her long-time employment, and her marital problems are so bad she's contemplating divorce. Her former employer gifts her some time in his Maui vacation home to ease the pain of her job loss. She runs off to Hawaii solo, with hardly a good-bye wave out the door to her hubby. Will Hawaii help her move on? Or will she accept that she shouldn't move on; she should stay?

Review: First of all, please do not read the back of the book! It gives away a significant part of the plot. Secondly, I had such high expectations for this book, and I was disappointed. : (

Let me explain.

Robin Jones Gunn is my favorite author!
She has written other books about Hawaii that I've enjoyed (specifically Whispers)--which played a big part in why we visited Maui.
By the grace of God, my husband and I had a Hawaiian holiday on Maui and Oahu last summer, and I expected this book to take me back again--for free!
So of course, I thought I would love this book!...but I didn't...(insert sad face)

Here are the reasons I was disappointed (which very well may be reasons you would enjoy it!)

The main Maui setting was the Kihei/Wailea-Makena area, and guess who didn't even see that part of the island? Yup, me.
The main character has been married for 24 years, and her only child is out of the house. I couldn't relate. I'm in the temper tantrums, pooping-in-underwear accidents, and fixing peanut butter sandwiches for lunch stage of life. Ha, ha, I just re-read that sentence, and it makes it sound like I'm the one throwing temper tantrums and pooping in my underwear-ha! It's too funny to re-word!!
So in conclusion, I did not connect well with the setting or the characters. But you might!

If you are looking for a great Christian book about Hawaii that features a younger crowd, read Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn!

Heather

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

2010-10-13T15:14:00.000-05:00

Ooh, what a great book! Why did I read it, you ask? We had a six hour road trip on the horizon, and I needed an audio book that was safe for little listening ears. Voila!

I am familiar with Laura's autobiographical stories from my childhood, but that was twenty years ago, so in many respects, it was like I read this book for the first time. I enjoyed it, it made the time pass quickly, and I learned so much history! Plus, overall my 2 and 4 year-old boys did not complain while it was playing! : )

Laura has such a beautiful and detailed way of describing life in her neck of the woods (pun intended-ha!). How on earth did she remember all those details such as the colors and patterns of her aunts' dresses at the dance? I'm surely impressed!

I also enjoyed learning the how-tos of churning butter, making bullets, smoking meat, etc. I will borrow a phrase from amazon.com's review: it's a painless history lesson!

This is a staple for childhood, but it is a great read for every age!

Heather

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2010-10-11T21:12:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey; join the fun!

Books I Finished: None

Reviews I Posted: Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

Books I'm Reading Now:

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (audio)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (audio)
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Did you guys have a great holiday weekend? My family attended a family reunion in Indiana. Sleeping in a hotel with little kids...aye yigh yigh! However, I managed to fit some reading into the weekend through audio books in the car and on my ipod.

Heather

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

2010-10-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

Synopsis: Julia Lefkowski's social life is defined by her enthusiastic (hence the title) best friend Ashleigh. Ashleigh changes hobbies like she changes her underwear, and each hobby receives a full dose of her enthusiasm. Best friend Julie is dragged along for each ride. Next up: Jane Austen. Ashleigh and Julie are learning to dance, dress, and speak (well at least Ashleigh!) like characters from an Austen novel. While all dressed up, why not crash the dance at the all boys prep school? Theatrics, drama, and love flow as consequences of their Austen-y night out.

Review: It was...somewhere between fine and good. It wasn't bad, and it wasn't great. I'm always looking for good clean reads, so from that perspective, I'm happy. However, from a literary perspective, I was disappointed. Some moments were perfect! For example, on Julie's birthday, she's sweet sixteen and never been kissed. Her hot college freshman neighbor helps her out by letting her practice on him. More conservative folks may balk at this scene, but I loved it! Other parts of the book seemed like Shulman got lazy.

I also have a big problem with the plot. But first, some background for those who haven't read it. Julie falls head-over-heels in love at first sight with a guy at the dance. However, she's not sure if he feels the same way? He seems interested in someone, but is it her, or Ashleigh? And if it is Ashleigh, Julie surely shouldn't butt in. Throughout the school year (yes, I said "year") Julie has these internal struggles all the while receiving love tokens from mystery men, man???

Problem #1: Really? You "love" a guy who may or may not "love" your best friend, and you let all this continue over the course of an entire school year without anyone confronting said guy and asking for some clarification on his feelings????? This would drive me crazy in real life. It was grating on my nerves just reading about Julie.

Maybe I should mention that I'm not a Jane Austen fan. (Perhaps this kind of plot is par for the Austen novel course?) I've tried. Multiple times. I've never even finished one of her novels. I used to feel like such a failure... but no longer! Some people love Austen; I, alas, do not. However, I do quite enjoy Shakespeare, and for that I feel qualified enough to proudly proclaim that I am an English major! : )

B is for Bulldozer by June Sobel

2010-09-30T21:47:00.000-05:00

I happened upon this book at our local library in the ABC section. It was quite on accident; I didn't even know the library had an ABC section. Eek. My four-year-old boy and I love this book! It tells the story of a construction crew building an amusement park. The large colorful illustrations show construction machines in action. The project takes a while, so the seasons change too. The letter on each page stands out from the rest of the text, so it's easy to follow the alphabet through the story. I love this book!

P.S. I love this from the author's bio on the book's back flap: "June Sobel's construction education began eight years ago, when her eighteen-month-old son mysteriously yelled 'big trucks' from the backseat of the car, and then began talking about bulldozers in his sleep. She was inspired to write her first childen's book for construction lovers just like him."

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

2010-09-28T13:43:00.000-05:00

2010 Newbery Winner

Summary: Miranda is an only child growing up in New York City during the 1970s. She starts receiving mysterious messages from an unsigned author. The messages reveal the future and tell that he or she is coming to save her friend's life. The messages also warn Miranda to keep the information to herself. It's a lot for a young girl to handle by herself. Will the mysterious person save her friend's life? Miranda discovers this and other mysteries in this science fiction novel that explores time travel.

This is a good novel. It makes you think and entertains at the same time. It is confusing at times, and Stead expects her readers to be able to handle a certain level of confusion while they read it. It is a mystery after all. Answers will be revealed, but you'll have to wait until the last quarter of the book to get them. It reminded me of a mix between A Wrinkle in Time and The Westing Game.

My only beef with the book is that the Lord's name is taken in vain a handful of times. I don't like that anytime, but I think it is unnecessary and easily replaceable in a book aimed at a young audience.

For those of you who've read it, Rebecca Stead grew up in NYC as an only child, had a laughing man near her home, and her own mother was a contestant on $10,000 Pyramid. : )

Heather

Park's Quest by Katherine Paterson

2010-09-28T11:37:00.001-05:00

Summary: Growing up in D.C. with his mother, all Park knows about his father is that he died in the Vietnam War. His mother refuses to disclose any information on his father. Finally, Park takes matters into his own hands: he visits the Vietnam Memorial and convinces his mother to let him visit his father's family in southern Virginia. He spends the rest of the book learning about his father, uncle, and grandfather at the farm in VA.

The summary sounds kind of interesting, right? Well, this is the worst book I've read in years. The worst book I've read since high school or junior high--and I'm 31! While the summary says he learns about his father, uncle, and grandfather, that means he learns about 2 things about each character. Two. Things. Note to author: more details, please.

