Tending to Grace

Tending to Grace is not about a girl named Grace. It is about a girl named Cornelia. Cornelia is living a difficult life. She has a severe stutter and has decided to just not talk. She would rather “burrow deep within” herself than deal with those she calls,
“look-aways” (people who feel uncomfortable with her stuttering). She has a mother who can’t seem to stay in one place and shuttles Cornelia around from city to city. And she can’t stand her mother’s boyfriend, who also feels uncomfortable with Cornelia’s stutter.

It is when Cornelia is dropped off at an aunt’s house (while her mother makes a new life in Las Vegas) that her life changes. Her Aunt Agatha is an earthy individual who coaxes Cornelia out of her shell by forcing her to speak up, even if it makes people feel uncomfortable. With this newfound courage she decides to enroll in the local High School and even stands her ground when she is placed in remedial courses. Cornelia is very well-read and should be in the Advanced Placement classes. In the end, she finds her courage, voices her opinion, and gets placed in the correct classes.

So why is this booked titled, "Tending to Grace?" You will have to read it to find out.

I enjoyed reading this wonderfully well-written story. If you would like to read Tending to Grace by Kimberly Newton Fusco it you can find it in the SPL catalog by clicking here.

Tiger, Tiger

I just finished listening to the audio book of Tiger, Tiger by Lynne Reid Banks. Set in ancient Rome, this is the story of two tiger cubs, brothers captured and brought to Rome to fight in the arena. One cub is saved from this fate when the Emperor decides to give that cub to his daughter as a gift. The story contrasts the life of this cub, named Boots by his mistress, with the harsh and terrible life of his brother, known only as Brute, who is raised to fight and kill in the arena for the pleasure of the crowd. Parts of the story are told from the perspectives of the cubs, and other parts are from the perpectives of the humans who touch their lives, especially the Emperor's daughter, Aurelia, and Julian, the slave who is responsible for Boots. Aurelia loves her new pet, and with Julian's help, she bonds emotionally with the cub. A very sensitive girl, she despises the bloody games in the arena and tries to be kind to everyone around her. Everything goes well until a thoughtless prank by Aurelia and her cousin Marcus ends in tragedy and threatens everything Aurelia holds dear. An odd twist at the end of book made it very unexpected but satisfying for me.

This was a great story, but I would recommend that young or very sensitive readers approach it with caution, since some of the descriptions of the arena and Brute's training were a little more graphic than I expected. Although all of the characters are fictitious, the historical aspects of the book are quite accurate to other descriptions I've read of this time period and could be distressing to some readers.

Click here to find Tiger, Tiger as a book on CD at SPL.
Click here to find Tiger, Tiger as a print book at SPL.

Caddy Ever After

I just finished Caddy Ever After by Hilary McKay. It is McKay's fourth books about the unique Casson family. The series starts with Saffy's Angel, then Indigo's Star, and Permanent Rose. Set in England, it is the continuing story of an artistic family with four children. I really love the characters in this series. This particular volume is the story of the events leading up to the wedding of the oldest sister, Caddy. The book is written in first person, with each of the four siblings having a chance to tell their part of the story.

What makes this series work for me is that the characters just seem to come off the page. I've looked forward to each new volume as a chance to visit again with old friends. The family is unconventional, complicated, a little odd even, and their voices draw you into the story, making you want to know more. At the end of each book, I've found myself hoping that their will be another volume. If you are looking for a satisfying read with enjoyable characters, start with Saffy's Angel, and you will find yourself reading all the way through to Caddy Ever After in no time.

Kira Kira

When I first started working as a Youth Services Librarian last year, I decided to try to read as many Newberry Award winners as I can as a way to become familiar with some Juvenile fiction authors. I started with the winner for 2005, Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata.

It’s the story about an Asian girl living in Georgia who experiences the death of her older sister, whom she is very close to. It’s a sad story, but it also is very hopeful. The family is struggling in so many ways. They are minorities, and they struggle with that reality. They struggle to get by financially. And, most importantly, they are dealing with the sickness and demise of the older sister. Yet the story is very hopeful and positive, in the end.

