underneath.jpg

A lyrical, poetic first novel about love and hate and magic, set in the steamy Texas swampland. A pregnant cat is dumped in the woods and makes her way to a shack where she makes friends with an old hound dog who is permanently chained to a post by his hateful master. The kittens are born and are kept hidden from the man, until one fateful day he captures one of them and throws it in the river to drown. The kitten must find its way back to its family. This book almost demands to be read aloud. A 2009 Newbery Medal honor book suitable for grades 4 and up.

urban.jpg

One day the author, in his late 20s, realized that he had crushing bills and no way to pay them, plus he had gained more than 100 pounds since he graduated from college. So he decided to stop going to bars nightly and limit himself to $8 per week food budget and 800 calories per day, which basically meant eating lentils and eggs and very little else. While partly a description of what it was like to exist on lentils for month after month, the book also describes his freelance journalism work, including trips to Bosnia and the Rainbow Family Gathering in Montana. I had little sympathy for the hard drinking he did for years, but ended up admiring the author’s dedication and will-power.

savvy.jpg

Mibs Beaumont eagerly awaits her 13th birthday, when her “savvy” or magic talent will appear, as it has for every other member of her family. On her birthday, though, she hijacks a bus to get to her father who is gravely ill in the hospital, and a wild ride ensues. A rollicking fast read full of humor and heart. A first novel and a 2009 Newbery Honor Book.

elegance.jpg

In Paris the homely concierge of a wealthy apartment building hides the fact that she is well-read and has sophisticated tastes. A precocious twelve-year-old girl in her building forms a bond with her, and they both are befriended by the new tenant, a very cultured Japanese man. The girl has decided to commit suicide on her 13th birthday. Will she, or will she decide that life is worth living after all? Alternating the voices of the concierge and the girl, this is a wonderful thinking person’s novel. Translated from the French.

hunger.jpg

Wow! Collins takes reality TV to the nth degree in this post-apocalyptic tale of a country ruled by an autocratic central government. Every year a lottery is held to select a boy and a girl from each of the 12 regional districts to battle to the death in an arena. All citizens must watch the event, which plays out over several weeks, on television. The last child left alive is the winner. When her 12-year-old sister’s name is selected in the lottery, 16-year-old Katniss volunteers to take her place. What follows is not for the squeamish, but it’s fascinating and riveting. The story ends with a cliffhanger, so I assume there will be a sequel. Highly recommended for ages 12 and up.

roads.jpg

Twenty-five years after his best-selling Blue Highways, the author takes off again on the road less traveled, in a meandering search for “quoz” which is the word he coined for something unexpected and memorable, a special moment. From his home base in Missouri, he goes North, South, East and West. My favorite part is his description of riding decommisioned railroad lines on specially modified bicycles. The writing meanders too much for my taste, but parts are interesting and it’s worth reading. I liked Blue Highways far better, however.

year.jpg

An autobiographical first novel by a Taiwanese-American, this book describes a year in elementary student Grace’s life as she moves between Chinese and American cultures. She is the only Asian student in her school until another Taiwanese girl arrives and the two quickly become best friends. I especially enjoyed the Christmas chapter, when Grace and her sisters try to explain the concept of Christmas presents and a Christmas tree to her mother. A good read and a YRCA 2009 nominee for grades 4-6.

wordy.jpg

An unlikely best-seller, this is an account of the Puritan settlers in New England in the 1630s — not the Mayflower crew, but the founders of Massachusetts and Rhode Island which included John Winthrop and Ann Hutchinson and Roger Williams. Vowell has done an impressive amount of research and she tries to get inside 17th-century heads instead of projecting 21st-century values on them. Her youth is a little disconcerting for a fogey history major like me, though, when she talks about getting her history lessons from the Brady Bunch and the Simpsons and other TV sitcoms. All in all, a well-written and interesting account of about 10 years which very few people bother to learn about after grade school. Worth reading.

deadline1.jpegBen discovers in his senior year of high school that he has a terminal illness. He chooses to tell nobody and goes out for football for the first time. A wonderful book about a smart kid who learns to take risks and reach out to people, including a homeless drunk. Excellent; recommended for high school and up.

starburst.jpegSet at the Endinburgh International Festival and Fringe Festival which are held for three weeks each August, this book starts out slowly and it’s hard to keep all the characters in one’s head, but gradually the characters become real and by the end all the separate threads are tied together. I enjoyed learning about pyrotechnics (for the big end-of-festival fireworks display) and about the rigors of being a world-class concert musician and about film camerawork. There is love and hate and fear and suspense in this enjoyable book. It would be a good summer read for those who can’t manage to get to Edinburgh in person.