Reasons: confusing, boring, lack of character development, no theme

This book is aimed for middle schoolers! I remember substitute teaching in middle school, and this book was required reading. Aye, yigh yigh! This book should NOT be required reading...for anyone. I mean if you want middle schoolers to hate reading, then assign this book. Otherwise, find a book that has action, developed characters, and a purpose/theme.

I know it's a harsh review. If you enjoyed the book, feel free to comment and give a more well-rounded review of the book.

Heather

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2010-09-27T14:04:00.000-05:00

Join the fun at book journey by Sheila!

What I Finished Last Week:
Park's Quest by Katherine Paterson...review coming
When You Reach Me (re-read) by Rebecca Stead...review coming

What I'm Reading Now:
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

National Book Festival Report
A separate post on the National Book Festival is here.

Heather

National Book Festival 2010

2010-09-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

Rebecca Stead signs my friend's poster.

Close-up on Rebecca.

PBS Kids had their own stars on display.

I posed with Superwhy for my boys.

Mem Fox speaking.

I know you're probably wondering, Where is Suzanne Collins? Here's the story: we arrived late, so we missed her presentation! So we hurried over to the book signing line where we were told that the line had been forming since 8:30 am and we shouldn't bother jumping in at this point. Bummer! Oh well, we still had a great time!

Here are authors we heard speak: Rebecca Stead, Jane Smiley, Margarita Engle, M.T. Anderson, and Mem Fox. Katherine Paterson spoke at 4, but we didn't wait around to hear her. Did I mention it was nearly 90 degrees, and everything was outside? Instead, we cooled down at the fountain in the middle of the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden (we sat on the edge and stuck our feet in!) and then enjoyed the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The fabulous fountain in the middle of the Sculpture Garden.

Martha Washington's dress at Smithsonian.

Heather

Here's my List for Fall Into Reading 2010

2010-09-22T23:09:00.002-05:00

Hosted by callapidder days

The time frame for this challenge is from today until December 22nd. So here are books I'd like to read in that time. I'm aiming high!!!

For Aussie Author Challenge

Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
The Book Thief or I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Nonfiction

Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson (finish)
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Personality Plus for Parents by Florence Littauer

Newbery Winners

Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt
Lincoln, a Photobiography

Classics

Richard III by Shakespeare
The Two Gentlemen of Verona by Shakespeare
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Pollyanna (re-read)

YA/middle readers

Mexico by Melody Carlson
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman
Anna and the French Kiss
a Rebecca Stead novel (I re-read When You Reach Me)
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Park's Quest by Katherine Paterson
Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell (re-read)

Adult

Sisterchicks go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn
Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read)
another Christmas book--any suggestions?
Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn (finish)

Read-Aloud with preschool son

Tumtum and Nutmeg, Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall by Emily Bearn
any other suggestions?

Reading-Related Goals

Read all the book selections for the Midday Connection Book Club for this time period.
Read all the book selections for my YA Book Club for this time period.
Read to the boys a half an hour each weekday.
Post a review for each book I read.

Woo-hoo! Just composing this list was fabulous!

Heather

Laugh!

2010-09-20T22:37:00.000-05:00

We interrupt the regular book posts to bring you a funny video!

I just discovered comedian Tim Hawkins and had to share him with you! Here he sings about his love for Chik-Fil-A, a love that I share with him! It made me laugh out loud, and I hope you enjoy it as well!! You can enjoy other shorts at his website.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2010-09-19T20:13:00.000-05:00

Brought to you by Sheila at book journey. Join the fun!

What I Finished Last Week:
Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy. Well-written free verse novel that I recommend! My review is here.

What I'm Reading:
How to Organize just about Everything by Peter Walsh. Peter is the organizing guru from TLC's "Clean Sweep"--I love that show!

I Plan to Read:
First Light by Rebecca Stead
Park's Quest by Katherine Paterson
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

I Plan to Attend:
The National Book Festival in Washington DC! Are you planning on going? Maybe we'll run into each other in the book signing line for Suzanne Collins or Rebecca Stead. Read more details about the festival and see a picture of Meg Cabot signing my book in 2005 here.

Heather

Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy

2010-09-16T13:43:00.001-05:00

This is the true story of a Holocaust survivor.

From the inside jacket:
In 1939, the Germans invaded the town of Lodz, Poland, and moved the Jewish population into asmall part of the city called a ghetto. As the war progressed, 270,000 people were forced to settle in the ghetto under impossible conditions. At the end of the war, there were about 800 survivors. Of those who survived, only twelve were children. This is the story of one of the twelve.

This story was amazing. I knew it was a true story, so I knew Syvia survived, but I was amazed again and again at how she survived. Her father played a huge part in her survival. He impressed me with his quick thinking, firm loyalty to his family, levelheadedness, and ability to outsmart the Nazis. He is a beautiful (real!) character, and he is reason enough to read this book.

I won't give away who lives and who dies...you'll have to read it to find out! Jennifer Roy's Author's Note at the end of the novel gives a detailed account of what happened to story's main characters. The story is especially sweet because Jennifer Roy is the niece of Syvia, so she knows many of the people she wrote about. Jennifer Roy also includes a helpful WWII timeline at the end of the novel.

Jennifer Roy did a great job on this novel. I am very impressed, and I am glad that she captured so well the history of her aunt and the survivors of the Lodz ghetto. You will be amazed.

Obvious but fair warning: you will also be sad. Middle schoolers can handle it, but they should debrief with a loving caring adult after reading it. The Holocaust is a dark, evil spot in history, and younger readers should have someone help them understand it. I guess it comes down to when you think your child is ready for an introduction to the Holocaust.

P.S. As for the religious aspect, the book is obviously about Jews, but for the most part, religion is not included in Syvia's story. The Jews pray aloud when the Germans are bombing the ghetto, and the Author's Note says that every night Syvia prays the Jewish prayer for the dead. There are no other references to religious Jewish practices.

Syvia asks questions from a child's perspective like, "Why do they hate us because we're Jews?" and "Is my doll a Jew too?" Her older sister tells Syvia that the Germans hate them because "they think we killed their God." Syvia gets concerned that God is dead, and her sister calms her down by saying, "not our God, their God. God is still alive." That is the extent of any kind of theology in the book. Sorry, those are not direct quotes; I can't find the page in the book!

Heather

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

2010-09-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

Join the fun at book journey with Sheila.

What I Finished Last Week

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. My review is here. It is a middle grade novel based on the true story of a young man who dared to defy Hitler during WWII.

What I'm Reading
Not much! I've been sick as a dog and sleeping for hours on end. I just picked up books from the library today, so I should start something new any day.

Heather

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

2010-09-11T22:14:00.000-05:00

This is based on the true story of Helmuth Hubener, a Morman youth who lived in Hitler's Germany. Individual freedoms have been stripped away including the option of listening to or reading anything that is not approved by the Nazis. In this way, Hitler is able to feed Germany his propaganda and squash outside ideas that would betray him. By illegally listening to a shortwave radio, Helmuth discovers there is more going on in Europe than Hitler wants Germans to know. He can't stay silent and decides to share the truth with others. But it may cost him his life.

