Sam and CY students & staff are reading…

Who would like this book? Anyone who likes adventure and lots of suspense.

Why? This boy named Peak was caught climbing the Empire State Building illegally and was arrested. He had 2 options to take: go live with his father in Thailand or go into Juvenile Detention. He ends up trying to climb Mt. Everest.

The details:  246 p. 2007                           Submitted by Spencer

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Who would like this book? Teens (and younger readers) who like otters and want to know about the process of saving them from the tragic effects of an oil spill.

Why? Roland Smith originally published Sea Otter Rescue in 1990, soon after the tragic Exxon Valdez oil spill. The spill was devastating to the wildlife in Prince William Sound, Alaska, and approximately 1,000 otters were lost. More otters would have died if not for the Sea Otter Rescue Center. As part of this effort, Smith offers first-hand experience about otters, the devastating effects of the oil spill on them, and the specific procedures developed to clean them and return them to the wild. Though his prose is sometimes overly simple and targeted toward a younger audience, the subject matter is so fascinating that reading to the end is never in question. Photographs accompany every page of the text, complementing Smith’s descriptions. Seeing the otters covered with oil is sad and disturbing, but following the steps in their cleaning is inspiring. These otter-cleaners were heroes. I hope that they won’t have to be called into service again, but if an otter rescue is ever necessary again, be prepared to want to go help after reading this book. It’s a Battle of the Book 08-09 selection, most likely because Roland Smith is an Oregon author.

The details: 64 p. 1999 (10th anniversary of the oil spill)

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Who would like this book? If you have (or want to have) a ferret, read this book. It would also be a good read if you like the idea of being raised by three unique big brothers, and if you’ve ever wondered about the effect of an electrical shock.

Why? Minerva Clark is about to have the worst day of her life. Her mom has recently left the family to teach yoga in Santa Fe (New Mexico), her dad is always at work, and her three brothers trade off being BIC (Brother In Charge). The brothers – Mark Clark, Quills, and Morgan – do their best, and the dynamics of their surrogate parenting are hilarious. At the start of the story Minerva lives for her ferret, her rebuses (cool wordplays), and her friend, Reggie. Two significant events create a change for her, and her life takes a turn. Without giving too much away, I’ll share that it turns into a murder mystery. This combination sounds convoluted, but I think that Karbo makes it work. What do you think?

The details: 245 p. 2005

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Gabcast! Library Podcasts #2

Who would like this books? Anyone – teens or adults – who read and enjoyed Beverly Clearly’s books (books like Henry Huggins or Ramona Quimby) when they were younger. It would also be a good read for people who are interested in becoming writers or for people who are interested in daily life in the 1920s and 1930s.

Why? Beverly Cleary is a very remarkable person and writer with an amazing memory. She is also honest and does not edit uncomfortable events out of this highly readable autobiography. I have to admit a special connection to her story. I grew up in Portland on 77th street a number of blocks south of her house, and I went to Camp Namanu and have visual memories of most of the landmarks that she describes. Even though I am a couple of decades younger than she is, her descriptions of neighborhoods, libraries, farms, and schools brought back personal memories for me. This memoir is not only engaging to read as the story of her life through her graduation from Grant High School and her move to California for college, it is also a valuable source of information about coming of age in the 1920s and early 1930s. The precision of her memory astounds me. Throughout the book, she sprinkles lists of the books that she and her friends were reading, along with their music, their dances, and their classes in school.Her assessment of the boys throughout the upper elementary grades is hilarious. Her honesty about a dangerous uncle and about other family difficulties are noteworthy. The story reminds me of her books, simultaneously heartwarming and heart-crunching,with hilarity woven into the telling of everyday events. My only wish is that she would have kep on going through her college years. I went to her website (http://www.beverlycleary.com/beverlycleary/index.html) for more of the story. This book is a great choice for the 2008-09 Battle of the Books list.

The details: 344p. 1988

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Who would like this book? Teens and adults who have an interest in the 1933 Tillamook forest fire (in northwestern Oregon) and/or who are curious about life in a logging camp from the perspective of a thoughtful thirteen-year-old girl.

Why? Thirteen-year-old Storie (short for Estora) lives in a logging camp with her parents and younger brother, Johnny. Storie idolizes her dad, a veteran logger, though she’s starting to wonder about the relentless logging and also getting restless with her dad’s authoritarian approach to her. As she becomes thoughtful about her situation, she has growing opportunities for experiences in both work and fun. The descriptions of her surroundings and the unfolding of these experiences are great. Linda Crew also gives us the wider context of their logging camp by shifting the focus to a nearby logging camp in which a small fire has broken out. The ensuing chapters, marked by location and time, alternate between Storie’s experiences and the fight to put out the forest fire. Of course, the two converge in an exciting climax that does not disappoint. I grew up with my mom’s vivid stories of the Tillamook Burn and her participation in planting new trees, so this book has special meaning for me. Even without a personal connection, I predict that readers will like Fire on the Wind. Linda Crew’s first sentence sets the mood: “A nervous little breeze skittered through the mountain canyons…”

The details: 198 p. 1995

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Listen to a Bookcast by Sam!
Who would like this book? Do you have relatives who came to Oregon via the Oregon Trail? Are you curious about what life was like for these pioneers? Are you interested in the conflict between the Native Americans and the new white settlers? You’ll want to read this book.