Click here to find Kira Kira in the SPL catalog.

The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe

About a year ago I began reading through The Chronicles of Narnia In “Published order.” That is, I started with The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and followed it with Prince Caspian. When I decided I wanted to read these books recently I was surprised to find out that they were recently re-published in chronological order! Apparently this has stirred some controversy. Wikipedia has the break-down on it, if you are interested.

As for The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, it is such a beautiful story. Gorgeous imagery. Fantastic characters. All in all, a wonderful story. I loved it when I was a kid, and I am even more pleased with it reading it as an adult. The most memorable scene in the book from when I read it years ago was the chapter on Turkish Delight. I was so intrigued with Turkish Delight after reading it that to this day I am dying to try some! I still haven't tried it. Maybe I should go find a recipe :) .

Click here to find this wonderful classic at SPL.

Diary of a Fairy Godmother

I listened to the audio version of Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esme Raji and thought it was highly entertaining. The reader was really good. The story itself was excellent. One of the best juvenile fiction stories I have read in awhile. It’s about a young witch who realizes that she likes to grant wishes. This mortifies her family and friends, but she can’t help it. When she discovers that there is such a thing as a fairy godmother (an FG) she decides she would like to pursue that line of “work.” The story has such a wonderful message: “be the person you are, even if you are different from everyone else.” The book is very humorous and both kids and adults will find it a fun read, IMHO. I highly recommend it.

You can find this book in the SPL catalog by clicking here.

Life As I Knew It by Randi Hacker

This was an incredibly powerful book for me. Angelina Rossini is 16, lives in a small town in Vermont, and has had a pretty normal life. Then her father, the center of her world, has a stroke, and everything changes. The story is at once funny, sad, and tender, as Angelina comes to terms with the changes in her life and her family. One particularly moving scene has Angelina, much to her embarrassment, helping her newly wheelchair-bound father use the restroom and beginning to come to terms with his disability. I loved this book, even though it was sad to see a character I liked hurting so much.

Click here to find Life As I Knew It at SPL.

Elsewhere

One of the best books I have read recently has been Elsewhere, by Gabrielle Zevin. It is about a girl, Liz, who wakes up one morning and finds herself on a boat to “Elsewhere.” She finds out eventually that she has died in a car accident (days before her 16th birthday) and “Elsewhere” is where one goes after one has died. Elsewhere is very much like Earth, except that you begin to age backwards in time from the time you die. Because of this, Liz finds herself struggling with the fact that she never reached her 16th birthday (let alone adulthood) and will never experience some of the important milestones one reaches as they age.

Despite the seemingly dark subject matter, the book is very funny and fun to read. Actually it is really hard to put down. Liz falls in love, finds her calling, and meets her grandmother for the first time on Elsewhere. She is able to make contact with her family and realizes that revenge is not the answer. The best part about this book is that it is VERY well written. Which I like very much.

If you would like to read Elsewhere, you can find the book in the SPL catalog by clicking here.

The Pox Party.

I just finished reading the book The Pox Party. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, V. 1 by M.T. Anderson. It was a little bit difficult for me to get into the book but after awhile it began to get interesting.

I really don't want to spoil the book for you so I am not going to reveal too much about the plot here. But I will tell you that the story is about a boy and his mother, royalty from a distant land who find themselves in America around the time of the Revolutionary war. They are being cared for by a group of philosophers at The College of Lucidity who refer to themselves by numbers, not names. Octavian and his beautiful Mother, Cassiopeia are treated with the utmost respect and privilege. Octavian receives the best education while his mother spends her days charming the philosophers with her wit and beauty.

Then one day Octavian discovers that his life is not as wonderful as it seems. He learns a dark secret about he and his mother that changes his life forever.

As I mentioned above, I really enjoyed this book as I read more and more of it. I can't wait to read the next volume to find out what happens next to Octavian. This book is very dark and serious. So if you are in the mood for dark and serious, this is for you.

Click here to find this book in SPL's catalog.