I liked this book. Personally, I learned more about Nazi Germany by reading this book than though my textbook in high school. One reason I liked this book is because it showed me average Germans. The other books I've read about World War II Germany have been about the Nazi soldiers terrorizing other countries. (Number the Stars, Stones in Water, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) It's so easy to categorize Germans as evil. However this book showed me that the Nazis were terrorizing their own countrymen, and that the average German cannot be grouped with the Nazi Regime. The Germans lived under hard conditions, heard Hitler promise jobs for all and prosperity, and believed that he was going to help their country. Hitler got the people on his side and fed them a heavy diet of propaganda. The Germans did not know his true motives. For example they understood that he hated Jews, but they didn't know that he planned to exterminate them. Also, the book showed that even when Germans discovered truth, the Gestapo would arrest and torture them to shut them up. I already knew that Jews rejoiced when Allied forces freed them from their concentration camps, but now I understand that when Hitler fell, Germany was released from it's own prison.

This book is a great starting place for a discussion on Nazi Germany and a good companion read for your student studying WWII. It also goes well with Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli. My review of it is here. Both of these books have deepened my knowledge of World War II.

Heather

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

2010-09-01T16:25:00.003-05:00

Check out the creepy cover! It's perfect for the book, but it's so disturbing that I tried to hide it from my kids, and I avoided looking at it myself!

Summary from the front of the book:
In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a scientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi.

First of all, I hate horror movies. I don't watch them, period. As you may have guessed, I'd never read a horror book either. Until this one. And it took me for a ride! Whoa. The reason I read it is because it was on the IWU Adolescent Literature syllabus that I read through. This was the last one; I finished on time!

Many elements of the Gothic novel were present such as both psychological and physical terror, mystery, death, decay, madness, secrets, and hereditary curses. (click here for source.) It was tough to get through because I generally dislike psychological terror, and I was unsure how the author would represent God in the context of the story. (more on that later) Not to mention that the physical terror is explained extremely graphically. Yancey's imagery and details are so good that I can close my eyes and picture the scenes of horror after closing the pages yesterday. He doesn't leave you wondering how much damage the monsters can do. He shows you.

As for the religious aspect, Yancey has different types of characters. There are the Christian townspeople, the scientist who does not bother himself with religion because it is hard to marry morals with science, and the evil hunter. I think Yancey did a fair job at presenting the three types and letting the reader make his/her own judgments. (I'm so tired of authors writing with an anti-Christian or anti-Christianity slant.) Plus, readers of the novel have the advantage of knowing the work is fiction, as are the monsters know as Anthropophagi, so they don't have to wrestle with the characters' questions such as, "Are these monsters soulless beasts from hell or an animal God ordained to create?"

Overall, I liked the book!

P.S. This is the first in a monstrumology trilogy. Book 2 sends Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry on a monster hunt in Canada. It's release date is October 2010.

Heather

How I Read Mockingjay and Why You Shouldn't Follow My Example

2010-08-28T14:38:00.001-05:00

Let me tell you a story. The story of how I read Mockingjay.
There are no spoilers!

I pre-ordered from amazon in February with free 2-day shipping. The book was released on Tuesday, so I expected it to arrive on Wednesday. Once I discovered it was coming via UPS, I kept a vigilant eye on the street. I thought, It will arrive around 1 pm; I'll put the boys in bed and read it the entire nap time! I even spent the entire afternoon in my front yard waiting and watching. Nothing. I filled the time reading another book and then visiting (on the front yard) with unexpected visitors. Still no UPS truck.

Our friends had invited us over for dinner that night at 5 pm. We were buckled into the car and backing down the driveway at 4:50 when what do I hear? Yes, my book arriving--when I can't read it!!! Aah! So, I was forced to leave my precious cargo in the car while we spent the evening at our friends' house. We had a great time there eating, talking, and watching the kids play. Later that evening after my kids were in bed, I got about 50 pages in. I was falling asleep at 9:30--I know, pathetic.

Day 2. And Day 2 was a day when I babysat my friends' twin babies while they work. That meant I was responsible for providing care for 4 preschoolers while trying to read a book. I snuck in 5 pages in the morning. And then it was nap time. I got to read for 2 hours without interruptions! Bliss. Fast forward to that evening. I was up late reading in bed. It's late. I was on page 289, and the content on that page caused a physical reaction in me. I put the book aside, ready to face sleep because I didn't want to face the next page. There was an ache inside me, and I started to whimper. My husband came in bed and let me talk things through with him while he held me comfortingly. We ended the conversation with a decision to read a few more pages because that was a bad place to stop for the night.

Day 3. I had roughly 100 pages left to read before my husband's relative arrived from 2 states over to spend the weekend with us. No problem, I thought. He's supposed to arrive around dinner, and I'll have all of nap time to finish the book. I enjoyed a morning at the zoo with the kiddos, arrived home to fix lunch, and answered a phone call from my husband to hear these words: "My uncle is ahead of schedule. He could be there in an hour." Aahh!!! Mayhem. I abruptly told him, "I need to get off the phone. I have things to do!" He may have taken that to mean make the guest bed, pick up toys, vacuum, unload the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, etc. But of course, you savvy readers know what I meant: I needed to READ and read NOW! I got the kids in bed ASAP and started to read.

I'm about 5 pages from the end--5 pages!!!--when my relative pulls into my driveway, and I am forced to stop reading!!!!!!!!! Gasp.

I was courteous enough to greet him and play hostess. But as soon as my son woke up to entertain him, I excused myself to the restroom and finished the book! After which I pulled my hostess hat back on, and was busy touring, eating, and watching a high school football game. Any spare second of alone time I got (read using the restroom), I was thinking about Mockingjay. It was so frustrating that I didn't have time to process the book! Give yourself time to process this book!!! You will not be able to read the last page and go on with your life. You will need to analyze it. Talk it over with a friend. Question Collins' motives in writing it.

May your reading and post-reading experiences go smoother than mine!

Heather

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2010-08-22T21:03:00.000-05:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at bookjourney.

Come join the fun!

Geez, the only book I finished last week is The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry. My review on it is here.

I am currently reading:

Unfortunately, this book has not "hooked" me yet and I'm halfway through. The big bummer for me is that the setting is a section of Maui that I did not visit. After an incredible vacation to the west side of the island last summer with my husband (Thank You Jesus!), I was ready to read this book and be transported back there --for free this time! So I've had to adjust to the fact that this book's setting is southern Maui.

I am reading this for the 3rd time. Last time I skimmed and scanned up until the arena. This time I'm reading every detail... and analyzing them too! (For example, why does Peeta's -along with the other boys in the arena- facial hair stop growing in the arena? Is this a detail that will resurface in Book #3?) All in preparation of the release of Mockingjay tomorrow! I pre-ordered from amazon.com with 2 day shipping. When will it arrive??? How are you getting your copy of Mockingjay?

Heather

The Birthday Ball

2010-08-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

I picked up this book for two reasons. 1) It's by Lois Lowry, winner of the Newbery medal for The Giver and Number the Stars (one of my favorite books). 2) It looked cute!

This is a very fun read for elementary school girls, especially ones who enjoy all things princess! The whole time I read it, I thought, "This is a great read-aloud book." You could easily read a chapter a night before bed to your kids. Plus Lois Lowry includes many fun word plays that would make reading it aloud very fun to hear! For example, the princess's cat's name is Delicious. The princess says things to her like, "Don't be suspicious, Delicious!" or "It's nutritious, Delicious."