Why? The Stout-Hearted Seven tells the story of the Sager family, who leave Missouri in the spring of 1844 with the hope that a good life awaits them in the Willamette Valley. It’s amazing to read a story such as this one and realize that these people went through unbelievable hardship to get to the land where we now live.  Ms. Frazier did lots of research to gain the perspective of the eldest Sager daughter, Catherine. She writes with a sense of fairness, balancing the family’s good and bad times. The excruciating and tragic situation with the Native Americans (referred to as either Indians or by their specific tribes) starts out in the background, but is thrust to the foreground dramatically. Frazier gives a fair but limited context for the tragic events in the last part of the story. There are a number of unfortunate typographical errors throughout the text, but they are minor. This selection for the 08-09 Battle of the Books is an excellent telling of a riveting pioneer story.

The details: 193 p. 1973 (reprinted 2006)

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Who would like this book? If you like James Bond, try this book or any in the Alex Rider series. (Ark Angel is the 6th one in the series.) Usually it’s best to read a series in order, but in this case it is not necessary. Each adventure makes sense on its own.

Why? Alex Rider, a teenage secret agent with the British secret service, M16, is once again trying to give it up and get on with a normal life. It’s not to be. While recovering from the wounds which almost killed him in his last adventure, he becomes embroiled in a new one. I do not like to give a plot summary of a book such as this one. It’s much better to read it without knowing what the title means or what the plot will be. Dont’ read the back of the book, either. Just get on the ride at page one and shove off. Be ready for fast action, clever plot twists, and unrelenting suspense. Ark Angel is on two lists this year: it is a 2009 YRCA nominee in the Intermediate Division, and it is also a 08-09 Battle of the Books selection.

The details: 326 p. 2006

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Watch a 30-second trailer for Peak by Sam!
Who would like this book? Anyone who likes mountain climbing, adventure, or survival stories would appreciate this book by Oregon author Roland Smith.

Why? The title Peak has a couple of significant meanings. I won’t say anything more about these meanings (and don’t read the back of the book) so that you can discover them for yourself. The main character starts out by getting in trouble for illegally climbing skyscrapers in New York City and escapes juvenile detention when his father, a famous mountain climber, comes to take him to Mount Everest. Peak is a multi-leveled adventure with heart-stopping climbing challenges, gut-wrenching family problems, and mind-bending political turmoil. Whether or not you’re part of the 08-09 Battle of the Books, this book is a worthwhile read.

The details: 246 p. 2007 Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? Lovers of fantasy, quirky families, griffins, and Chrestomanci (enchanters with nine lives) will not want to miss this book.

Why? The Pinhoe Egg is both a 2009 Battle of the Book selection and a YRCA 2009 nomine. Of course, I had to read it and am very happy for the discovery of the latest book (2006) in a series that Diana Wynne Jones started in 1977. I just ordered five of the books that come before The Pinhoe Egg: Charmed Life, The Lives of Christopher Chant, Conrad’s Fate, The Magicians of Caprona, Witch Week, and Conrad’s Fate. Though The Pinhoe Egg stands on its own, I suggest that you first read Charmed Life (and the others if you have time). The Pinhoe Egg is set soon after Charmed Life, according to Dianna Wynne Jones’ website. Gammer Pinhoe, the matriarch of the Pinhoe clan who live in the magical Ulverscote, has a bone to pick with the neighboring clan, the Farleighs. Her granddaughter Marianne, a powerful witch who lacks confidence, has her hands full attempting to keep the peace among her neighbors, keep track of her cat Nutcase, and discovering the mystery in the enchanted wood with her neighbor Cat, a young and engaging enchanter with nine lives (yes, a Chrestomanci). Lots of colorful characters and plot threads makes this book an entertaining and fun read. Fantasy is not my favorite right now, but it got me, especially when the egg hatches.

The details: 468 p. 2006

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Who would like this book? If you like softball or have an interest in the impact of World War II in rural Oregon (specifically, prejudice against the Japanese), definitely read this book.

Why? In the spring of 1949, two sixth-grade girls’ softball teams are to compete in the 50th annual “Bat 6.” The traditional annual game pits the team from Bear Creek Ridge Grade School against the team from Barlow Road Grade School. Bear Creek’s star player, Aki Mikami, has just returned to the community with her family after their internment in the Japanese camps during World War II. Shazaam, the star of the Barlow Road team, is also new to the community. She is as sullen and disturbed as Aki is cheerful and polite, and we find that Shazaam’s father, a ne’er-do-well by some accounts, was killed in the Pearl Harbor bombing. Virginia Euwer Wolff relates this background and the subsequent action through the 21 voices of the girls on the teams. Though these multiple voices can sometimes be confusing (I kept flipping back to the team rosters as I started reading), they fall into place once the story takes center stage. The multiple voices would be great as a read-aloud, and also as a good focus for writers to discuss their craft as it pertains to point of view and a character’s voice. The novel is also great for discussion of issues; prejudice, friendship, and responsibility are fruitfully explored in this historical novel. It had special meaning to me because I grew up in Portland not far from these communities. When I was in 3rd grade, my best friend was Japanese. It was not until many years later that I discovered that her family had been interned during WWII. By the early 1960s, everyone had seemed to agree to pretend that the internment had never happened. I’m thankful for books such as this one to bring the issue to our consciousness for discussion and reflection to insure that it does not happen again.

The details: 228 p. 1998

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