Stacked Shelves

I’m having a hard time reconciling my opposing viewpoints about Rain Reign by Ann Martin. It probably comes down to my dislike of books about problem kids. So, I’m predisposed to find something I don’t like. But it’s a good book with a strong plot and a likable narrator and I plan to share it with at least one of my book clubs. Well, I might. Maybe. In any event, it’ll probably be among the books talked about for the Newbery Award Rose, our narrator, has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism, sometimes called Asperger’s Syndrome [total aside, my kid’s pediatrician believes that further research, especially in the area of genomic testing, will show that autism and Asperger’s are not on the same “spectrum,” but different syndromes with similarities]. She is obsessed with words that sound alike but mean different things, prime numbers, and following the rules. She is sensory-sensitive and often disruptive in class and at home, despite being very intelligent.  So, here’s

I really wanted to like Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff. I liked one of her previous novels, A Tangle of Knots , so much I selected it for my 4 th and 5 th grade book club and it was one of the kids’ favorite books. It also was long-listed for The National Book Award. A Tangle of Knots is a quirky book that requires you to pay attention. The characters’ stories are truly woven around one another and there’s fun climax where all the ends come together. In truth, I’m not sure all my kids got all the subtle hints to the “untangling,” but it didn’t bother them. We had a good discussion (that veered off into lots of tangents) and they enjoyed the story and the characters. So I’m a bit disappointed by Absolutely Almost . In many ways it can be compared to Wonder by R.J. Palacio or Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. The protagonist is a kid with a problem. (Truth be told, there are many such novels, but that just proves there’s a formula at work here.) Auggie, the hero of Wonder ,

My books to read list is teetering on the top edge of eight pages. Part of the problem is that I get to read various professional review journals as part of my job and I subscribe to Bookmarks (“For everyone who hasn’t read everything.”) It’s actually Bookmarks ’ fault that my crime fiction list is so long. Just now I added “Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks” to it after reading a review of Children of the Revolution . Which reminded me I never completed my list of mystery authors. So, let’s get that party finished. 28. Michael Robotham I’ve read two Robotham books and but I started his Joseph O’Loughlin series in the middle, which never makes me happy. I really enjoyed book six– Say Your Sorry – but I liked Bleed for Me (book 4) a little less. I’m not totally sold on a clinical psychologist solving mysteries (his family and medical problems seem a little too much), but Robotham is a former journalist and I do like the way he writes. So, I have plans to either start at the be

I put the wrong label on The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore. In bookstores, adult books are separated by genre. This is fine. And it’s fine in the adult sections of libraries. But most of us don’t do that in the children’s section because we don’t want to limit what our kids read. If you group all the mysteries and separate them from the pack, you’re already telling some kids, oh, you don’t want to read these! Instead, we want kids to browse the stacks. We want them to make discoveries.  Sometimes, though, they are assigned a type of book (historical fiction or mystery or science fiction) to read and report on. And, so, to make life easier in those cases, we (children’s librarians) have little genre stickers for book spines. I like to get the genre right.  On the title page verso (fancy name for the page that has publisher’s info), publishers will often do some cataloging and list the book’s subjects. The good people at Bloomsbury Children’s Book

As I was finishing the book Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood I worried the ending would be too perfect--everything would work out in such a way to leave the reader happy, even if isn’t the way real life worked. And it reminded me of One for the Murphys , which made me cry because it was real life. Turns out the ending of Prairie Evers is open, and that’s how it should be. One for the Murphys , sigh, ended as it should have too. Let’s compare (spoilers ahead). Prairie Evers , which is for children in grades 3-5, is about a once-homeschooled girl who finds a BFF in Ivy Blake when she starts attending the local school. Ivy, though, comes from a troubled home. Where Prairie is outgoing with artsy, but stable parents, Ivy is shy and fatherless. Worse, her mom killed her father in a domestic accident. Ivy’s mom is sullen and depressed and cares not a whit for Ivy. Prairie and her family recognize this and Ivy becomes a de facto member of their household. Ivy’s mom meets, then marries Ge

I tweeted last night that I wanted to hug The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E.K. Johnston. Today, none of the glow has worn off. But … there had to be a but … I’m still learning how to recommend YA novels.   Part of the problem is I don’t love many YA novels. In fact, I can’t stand YA novels with too much angst. Or mean girls. Or unrealistic situations. You may find that last one funny when I tell you the YA novels I recommend over and over again:   Feed by M.T. Anderson: In the not too distant future a customized World Wide Web is piped directly into our brains. Having the system know everything about you is both helpful and harmful, though. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman: A half-dragon girl is able to pass for human and become an important member of the royal household. But where will her loyalties lie if humans and dragons go to war? The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: A group of private school boys are on a quest to find an ancient ley line and awa