The only thing that really bothered me from the book involves one (or two) of the suitors. (You see they are conjoined at the hip.) They love "bathroom humor" which is fine because really, what kids don't? The only joke I didn't care for was when they laughed about going to the "balls." And then they laugh at the word balls. In my opinion, that is past bathroom humor and onto male anatomy.

Beside that, it's a great, fun book! I recommend it.

Heather

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & the Beast by Robin McKinley

2010-08-14T16:17:00.000-05:00

Beauty is the first novel by Robin McKinley, and the only one of hers that I've read. I praise her ability to write, and I would read another novel of hers. However, this one let me down. The beginning was slow. Not until around page 100 did it catch my attention. However, once Beauty met the Beast, I couldn't put it down! McKinley did a great job building up the rising action; however, the climax and falling action left me disappointed. McKinley floods her story with intricate details: a page's worth description of paintings hanging in the hall, the color of each gown Beauty wears for dinner, the type of food Beauty's horse eats in his stable. Her attention to detail transported me into the world of Beauty and her Beast. She obviously has talent, and I have hope that it is better honed in her newer novels.

Heather

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

2010-08-08T21:58:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Sheila at BookJourney

Last week I finished:

A behind-the-scenes look at Nazi Germany.
Great Book! Review is here.

Another on IWU course syllabus.
Review is here.

I'm currently reading:


Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn

P.S. www.persnicketysnark.com Adele is doing a fabulous job at presenting the Top 100 YA Novels. Check it out!

Heather

Bringing up Boys by Dr. James Dobson

2010-08-08T21:54:00.001-05:00

Let me start here: I recommend it. To moms, dads, grandparents, school teachers, social workers, etc.

Warnings:

The beginning is a bit slow. Don't give up on it; get to chapter 4.
Sometimes his writing is more conversational than textbook. It is a matter of taste whether you prefer this or dislike it. Either way, he presents a lot of great material.

Get ready to learn about the:

Scientific differences between boys and girls
Breakdown of the family affecting boys
Immense importance of the father
Importance of parents' presence in their kids' lives
Origins of homosexuality
Masculine confusion
How to counter the culture
Parenting and discipline tips
Importance of pointing our children to Jesus Christ

In my opinion, the best way to read this book is with a like-minded friend. Read one chapter a week, and then get together to discuss it. That's what my sister and I did. We not only learned information, but applied it to our parenting.

My sister and her husband were struck by the realization that he was working a ton and neglecting all of his vacation time. He stepped back from work and scheduled a vacation day to visit relatives with his wife and son.

The book showed me the importance of boys learning masculinity and doing "man" things. I switched our morning routine from watching "Curious George" to "Handy Manny," and I started letting my boys use real screwdrivers to unscrew screws out of the window handles and screw them back in again.

I hope you pick up a copy.

Heather

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

2010-08-07T20:58:00.000-05:00

On the IWU course syllabus = required reading. I would NOT have read this book otherwise.

Reason #1) Court room novel
Reason #2) Premise: Did black teenager assist armed robbery of Harlem convenient store? This topic is so far removed from my day-to-day life that I don't connect with it.

The novel did manage to hold my attention, and I was on the edge of my seat awaiting the jury's decision at the end. This could be a very useful teaching tool for freshman and sophomore students. It brings up questions of morality, truthfulness, integrity, and friendships. Expect ambiguity about the main character's role in the armed robbery. It's a perfect ending for an essay topic, but a frustrating one for a lady who just wants to read a story.

Heather

Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli

2010-08-04T18:24:00.000-05:00

This is a great book!

Premise:
Italian boys including Roberto and Samuele are captured on their home soil by the Germans and forced to work for Nazi Germany by the sweat of their brow under inhumane conditions. Donna Jo Napoli said she "wanted American readers to learn of the little-known story of boys in Italy, Hungary, Romania, and other Axis countries who--because they were considered dispensable--were indentured by the Nazis to work for the war effort under inhumane conditions."

The first half of the novel is about Roberto and his Jewish friend Samuele working for the Nazis. The reader indeed learns the "little-known story of the boys." Napoli's writing is emotional, powerful, and fast-paced. The second half of the novel follows one of the boys on his escape from the Nazis. His ultimate goal is to return to his beloved hometown of Venice, a long journey from his work station in Ukraine. I did not enjoy the second half of the book as much as the first. One reason is that it wasn't as interesting to me as the war stories.

I recommend this book to young adults and adults. I personally think it's important to be reminded of the evil that was the Holocaust. This novel does just that. It unveils the Holocaust enough that we recognize the face of evil, but it keeps parts covered that would give younger readers nightmares.

Plus, the characters retain their faith in God and never doubt his goodness, love, or relationship with them.

Heather

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

2010-08-03T20:21:00.001-05:00

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is another required reading book on the IWU Adolescent Literature syllabus. For the full list click here. I'm trying to read them all by the end of the summer. Only 3 more to go!

American Born Chinese is the first graphic novel I have read. I labeled it middle readers and YA. I'm not familiar enough with graphic novels to know who reads them or which audience they are written for. Please comment if you know.

From the front cover:

"...three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, in a modern fable that is hilarious, poignant, and action-packed. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax--and confirms what a growing number of readers already know: Gene Yang is a major talent."

One of the tales is an adaptation of the famous Chinese tale about the Monkey King. Yang explains the history of the tale and his reasoning for making some changes to the classic here.
Here are the highlights:

At its heart, The Journey to the West is a Buddhist morality tale. In the original, the Monkey King raises havoc among the gods of all other traditional Chinese religions, and it is only the Buddha that is finally able to put him in his place. In American Born Chinese, I've replaced the story's Buddhist underpinnings with Christian ones, drawing from my own faith.
Christianity, you see, lies at the very center of my identity as an Asian-American.

Hooray! Finding out this information straight from the horse's mouth made my day! As I was reading the book I really struggled, wondering, "Is Yang making fun of the One True God?" I was so glad to find out he is not using the character Tze-Yo-Tzuh as a mockery of God!

I mentioned in another post that I'm not fond of immigration literature. However, this book breaks the mold of the traditional immigration story. Boys and girls will enjoy it due to the comic book style, humor, and fast pace of the story. I recommend it for those who "don't like to read."
Heather

The Aussie Author Challenge

2010-08-02T13:31:00.000-05:00

Aussie Author Challenge

I'm joining The Aussie Author Challenge hosted by Book Turners.

The goal:
To read books by Australian authors.

Time frame:
Whenever you chose to join the challenge until 31 December 2010.

The levels:

Ankle biter: 4 books
Grouse: 8 books
Bloody Oath!: 12 books

The rules:

The books must be by an Australian author;
The books must be fiction;
They can be classics or modern fiction;

Have fun!

My goal is the ankle biter level. My book choices are...

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
TBD

Heather

It's Monday! What are you Reading?

2010-08-02T12:09:00.000-05:00

Monday, Monday, Monday. I actually love Mondays because of this! Monday is the time for It's Monday! What are you Reading? hosted by Sheila at bookjourney.

Last week I finished...


Review to come. I definitely recommend it.

You can read my review here.

This week I plan on finishing...


Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli

P.S. If you read YA lit, you must visit Adele's blog. at persnicketysnark.com. There you can find her list of the Top 100 YA Novels that she compiled after gathering data from over 800 people across the globe, male and female. Five titles are released each day. Currently titles #100-#31 are available for our viewing pleasure. Adele has done an amazing job, and I want to share it with you. Please share it with others too.

