Book-Pusher

If I can be one, I'd now like to push the 2009 Printz Award winner Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

From the Printz Award page:
Haunted by the past, Taylor Markham reluctantly leads the students of the Jellicoe School in their secret territory wars against the Townies and the Cadets. Marchetta’s lyrical writing evokes the Australian landscape in a suspenseful tale of raw emotion, romance, humor and tragedy.
Melina Marchetta lives in Sydney, Australia, and is the award-winning author of two previous novels. A former high school teacher, she is recognized for the authenticity of her teen characters’ voices.
“This roller coaster ride of a novel grabs you from the first sentence and doesn’t let go. You may not be sure where the ride will take you, but every detail—from the complexities of the dual narrative to the pangs of first love—is pitch perfect,” said Printz Award Committee Chair Mary Arnold.

I love it when I can't put a book down, and this was that way. If you try it, be sure to let me know.

One More for The Middle Place

This blog looks like what you were envisioning for our Radically Bookish blog, Kristen. One reader wrote a review and then others responded in their comments for that post. I haven't read through it yet. If you haven't finished the book, I'm guessing it might have spoilers.

http://everydayiwritethebook.typepad.com/books/2007/12/online-book-clu.html

Influential, Memorable Book List

Loved reading Kristen and Lisa's lists. I did have this prepared for the last meeting, but printer issues prevented my bringing it along. And, goodness knows I can't remember anything unless it's written down, so here goes:

