When I Was Joe by Keren David


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ty and his mother, Nicki, are taken into witness protection after Ty witnesses the death of a young boy in a London park. In his new persona as Joe, Ty is able to reinvent himself. He makes friends at his new school, attracts the attention of Ashley, the clique queen, and starts training as a runner. But living a lie proves difficult for both Ty and his mother, because Ty hasn't told the police the whole truth.

The novel vibrates with tension. There are several attempts on Ty's life, his Gram is attacked, and school personnel treat him with suspicion because they've been told 'there was some trouble at his old school.' David uses Ty's point of view to frame the narrative. This effectively highlights the tension between playing the role of Joe and reflecting on exactly who Ty really is. This is the first of several novels about Ty; a teaser chapter to the next book is included. David has created an interesting young adult who must navigate his journey of self discovery while caught up in truly suspenseful game of cat and mouse. I look forward to the next installment of his journey. This book was reviewed from the ARC.

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Here's a little end of the week fun!

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Riordan takes off on a new series featuring a brother and sister who discover they are descended from the bloodline of the Pharohs, opening them up to being conduits for the Eygptian gods. Here is adventure, humor, magic and quite a bit of hieroglphs and mythology as the kids battle for their lives and an understanding of their place between the current world and ancient mythology.

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George Washington has been racking up considerable late fees at New York Society Library during the past two centuries. The Daily News reported that a pair of books borrowed by the father of our country had been due November 2, 1789, but were never returned. Head librarian Mark Bartlett said they are not pursuing the $300,000 fine.

spotted in Shelf Awareness, April 20, 2010.
shelf-awareness.com

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This title has received a lot of hype recently as a possible Newbery contender, but I have mixed feelings about it. Williams-Garcia does a brilliant job of capturing the point of view of Delphine, the young narrator who is shepharding her two younger sisters on a cross country visit to Nzila, their mother who walked out on the family seven years ago. Both humor and poignancy come through the narration and Williams-Garcia evokes the Black Panther movement and the 1960's with a deft hand. But I am tripped up by the characterization of Nzila; she is not merely distant and self absorbed, but negligent [not even thinking about feeding the girls:] and cruel [taking all the money away from Delphine:]. This is a woman who is a poet, supposedly probing how events and relationships have effected her life .... and yet, she denies any consideration toward these three girls. She seems more sympathetic to the Panthers, although it is clear she is not an activist in their cause. I suppose the case can be made that she knows the Black Panther community center will feed the girls, and Delphine is capable of looking out for Vonetta and Fern. Yet, given what we learn by the end of the book about Nzila's early life, I can have no sympathy for her inflicting similar burdens on Delphine.

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Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Minli's desire, to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how to change her family's fortune, sparks her quest to find Never-Ending Mountain. Grace Lin evokes folklore motifs to frame Minli's journey, and everyone Minli meets also has a tale to tell. These folktales within a folktale comprise a very enjoyable read, as each tale informs the larger story of Minli and her village. Full color illustrations by Lin add to the reader's enjoyment.
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The Reading Chair

I covet this chair and wish I could plant one in my library!

The Reading Chair is now at Steynberg Gallery at 1531 Monterey. If you live in San Luis Obispo, do drop by -- you're welcome to sit and read. And take a picture: There's a disposable camera in the ottoman :)

Designed by Chris Allen for the Reading in Public project in San Luis Obispo, California.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
With Eyes Like Stars Lisa Mantchev opens the door to the Theatre Illuninata where all the characters of literature live, just waiting to act their parts. Amid the dramatis personae lives Beatrice Shakespere Smith, an orphan who has grown up in the theatre. Prone to getting into mischief with the help of Moth, Peaseblossom, and other Midsummer Night's Dream faeries, Beatrice must prove her worth and find her role in the theatre or face being expelled out into the wider real world. I appreciate authors who create a world that is so appealing I hate to disengage my imagination and put the book aside; I am already craving the sequel. (reviewed from the ARC)


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Enter for a chance to win Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev Otherwise the FAIRIES will get you!

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

My Review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Young Magpie Windwitch, faerie granddaughter of the West Wind, is curious, brave, adventurous, and a talented Devil-hunter, but doesn't know of all the magical blessings bestowed on her at birth. When a mysterious darkness threatens the faerie realm of Dreamdark, Magpie must find the resources to capture the Blackbringer before it destroys her world.

Taylor has so carefully wrought her Dreamdark realm that this series promises to become a favorite of fantasy devotees.

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from Shelf Awareness - Friday April 24, 2009

The first three inductees to the Indies Choice Book Awards Picture Book Hall of Fame have been voted in by members of the American Booksellers Association. According to Bookselling this Week, the 2009 inductees are:
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (HarperCollins)
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Viking Juvenile)
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children)
"ABA members have fittingly chosen two perennial favorites and a modern classic as the first inductees to the Indies Choice Book Awards Picture Book Hall of Fame, created to bring well-deserved attention to the wonderful backlist titles handsold at independent bookstores from coast to coast," said ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz. "These three titles, which have made frequent appearances on Indie Bestsellers lists over the years, are a terrific beginning for a new annual tradition."