Heather

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

2010-07-29T18:13:00.001-05:00

What do you think of the two very different covers for this book?

My YA book club discussed this book last night, and we had a great meeting. We used this helpful discussion guide. From the title alone, two of the ladies expected the book's topic to be "Should I stay with my boyfriend or not?" Boy, were they surprised! The actual topic is: "Should I stay alive or die?" High school senior Mia and her family are involved in a horrific car accident that leaves Mia's body in a catatonic state. However, Mia is able to view her own body and learns that she holds the key to life or death. What will she decide?

The reason I chose this book is because of Natasha's review.at Maw Books Blog. She specifically pointed out that Mia really loves her family and that is rare is YA literature. Mia does love her parents and her brother. In fact, she'd rather spend time with her family than go to some party. (Parents of teenagers rejoice!) Mia also loves her boyfriend, Adam, with a mature love that transcends their differences. Great examples of love.

Religion is not a part of Mia's decision-making process. When she considers "leaving" it is to reunite with family members. No mention of heaven or hell. I'm just saying, you might want to think about that stuff before making that kind of decision.

Interestingly enough, the book includes a detailed flashback about an atheist (a family friend) and his funeral. LSS: Man is atheist. Dies. His family gives him a Christian funeral. Mia's mother vocally complains about the absurdity of the funeral and the denial of man's family to accept the kind of person he was.

Really??

Clearly, the book is not written from a biblical world view.

Heather

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

2010-07-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

Summary: Fiona and the rest of the senior class must survive the mandatory Marriage Preparation Course in order to graduate. Oh yeah, and Fiona is matched with the biggest jerk in the school.

I read A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker because Melanie gave it such a great review. It wasn't what I expected (a good clean read), but it was an enjoyable, laugh-out-loud funny book. And that about sums it up.

Best Part of the Book: the Hamlet quotes!
Worst Part of the Book: the promotion of homosexuality.

Heather

Girl Coming in for a Landing by April Halprin Wayland

2010-07-26T21:10:00.000-05:00

Girl Coming in for a Landing is a novel in poems by April Halprin Wayland. It's a sweet, sweet book for teenage girls. The protagonist tell us about her life through her poems. Poems about her crush, her classes, her friends, her sister, her family.

What I liked about this book:

a character I could easily connect with
her love for her family
the poem "Why I Am a Lot Like a Horse" Funny name, but seriously I like this poem! (I would print it here for you, but I'm afraid I'd be banished to copyright jail, so please grab the book and read it yourself.)
It is the FIRST book I've read in one day--woo-hoo! (Yes, I'm a slow reader.)
April Halprin Wayland's writing tips at the end of her novel

What I didn't like about this book:

the ouija board
the drawn picture of a topless girl...with nipples. I'm just saying, it was unnecessary.

Overall, a great book!

Heather

It's Monday! What are you Reading?

2010-07-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

This is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. Stop on by her great site to join in on the fun!

Last week I read American Born Chinese and A Match Made in High School. Reviews to come on both.

This week I plan on reading...

Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli


Girl Coming in for a Landing by April Halprin Wayland

Both of these are part of the IWU Adolescent Literature college course syllabus. Feel free to join me on reading them all!

Heather

2010 National Book Festival

2010-07-22T20:46:00.002-05:00

The 10th annual National Book Festival!

Organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress

Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010

National Mall in Washington, D.C.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Book Festival participants include:

Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay)

Mem Fox (Koala Lou, Possum Magic, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes)

Linda Sue Park (A Single Shard, Project Mulberry, The 39 Clues, Book 9: Storm Warning)

Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Park's Quest)

View the entire list of author participants here. The website says they are still adding new authors.

I attended this wonderful Book Festival in 2005 when I was an English teacher in Northern Virginia. My co-worker/friend and I listened to Meg Cabot and Sharon Creech give delightful presentations. Meg Cabot was hysterical. We were also able to get signatures from Meg Cabot. (P.S. This was before I read Ready or Not (worst. book. ever.) and when all I knew of her was The Princess Diaries and All-American Girl.)

Meg Cabot signs my book (All-American Girl--one of the funniest books I've read).

Have you been before? Will you go this year? I'm soooo excited to hear Suzanne Collins speak!

Heather

Adolescent Literature Course at IWU

2010-07-20T22:29:00.009-05:00

I graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University, a Christian school in Marion, Indiana. While there, I took the course Adolescent Literature with Dr. McCracken. I loved it! Throughout the years, I've kept touch with him through emails asking him to send me the titles on his new syllabus.

Here is the list he sent me in the spring. My goal is to finish the list by the end of the summer.

A Step from Heaven by An Na
Girl Coming in for a Landing by April Halprin Wayland
Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli
True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

If you'd like to join me, feel free! I love feeling like a college student again! Instead of reading the book and writing an essay on it, I read the book and write about it on my blog!

The down side is that I miss out on the classroom time with my professor. I am anxiously awaiting his response to my email asking why he chose some of these books for a course at a Christian university. A Step from Heaven, True Believer, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian--all of which I've reviewed on this blog-- are troublesome.

Heather

It's Monday What are you Reading?

2010-07-19T19:13:00.001-05:00

It's another installment of "It's Monday What are you Reading?" hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Thanks Sheila!

I recently finished:
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. I had the chance to see the movie with my old roommate from high school while I was visiting her in Ohio, so I saw it before I re-read Eclipse. Oh well! The movie was great! Jacob is so much more likable in the movie than the book.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman I will write a review soon on this book. It's our YA book club selection, and I think it will foster good discussion at our meeting at the end of the month.

What's on my list for this Week:
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang This is on a class syllabus that I'm reading through. I'll share that list in an upcoming post. I picked it up at the library today and was surprised to find it in the Graphic YA novels! Who knew? I've never read a graphic novel, so I'm intrigued.
A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker I am excited about this book!!! From what I can tell, it's based on the Shakespeare idea of mistaken identities. It sounds like a good clean YA book. I have high hopes!!
Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK!!! It's on the way from amazon.com, and I'm biting my nails in anticipation! Robin Jones Gunn is my favorite author, and this is her new release. Plus the setting is Maui, a setting she has written about in other books such as Whispers, one of my favorite books.

Heather

Three Cups of Tea- Young Reader's Edition by Greg Mortenson

2010-07-12T15:07:00.001-05:00

This young readers’ edition of the worldwide bestseller Three Cups of Tea has been specially adapted and updated by Greg Mortenson to bring his remarkable story of humanitarianism up-to-date. It includes brand-new photos, maps, and illustrations, as well as a special afterword by Greg’s twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children.

Taken from penguin.com

I have not read the adult version, so I don't have much to compare. However, the map, photos, and interview with Greg's daughter are great additions to the book. These will make the story easier to read for younger readers. I chose the young reader's edition because my friend, Heather, told me a couple years ago that the adult version told a good story but was very political with a lot of Bush-hating. Like I said, I haven't read it, so I can't vouch for that review, but I can say that the young reader's edition did not fit that bill.

This book kept the focus on what Greg Mortenson is doing in Pakistan and Afghanistan. That being building schools in poor villages to promote learning for the impoverished children, specifically the girls. It is an inspiring story about how much difference one man can make. It is also a great story of adventure because it chronicles Greg's real experiences such as getting lost on a mountain and escaping fighting drug lords.