From Childhood
Blueberries for Sal - One of my mom's favorites became one of mine, too.
Make Way for Ducklings - Ditto on the above.
Where the Wild Things Are - Such a childhood classic
Where the Sidewalk Ends - "I'm being eaten by a Boa Contrictor, a boa constrictor, a boa contrictor..." My mom's Russian teacher used to sketch our favorite illustrations out of this book. The Cat in the Hat - and all the rest of the Dr. Seuss books
1st Grade-ish
Little House on the Prairie and the rest
James and the Giant Peach - my 1st grade teacher read this to us, and I was enthralled.
Some collection of Halloween stories - I have a vivid memory of listening to scary Halloween stories at the end of the day, with the classroom lights off, munching on toasted pumpkin seeds while the glowing jack-o-lantern watched us. Such a warm memory of gradeschool for me.
Encyclopedia Brown - this was the first book I read cover-to-cover, in one sitting, all by myself. And I was so proud of my pace that I didn't take the time to sound out all the words, since the context seemed to make sense without that. On the last page, I finally sounded out a long word, de-tec-tive. Boy, that made the whole mystery story about the boy dective make even more sense!
2nd Grade-ish
The Secrets of Nimh - Or was it Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh? I remember this was scary. Would love to revisit it.
Nancy Drew series - Read this whole series, several more than once.
Hardy Boys series - Once I finished the Nancy Drews, I moved on to the Boys, and a few other kids-solving-mysteries series...can't remember them...oh, Trixie Belden?
3rd Grade-ish
Samantha on Stage - This little paperback was a gift for my birthday, in 6th grade I think. A Russian girl moves to the US and outshines the American in her ballet class. There's some teenage drama and then a friendship ensues. I loved it. It became my "comfort read." Anytime things went a little south, I'd pull out this book to bring things back to midline. I think I still have it in a box somewhere.
4th Grade-ish
Old Yeller - Bawl.
Nancy Drew Case Files - I remember being a total brat teasing a friend of mine who also loved Nancy, "So, have you read all the Nancy Drews?...What about Nancy Drew Deadly Intent?"
Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High, Cheerleaders - basically anything I could get my hands on
7th Grade
Where the Red Fern Grows - another one we read in class.
A Day No Pigs Would Die - the training of the puppy with the ferret in the whiskey barrel still makes my stomach drop.
Bridge to Terabithia - I vividly remember the cover of this book, the trees, though I don't remember the story from that time, except that I loved it.
Anne of Green Gables, and the rest - Anne was kind of my hero.
Johnny Tremain - I'd love to reread this one too. I had chosen it from the selection for our book fair projects, and it turned out that I liked it.
8th Grade
The Stand - I started in on Stephen King in junior high, and The Stand became "my favorite book" for a long time. I read it, then got the unabridged version and read that a couple of times too. Over 1,000 pages was a lot for a scrawny kid. I was SO disappointed when the miniseries was pretty miserable, despite having Gary Sinise cast as one of the leads.
High School
Treasure Island - I chose this as my "your choice" first book report book when I was the new kid in 9th grade. Can you say "geek?" All the other kids were reading John Grisham. Brown noser. But it turns out Treasure Island is a good story!
John Grisham - I quickly tried to get "cooler," and read through a bunch of his books. A Time to Kill was my favorite (and may have been his first book?), and most of the rest started to all sound the same.
A Tale of Two Cities - For "Reiser's" Honors English class, we read this one. I finished it in the conversion van we drove from IL to CA for Christmas in 1990. I LOVED it. Mme. Defarge knitting away her anger, the selfless love of Mr. Carton, the French Revolution...all of it so tragic and romantic and engrossing. I was again "surprised" that I'd love a classic so much.
Jane Eyre - I read the copy from my parents book-a-month club. Wish I could get my hands on those. Who knew that 20 years later, I'd be thinking back to Mr. Rochester because of a new, glittering hero partially based on him?
College
Maus - This was a text for one of my classes, then I taught it while student teaching 6th graders. It was my first experience with a graphic novel, and has a special place in my heart.
Dandelion Wine - An ex-boyfriend had loved this book. After we broke up because timing wasn't right, I read it in an act of contrition of sorts. Bradbury is typically known for his sci fi work, but this has just a taste of fantasy, and is mostly the story of a boy's summer. I reread at the end of every summer for several years because I loved how it seemed to wrap up the season perfectly.
Into Thin Air - I can't remember now if Krakauer's telling of the 1995 Everest distaster kicked off my Everest obsession, or just fed it. I love this book, and was thrilled to pick up a hard copy version at a garage sale last summer. The first time I read it was on the trip my family took to Australia. Since everything is better in Australia, I may have romanticized it a bit. But I don't think so. It's brilliant and compelling.
Angela's Ashes - Reading and doing a report on this book was an extra credit option for my Ed. Psych. class, but I was too busy drinking to read it while classes were in session. Instead I carried this hardcover across Australia too. I remember thinking that if I could ever write, I'd hope my style could be similar to McCourt's. I have 'Tis as well but haven't read it. I heard it wasn't as good. Anyone know?
Catcher in the Rye - I didn't read this 'til college. Loved it, and the hat in front / back became an inside joke between me and a friend.
Ender's Game - This was recommended to me by a friend, but I "didn't like sci fi." Eventually, in the midst of having to read and report on 40 YA books in a semester, I decided to give it a shot. Loved it. Turns out Orson Scott Card is another of Stephenie Meyer's inspirations. I'd like to read some more of Ender's stories.
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting - I read and took notes on a bunch of Milan Kundera's books. I thought I was deep.
The Giver - This was one of the required reads for the 40-YA -books semester. This was one of the few I LOVED.

Gosh, I know I've forgotten many, but I'm glad to have gotten a few down here for posterity.

The Middle Place - Some Additional Items

Hey, Gang.

I thought I'd try to wrangle up some supplemental information and resources for our discussion of The Middle Place.

The YouTube of Kelly reading her essay "Transcending." I was waiting and waiting for this to be in the book, wondering where and how it would fit in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q

EveryWomansVoice.com Discussion Questions
http://www.everywomansvoice.com/?q=node/319

Kelly's website:
http://www.kellycorrigan.com/

The website she created as a resource for those helping a friend with cancer:
http://www.circusofcancer.org/

I am hoping to jot down some of my thoughts on and favorite passages from the books soon. I hope you all are getting a chance to read it and that you're enjoying it! (Even if the Edward is not glittery.)