The New York Times reports on a library in Arizona which has abandoned the Dewey Classification system for a "neighborhood" or bookstore style arrangement. These attempts at delivering a more patron friendly library always intrigue me because of the problems I have encountered finding things in bookstores. Browsing works when you have a vague idea of the type of book you want to read (mystery, history, cooking, etc.) , but it can be frustrating if your needs are more focused (low cholesterol cooking, the battle for Anzio during World War II) because you might need to "browse" several shelves looking for something that fits your request. And often, even helpful bookstore staff are stumped.

In a bookstore they might not even have a title that fits your need, but, in a more comprehensive library, how do you find what you need in the library without a classification system? While both Dewey and LC may have their drawbacks, I can't see abandoning them for no method of organization. If there is no catalog to use, are the items classified in some other way so the staff know what "neighborhood" titles 'live in'? Is there a secret 'staff catalog' of authors, titles, and subjects headings? How do the staff cope with questions?

Nice little set of statistics from the RIF newsletter:

Reading Is Fundamental | Parents | Elementary, My Dear Watson  Annotated

The Wonderful World of Fantasy

This month, the last Harry Potter book hits the shelves.  The bestselling series has introduced millions of kids worldwide to the joy of reading and to the wonderful world of fantasy. 

According to a 2006 Scholastic and Yankelovich study, :

76 percent of Harry Potter readers surveyed agreed that reading the series has made them interested in reading other books.

65 percent of Harry Potter readers agreed they have been doing better in school since reading the series.

Similarly, 89 percent of these readers' parents agreed that the series has helped their child enjoy reading more, and 76 percent agree the series has helped their child in school.

The Harry Potter series joins a lengthy list of magical books that have been engaging kids for centuries: from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy to Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. This month, whether your kids are Harry Potter fans or not, get them wrapped up in a fantastical story with these books and activities. 

Games & Activities

• 
  
  Harry Potter Crossword Puzzle —Test your chid's Harry Potter IQ with this fun crossword. (View the answer key.)
  
  


• 
  
  Aang, the Avatar Q&A—Read an interview with the star of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
  
   
  


• Eoin Colfer Q&A—Read an interview with the author of the Artemis Fowl series.  
  
   
  


• 
  Fantasy Booklist—Read one of these books to or with your child.
  

 

Mission Read: To the Library and Beyond!

Summer Reading Time ... The school visits are over and we are braced for the Space Camp that will be June 7th - 9th. We've hung the planets (not in exact perspective) and received some of the display materials from NASA.

Yep ... I feel 'spaced out' and tired of the theme already, but I know that will change as soon as the programs get underway! Our gr 2-5 readers will explore science engineering through a five week Fetch Challenge program. We will have our skills tested when we host the StarLab later this month and Leisl is offering the teens Anime Club, DDR, Design Squad, and the always icky Teen Food Fear Factor.

Joliet Public Library

I'm loving the new Playaways we've received ... unabridged books loaded on a 3 x 2 pod unit ... just whip out your ear buds, plug in, and go. I listened to Inkheart and have started Summerland, and am anxious for more. The only drawback is I can easily fall asleep when I listen in the evening, then I have to tab back through the chapters to where I nodded off! At least, when I fall asleep with a book in my hands, I usually lose my place only by a page or two.

So I'm off and running on the new blogger format .... we shall see what adventures await!

News and old news shared by shelf-awareness:
February 12, 2007~~ Fred Mustard Stewart, who wrote such bestselling novels as The Mephisto Waltz, Six Weeks and Ellis Island, all of which became movies or TV miniseries, died last Wednesday at age 74.A New York Times obit today quoted him saying, "I love to do saga books because I love to write about families. I think it's the best genre to write in because it's the least restricting. You don't have to depend on one plot device to hold it together. The family holds it together."


December 12, 2006 ~~ from shelf-awareness.com Congratulations to Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet, publisher and bookseller, who is now also a Commandeur des Arts et Lettres, following a presentation at the French consulate in San Francisco on Friday, Bloomberg reported. Ferlinghetti was honored for his poetry and publishing; he apparently joked that now he could command, among others, George Whitman, "my old friend at Shakespeare & Co. [the one in Paris]. He's only a chevalier. I can order him around!"

Spooktacular Day!
It is so much fun to see the kids come into the library in their costumes! While there is a plethora of Disney princesses and Spongebobs, I especially enjoy all the interpretations of Dracula, witches, the Corpse Bride. While some may despise this holiday, it does spark some kids (and some 'responsible adults' ) creativity and give them a dynamic outlet for their skills.
It's fun to see Mary Jane as "Office Goddess" today, with violet sequined sunglasses. Word is Leisl will win the staff prize .... she is supposedly 'a volcano' .... but I haven't personally seen this! And I am "The Great Pumpkin"