It's a great story for American middle schoolers. I hope after reading it they gain an appreciation for their American school buildings, education, and opportunities for college. I did!

True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff

2010-07-12T14:46:00.002-05:00

Short and sweet review:
A poor high school girl experiences the overtaking emotions of first love, has a fall-out with her best friends over religion, and watches her mom date a new man all while trying to better herself in the attempt to go to college. It is the second book in the Make Lemonade Trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel as well.

Longer review:
A poor high school girl experiences the overtaking emotions of first love, has a fall-out with her best friends over religion, and watches her mom date a new man all while trying to better herself in the attempt to go to college. It is the second book in the Make Lemonade Trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel as well.

Positives: Written in free verse, it is a very fast read. It is engrossing, and the characters are developed well. I easily related to LaVaughn's feelings of her head-over-heals crush on Jody. Which girl can't relate to this strong emotion? LaVaughn is a forgiving character, and one who values her friendships. There are a couple of instances when she is rude to her friends, but she comes to them and apologizes. I liked that a lot.

Negatives: This book shows a distorted view of Christianity. LaVaughn's best girl friends have joined a Christian club to specifically help them keep their virginity. As the book progresses, the reader learns more and more about the club which amazon.com calls "hyper religious." LaVaughn (and the author) see the very conservative side of Christianity (eg. They believe in Creation as opposed to evolution) as negative, something that is ruining her friends. LaVaughn herself does some research on Christianity and makes her own decisions on what it means to be "true believer." Here's a clue: her decision has nothing to do with accepting the divinity of Jesus Christ. As a conservative Christian, I strongly disliked this thread of the plot and would not recommend the book to anyone.

Heather

It's Monday What are you Reading?

2010-07-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

It's another installment of "It's Monday What are you Reading?" hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

Last week I read:

Three Cups of Tea, Young Reader's Edition
More Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson

This week's plan:

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (a re-read) My goal is to get it done before I watch the movie!

More Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson I know it's taking me forever to read this book! However, it's wonderful! It is so encouraging and helpful on how to teach my kids compassion, humility, and contentment in the midst of this culture of materialism and entitlement. Wow.

Heather

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2010-07-01T13:24:00.002-05:00

Words that come to mind about this book:

yuck

avoid

blasphemous

Does it have some good things to offer the world? Yes. There are good messages of overcoming obstacles and chasing hope when there's none around you. It also gives a good account of what life on Alexie's reservation was like. (Don't let the title fool you; it's partly autobiographical.) People should know the hardships that Indians have encountered due to our country's poor treatment of them. I support youth learning all these lessons, but I cannot support this book because these lessons are mixed in with irreverent and profane statements about the One True God.

Twilight meets The Hunger Games

2010-07-01T12:47:00.002-05:00

How's that for a title? That was my dream last night! Edward, Bella, and Jacob were three of the contestants in the next Hunger Games. And like in the end of the book The Hunger Games, partners were allowed. But in my dream, the players chose their own partners at the beginning. So Bella had to choose who she wanted for a partner: Edward or Jacob? (I'm sure reading the article on Eclipse in Entertainment Weekly last night set me up for this dream.) All the drama! Who's going to die? Added vampire and werewolf killing techniques to the arena. It was so dramatic!!! Well, Bella chose Jacob as her partner because she had enough faith in Edward to know that he would protect her without being her partner. So her choice gave her two allies. Who needs to see Eclipse when you have a dream like that!
Heather

It's Monday What are you Reading?

2010-06-28T14:11:00.001-05:00

Sheila hosts It's Monday What are you Reading?

Last week I read True Believer by Virginia Wolff and The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I continued reading in Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson. Non-fiction tends to take me longer to read than fiction. Speaking of non-fiction, I lost my copy of Bringing up Boys! Aah! So I guess I'll finish it when I find it! In regards to The Last Summer (of You and Me), I tried to read it, I did. I got to page 30, and I gave up. It was so disappointing compared to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

This week I plan on finishing Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson and reading Three Cups of Tea (The Young Reader's Edition) by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

Heather

It's Monday What Are You Reading?

2010-06-21T15:46:00.004-05:00

It's Monday What are you Reading is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. This is my first time participating!

What I Read Last Week:

Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Books for This Week:

True Believer by Virginia Wolff

The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
(My sister and I are going to read it together.)

Bringing up Boys by Dr. Dobson (Must finish it!)

Have a great week!

Heather

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2010-06-20T10:38:00.002-05:00

Fabulous.

If you haven't read it, go get it today!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2010-06-17T22:54:00.004-05:00

I picked it and Catching Fire up from the library to skim and scan as a review before Mockingjay is released. And then I was hooked...again.

Suzanne Collins is doing an amazing job with this series! The suspense is superb. The romance is precious... and confusing. (I don't want to spoil anything for newbies.) This dystopian series is fabulous. You will not be able to stop reading this one. Even the second time around, I was up past midnight twice, unable to put it down. Did I mention I like it???

Connection Time: Have you seen the movie Gladiator? The similarities between that movie and this book are incredible. I read The Hunger Games before I saw Gladiator (I know, I know, it's an old movie), and as I watched the movie, I was shocked as I compared the two "arenas." Wow.

Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff

2010-06-16T22:21:00.010-05:00

I LITERALLY laughed out loud while reading this book. My sister lent it to me from the shelves of her music pastor husband. I read it aloud to her while she highlighted my hair. So basically I read this book aloud for 2 hours. The time flew by, and we were both laughing. At times she couldn't understand me because I was laughing so hard while trying to read it to her.

Here are a few specific satire sections that cracked me up: "Guide to Food Prayers" (Should you pray before eating a Snickers?), the intro to the "My Bad" section (where he throws his pastor friend under the bus for seeing an R-rated movie), "Finding Typos in the Worship Music" (You know you've done it!), "The Good Morning Flow Chart," and "Putting the devil 'On Notice'" (a new expression to me, but written about with such wit).

If you are a Christian who wants to laugh out loud, then I highly recommend this book!

Want to know more about the book? Read below or check out Jonathan Acuff's website

Author Jonathan Acuff uses satire, not mockery, to "clear away the clutter of Christianity so we can see the beauty of Christ." Here is the full quote from the article he wrote for Relevant Magazine:
Mockery is not the same thing as satire. Mockery always has a victim. Satire doesn’t. Mockery is about wounding someone and leaving a bruise. Satire isn’t that way at all. I define satire as “humor with a purpose.” My purpose is to clear away the clutter of Christianity so we can see the beauty of Christ. I do that with satire, which is a tremendous vehicle for truth. It’s like a big mirror: You take an issue and you blow it up so it’s big enough and obvious enough for everyone to see. Then you stand next to it and ask: “Is that us? Are we OK with that? Is this what it means to be the Church?” The other big difference is that God hates mockery. Satire? I feel He actually exhibits a bit of satire in the Bible. In Psalm 1:1, we’re told “Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers” (TNIV). Do you see that? Mockers are related to the wicked. But satire gets a shoutout. In Numbers 11:23, God says to Moses: “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” I don’t speak Hebrew, but I can’t believe God was asking Moses the length of His arm because He didn’t know. I think He was satirically pointing out to Moses that He could take care of him.

Finishing Bloggiesta

2010-06-13T21:02:00.004-05:00

The party is over.... and I'm tired!