Feb 2009 - YA Lit

Host Lisa
Book YA Lit Selection

Radical Chatter
- Thanks for hosting, Lisa! (of Hofmeister Haus, for those interested)
- We missed you, Janell and Theresa!
- Must mention that the treats we ate and drank were amazing: Apple Nut Cake (Lisa), Seasoned Walnuts (Lisa), Chai tea (Kristen), Trail mix (Jade), a Green Chili (was that it? Sarah!), Kettle corn (safeway!), Cullen red wine (Lisa – Twi-hards loved that touch), s’mores (Lisa)

Selections Read:
o Sarah - gosh too many to list, probably, but a few: Blue Shoe; How I Live Now, Rosoff which she said is just extremely well-written. Since YA lit can be so heavy, Sarah found comfort in a couple of the books, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and ???
o Lisa – Kira-Kira – about best-friends/sisters in the 50s who have to move, face discrimination as Japanese Americans, deal with older sister’s illness and the implications it has on the family struggling already. The older sister, Lynn, teaches Katie her first word, kira-kira, which means glittering. Katie used it to describe everything she liked, even Kleenex, and their mom says she’ll have to send the girls back to Japan to teach them how to be proper girls. Lisa said it was beautiful but heavy and sad. Interesting that reviews online from adults said maybe this is too heavy for kids, and then the teen respondents said, “who are these adults? We can deal with this.” Led to a discussion that we as parents want to protect our kids, shield them from the difficult stuff, knowing that they will encounter it regardless. In some ways, books are easier to use in dealing with hard subjects because if we’re reading with our kids, we can pause and discuss a disturbing scene or element, whereas in a movie the scene happens, disturbs, then continues on. We can’t reflect and discuss. Asked if this book does have a silver lining, Lisa said Yes! While life as the family knows it ends in a way, they still see the kira-kira in nature and all around us.
o Sarah? Mentioned Patricia Polacco’s Thundercake, in which the characters make a cake during a thunderstorm in order to pass the time, and be brave through the storm. Book includes recipe for the thunder cake, so readers can make it too.
o Kristen – Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! K says it’s similar to Canterbury Tales. Lisa said it was written by a librarian ? at a school because the students were studying the medieval times, and she wrote 17 plays so that each student in the class could have a starring role in his own story. Format is interesting. The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman excellent! (Theresa said so too, via email). Story of a boy whose parents are murdered, who escapes to grow up in the graveyard, with the ghosts as his new family. It’s “fantasy, right on the edge of reality”, Kristen’s favorite genre. The Invention of Hugo Cabret about a boy who lives in a train station in Paris. Kjirsten wondered if parents would by a 500 page book at $22 for their young kids. Sarah and others thought, definitely, even as a gift. Thought the story could be a little old for young kids, but Sarah thought 4th graders would love it. Features illustrations that start out far away, then zoom in on pages that follow. Also passages of text. American Born Chinese graphic novel that Sarah, Kristen both loved. Lisa too?
o Jade - The Book Thief, Zusak – almost done with it. Narrator is Death. Comments on the fact that Hitler began his crusade with words not weapons. Jade commented that the author’s technique of listing items, centered within the text broke up the flow. She wanted him to have good reason for going against the grain.
o Kjirsten - Kira-Kira, Kadohata beautiful story of two sisters. This author used the list format periodically as well. Here maybe it was to show the narrator’s attempts to have control over something in her life (I can list these things I know for sure), when everything else was spinning out of control. And The White Darkness, McCaughrean This book was a page-turner for me. Looking back, I don’t know if I’d say it’s a must-read, but I did love it while reading it. Sarah said if I loved the humor, I’d enjoy listening to her 2008 Printz award acceptance speech.

Also mentioned
Jellicoe Road, 2009 Printz winner – set in Australia, story of private school with secret societies, etc.
Emma, a manga novel, translated from Japanese, read from “back to front” and right to left. About a girl obsessed w/ Victorian England
Mists of Avalon – Arthurian legends told from the perspective of female characters
Valley of the Horses – Lisa, did you mention this series?
Not a Box Not a Stick - Sarah loves these books. Kids can make a cardboard box into anything.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – Sarah was sad to hear no one had read this fantastic book
Ahab’s Wife – Story told from the perspective of Captain Ahab’s wife. Did Lisa mention this one? Centennial – James Michener focuses his stories on a place. This one is about CO. partial review from Amazon: The book's 900 pages cover 136 million years. Centennial is an epic novel of the history, land, and people of Colorado. It’s got a 4.5 star review. Lisa loves his work.
Bunnicula – bunny who sucks the juice out of the vegetables …oh, wait that was another conversation…vampire related…