Goals I accomplished:
1. Write book review for Undercover.
2. Write book review for The Great Gatsby.
3. Write post about 2-day reads.
5. Mini challenge on There's a Book about using stats on your blog.
6. Politely and kindly ask an author for an interview.
7. Make a list of the books I've read in the last year.
8. Update "about me" with genres I like to read
9. Finish reading Jumping off Swings. (I don't know if Natasha counts this as part of Bloggiesta. Anyone know?)
Extras I accomplished:
1. Added my first widget!
2. Found many new book blogs to follow
3. Connected with other book bloggers
4. Wrote book review for Jumping Off Swings.
5. Completed the mini challenge on community (leave comments on new-to-you blogs)
6. Ate Mexican for lunch on Saturday

What I didn't Accomplish/For Another Day:
1. Write post on being a Daniel reader
2. Ask second author for an interview/book giveaway for her upcoming book release.

Time Spent:
9.5 hours (My husband misses me.)

I had a fabulous time!

Heather

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

2010-06-13T12:24:00.003-05:00

Jumping Off Swings tells a story of a teenage pregnancy from four different character's perspectives. We hear from the pregnant Ellie, the father Josh, and their best friends Corinne and Caleb. It's a good book for an adult book club because it can foster much discussion on topics from pregnancy to parenting. (Some of the parenting in this book is awful.)

The worst thing about this book is the language. Wow. Inappropriate language is used throughout the book. Everything from the F-bomb (multiple, multiple times) to sexual innuendos are present. I had chosen this book for my YA Book Club, but changed it since there is an actual young adult in our group, and I don't think it's an appropriate read.

It's another melancholy read. I wish Ellie had had more love and support around her through her crisis.

Heather

2-Day Reads

2010-06-12T23:29:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned in my first post, I have never finished a book in less than 2 days. You may be assuming that I'm a slow reader, and this my friends, is true! I have accepted it.

Another correct assumption is that if I finished a book in 2 days, I really liked it!

My 2-day Reads (that I can remember... I didn't keep stats on this stuff until recently)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars
Coming Attractions by Robin Jones Gunn
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

What books have you read the fastest?

Heather

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2010-06-12T23:12:00.005-05:00

The Great Gatsby is an American classic written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is a novel written in the 1920s about the 1920s. It explores topics such as money, the American Dream, dishonesty, and goals. Jay Gatsby is a millionaire who throws extravagant parties in New York. His neighbor, Nick, is our narrator who reveals the story of Jay Gatsby: his background, his dreams, his friends, his life. It is a classic, romance, and mystery. It's one of the best classics I've read, and I recommend it.

Two of my close friends read it after I recommended it, and they had identical responses: "Why did you like this? It's all about affairs." Yes, characters cheat on their spouses; however, sex is merely mentioned and never detailed. It's by NO MEANS a Harlequin romance! There are many only aspects to the books other than sex too. The biggest reason I like it is because of the mystery surrounding Gatsby and the events at the end. (Maybe I should read more mysteries?) The characters are immoral, but the author shows that their actions cause negative effects on their lives and the lives of others.

P.S. The movie does a wonderful job of portraying the novel. I recommend it as well!

Heather

Bloggiesta Update

2010-06-12T21:49:00.000-05:00

I am loving Bloggiesta! It's my first one, and it's oh so fun. Thank you Natasha.

Here are a few things that have been happening in my house this weekend:
1) On Friday, my husband looked at me flabbergasted every time I said the word bloggiesta.
2) We went to a pool as a family and enjoyed the hot summer day (not technically summer, I know).
3)Today, my husband finally asked me what a bloggiesta is and listened patiently as I explained it.
4) We ate Little Caesars Pizza for supper since I realized at 4:30 pm that I had not even THOUGHT about what we would eat. Oops.

Bloggiesta is great fun! But note to self: next time, put dinner in the crockpot.

Happy Bloggiesta Fellow Bloggers!

Heather

Undercover by Beth Kephart

2010-06-11T09:03:00.001-05:00

I recently read Beth Kephart's first young adult novel Undercover. It is a story about a young high school girl, Elisa. She is gifted poetically, a talent that boys notice and use to their advantage. Elisa writes notes for them to use in courting the girl of their choice. (I found it interesting that there was no mention of payment for these poetic love notes. Are we supposed to believe that Elisa helped all these lovesick boys for free?) Along the way she falls for a boy that she is helping. She spends the winter pining after this boy, teaching herself to ice skate, observing nature, and lamenting her parents' failing marriage.

As I have seen mentioned on other blogs, and I will post it as well: do not read the inside jacket summary. It gives away too much of the story.

This book contains a beautiful passage that I will share with you:
And he said that there were two kinds of chances you take in life, and that I had chosen one. You can love not enough, he said, or you can love too much, and when you love too much, you risk everything, but you also enter into a thing called beauty. (Kephart, Beth. Undercover. New York: HarperTeen, 2007.)
This passage struck me personally, and I am thankful for it.

However, the book as a whole let me down. It was too melancholy for my taste. Elisa has no friends, her parent's marriage is failing, her sister doesn't acknowledge her at school, her mom is distanced, etc. etc. Maybe it's because I just read Thirteen Reasons Why, but I thought, This girl could be suicidal. But don't worry, she's not!

I was disappointed to see Elisa judge her classmate on his large nose. She really dislikes this boy because of his large nose and obnoxious behavior. Maybe she should wonder if he is using his behavior to distract from his nose. Like Cyrano de Bergerac used humor to distract from his large nose (an important part of the story). Also, Elisa has a deformed earlobe that she is embarrassed of and hides under her hair. Her classmate can't hide his nose as easily, so why is she so hypocritical?

I have written a novel, I see. Here is one last thought about the book's content. I was disappointed at the use and heavy implication of Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese." The author (and hence Elisa's teacher who gives it to Elisa) advises the reader to forget religion and become like an animal to be able to fully engage in and enjoy life.

Bloggiesta

2010-06-11T08:27:00.003-05:00

I am participating in the Bloggiesta hosted by Maw Books. It is a weekend set aside (or making time in the midst of other things) to work on improving your blog. Better blog, here I come!
As for my goals, I am compiling them in my mind as I type. I may add more later. (Orange tasks are done.)
Goals:
1. Write book review for Undercover.
2. Write book review for The Great Gatsby.
3. Write post about 2-day reads.
4. Write post about being a Daniel reader.
5. Complete the mini challenge on There's a Book about using stats on your blog.
6. Politely and kindly ask an author for an interview.
7. Make a list of the books I've read in the last year.
8. Update "about me" with genres I like to read
9. Finish reading Jumping off Swings. (I don't know if Natasha counts this as part of Bloggiesta. Anyone know?)
10. Politely and kindly ask second author for an interview/book giveaway for her upcoming release.

Let the party begin!

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

2010-05-29T21:10:00.002-05:00

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a retelling of the Grimm's fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." It is my first Jessica Day George novel, but probably not my last!

The widowed king is left with his twelve daughters who harbor a secret they can tell no one. Every morning he discovers his daughters' worn out dancing shoes beside their beds. No matter how many guards keep watch, the girls are never caught sneaking out to dance. Finally their father issues a decree that the first prince to discover their secret will win a marriage to the daughter of his choosing and succession to his royal throne. Thankfully there is a handsome soldier, just home from the war, who happens to be in the right place at the right time. Galen also knows how to knit. That just may help him solve this mystery.

I really enjoyed this book! It's a fairy tale with a lovely romance. It captured the ambiance of life in a royal castle without an immense amount of details. (I'm thinking of how The Goose Girl is similar but is much more detailed. Princess of the Midnight Ball is a much shorter read and more fun!) I really enjoyed a modern retelling of a fairy tale that portrayed the man as the hero. Girl power has its place, but it has been overdone.

Beliefs: Catholicism. The setting is Germany is the early 1800s. Catholic terms such as last rites and archbishop are not only used, but are important to the story. Readers will not fully appreciate the plot unless they have some knowledge of Catholicism.

This book was fabulous! I highly recommend it!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2010-05-25T12:59:00.001-05:00

Wow. I loved this book.

Clay Jensen receives a package of cassette tapes in the mail. He inserts the first tape and hears a voice that has been silent for two weeks: Hannah Baker's. Hannah Baker committed suicide. Before she died, she recorded, in detail, the thirteen reasons why she decided to kill herself. Her directions are clear. If you receive the package of tapes in the mail, then you are one of the reasons. Listen to them all, and then pass them on to the next person in line.

Hannah's tapes take Clay on a tour of their city, a tour of their schoolmates' cruelty, and a tour of a suicidal girl's breaking heart.

Author Chris Crutcher's critique is on the front cover: "Very clever premise, strong voice, perfect suspense. This one will keep you reading. Jay Asher is a fine storyteller."

Ditto.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

2010-05-23T14:51:00.001-05:00

The Sea of Monsters is Book 2 in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. To review this book, I need to refer to the first book in the series: The Lightning Thief.

In this series, Rick Riordan takes gods, demigods, and monsters from Greek mythology and places them in a completely different setting than we're used to finding them: the United States of America in modern time.

What I like about the books: I am learning Greek mythology. What I don't like about the books: 1) As an English teacher, I disprove of the grammar use. Percy tells us the stories, and he speaks incorrectly (e.g. Annabeth and me hopped on the chariot), 2) They have so much potential to be good literature, but they fall short, 3) They are slow reads. I kept checking to see how much more I had to read. Reading them felt more like an assignment than an enjoyable experience. However, mythology is not a favorite genre of mine, I admit!

Beliefs in the story include: 1) The Greek gods are real. They are alive. And by the way, they procreate with humans to create demigods such as the main character, Percy Jackson. 2) The entrance to Hades is in a recording studio in Hollywood. 3) There is a camp in NYC for demigod children, a place where they train to fight monsters and worse enemies. 4) A "mist" keeps humans from understanding what they see when it comes to encounters with these supernaturals.

On Riordan's website he addresses the issue of learning about Greek mythology. Here is a quote from his interview:

In Western Civilization, we’ve always had an uneasy mix between Classical mythology and Judeo-Christian values. As a culture, we tend to believe in one God, but we also grow up steeped in these wonderful old stories about the Olympians. As long as we recognize them as stories that are part of our heritage and long-since stopped being any kind of serious religion, I don’t see the harm in learning mythology (emphasis mine). If fact, I think you have to know Greek myths to understand where our modern culture came from. It’s part of being an educated member of society.

Click here for the rest of what he had to say.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

2010-05-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

I first saw the movie with my sister, mom, and best friend. The movie was cheesy and unrealistic. I checked out the book unsure if I'd actually read it or not. I sat down to take a look at it, and it hooked me.

It is a story about finding love in its different forms. Loving a boy. Loving a brother. Loving a father. Loving oneself. Loving God. Ronnie is the main character, a seventeen-year-old girl who is forced to spend the summer at her dad's house on the beach in North Carolina. The summer gives Ronnie first-hand experience at loving.

One of my favorite things about The Last Song is the way it switches point-of-view from chapter to chapter. You experience the story through the lens of Ronnie, Will (her boyfriend), Marcus (the bad guy), and Steve (Ronnie's dad). Therefore, you understand the thoughts and motivations behind characters' actions. The love story between Ronnie and Will is very sweet and likable. More realistic and less cheesy than the movie. (An interesting side is that Nicholas Sparks wrote the screenplay before he wrote the novel.)

Christianity is well represented. Steve reads his Bible, loves his children unconditionally, and forgives. He is grace-giving and kind. He becomes a role model for Will, and Ronnie starts to read her Bible due to his example. Scripture is printed in the book such as the fruit of the Spirit passage.

It was an enjoyable book.

A Step from Heaven by An Na

2010-05-03T13:33:00.001-05:00

A Step from Heaven is An Na's first novel. It is marketed as a YA book.

The story is about a Korean family that immigrates to the East Coast and the struggles they face to adapt to a new culture, while keeping their Korean roots.

These kind of stories are prominent right now, and my personal opinion is that once you've read a few of them, you can quit. It's the same theme over and over: the children adapt to the American culture. It is probably good for every white American to read one to gain sympathy and understanding for others. If you've already read something similar, and you've gained sympathy and respect for immigrating families, then you can skip this one. If this is a topic you enjoy, then here is another one for you to add to your list!

My beef with the novel is the way An Na portrays God. As a young girl in Korea, Young's grandmother taught her about Christianity and how to pray to Jesus. Her grandmother was raising her in the faith. Then at age 4, Young and her parents move to America, and the family leaves the grandma and Christianity behind in Korea. Much later in the novel, Young's mom takes the kids to a Christian church in desperation. The mother finds love, acceptance, and a church family, and begins regularly attending church with the kids. If the faith part had ended there, it would be fine.

SPOILER ALERT
At the climax of the book, Young's father, in a drunken fit, is beating his mother, and Young fears he may kill her, so she dials 911 but is too scared to talk to the operator. She coaches herself to save her mom and then remembers her grandma's voice saying "Only God can." She hears her mother wail and the text continues: "I am not a child anymore. I do not have time to wait for God. There is only me. I pick up the phone and raise it to my ear..."

Completely disappointing.

I am completely disappointed with this novel.

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

2010-04-30T13:49:00.001-05:00

Inexcusable is a short YA book that packs a big punch.

Following his high school graduation, Keir is accused of rape. He is full of shock, denial, and rage at the accusation. He knows he is a good guy, and good guys don't do things like rape.

The book is Keir's look back on the events of his senior year leading up to the aforementioned night. Keir recounts the events from his viewpoint, giving the reader a chance to glean insight into Keir's life that we know he himself is not privy to.

It's not to often that I enjoy a YA book about a male character. This is one of them.

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

2010-04-07T21:35:00.001-05:00

Here it is: my first book review on my book blog! How exciting! I finished Listening for Lions in two days. That is one of the highest compliments I can pay a book because I have never read a book any faster than that! Not only did I read it in two days, I was actually re-reading it. The first time I read it was a few years ago.

The book follows the life of teenager Rachel from Africa to England and back again during the early 1900s. She and her parents are missionaries in Africa until influenza strikes. Events unfold, and Rachel ends up in England, a million miles from her beloved Africa.

Gloria Whelan deserves praise for a job well done. Her book is beautifully written with symbolism and imagery. I applaud the way she was true to Rachel's first-person narrative. I felt like Rachel was telling me the story and not an adult author telling a story through a teen character.

From a spiritual perspective, it is always nice to read a book about Christianity that presents the faith positively. The missionaries are shown as selfless, non-materialistic, faithful, and devoted people.

It is a novel aimed at middle school readers, but one that adults can enjoy as well.