Etc.
- How far do you give a book, before you give up and put it down?
Jade said, if it was a recommendation, she’ll read ½ the book. If just one she’s picked up, maybe 3-4 chapters.
- We talked about when we started reading. Kjirsten read through all of Nancy Drew, then Hardy Boys, then the two together in 2nd grade. Jade said she couldn’t read well until one day in 4th grade, overnight she could. Stunned her reading group instructor as she read a passage all the way through. Jade’s version was hilarious and amazing, and I can’t recreate the moment.
- The YA genre is relatively new as its own genre, the Printz award has only been around for a few years – there was no system in place to recognize YA greatness, but now books have YA on the spine.
- Sarah said she categorizes books as good 1) for things, 2) for ???, 3) for ??? (Sarah, can you fill these in? Your thought was great!) Asked if Speak was good, and Sarah said it was one of the books that was good for things in that it addresses rape, and might be an effective way to deal with that subject.
- Kristen and Jade were talking, one asked the other, “Did she get a nap in?” Lisa, party-hostess-extraordinaire brought out a napkin.
- Jade is hoping to do the Ironhorse ride in Durango in May. Somehow in there we had the burly / early confusion.
- Lisa mentioned that her niece had gotten a new T-shirt that had “Edward” or something on it, and maybe Edward’s picture. “I haven’t seen the guy who plays Edward, but he must be beautiful.” In the time it took Lisa to spit out those last couple of words, both Jade and Kristen had reached for their evidence to the fact…Jade winning the contest to whip out Edward’s photo fastest. Giggles and tears of laughter. Kjirsten had sent the photos to the Twilight fans as Valentines from Edward. Oh, boy. Jade said, “But just ask me if I have a picture of Lyle or Rylie…” too true! We had a few Twilight episodes, but not many. Lisa said she may or may not continue with the saga since there are so many good books out there. And Sarah mentioned, “Oh heck. I’ll read it.”
- We had the requested laptop on the scene, and it lead to some great rear-end shots as we took turns looking up books and things with the laptop on the floor. (So many of these things are probably funnier when you’re in the moment!)

Next Books
- Lisa mentioned The Good Earth but selected as her book: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Maguire. She said (who??) mentioned that he made Curious George his new motto because he wished he could just become more curious. If we were all more curious about all the things that we don’t agree with, we’d want to understand why they believe that (which we don’t believe), and maybe we could become more tolerant. (Did I get the gist of that, a little bit?) This book helps us understand why that wicked witch is wicked; she becomes sympathetic.We said it would be awesome to go see Wicked too. And it will be at the Buell in Oct/Nov! Though we could dream about a girls’ trip to NYC. Lisa also talked about
- Sarah mentioned Shadow of the Wind, but since the book club (Kristen, Theresa and Jade) have already read it, may look for another one. We tried to see what might be discussed at the Boulder Book Store, so we could read one of theirs and see the author read and meet there. Didn’t have much luck with their calendar, so Sarah’s still finalizing her selection.
- Jade mentioned the epistolary The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but selected People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks instead.
- Kristen selected a Neil Gaiman novel, Neverwhere about a boy who joins a quest through the dark and dangerous London Below, a shadow city of lost and forgotten people, places, and times. (from Amazon)
- Kjirsten had chosen The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan

The schedule, as it stands:
March
The Middle Place, by Corrigan
Picked by: Kjirsten
Hosted on April 3rd? By Janell?

April
The History of Love, by Nicole Krauss
Picked by Janell
Hosted TBD, or did we say Kjirsten would host?

May/June (long book, busy months, so thought we’d do a two-monther)
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Maguire
Picked by Lisa
Hosted by TBD

July
People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks
Picked by Jade
Hosted by Jade

August
Neverwhere, by Gaiman
Picked by Kristen
Hosted by Kristen

September
TBD
Picked by Sarah
Hosted by TBD

We’ll need Janell and Amber’s selections!