Day Ten of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

It's the final day of our "Ten Day Quick Recommendations"!  While that doesn't mean I won't still be recommending books this summer, it does mean that I won't necessarily post every day as I will be READING!!! READING!!! and READING!!!

For my final recommendation on this mini-tour I want to recommend The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

If there are three books that have had an impact on my life, the first two being Judy Blume's Are You There God, It's Me Margaret and Orson Scott Card's Speaker for the Dead, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief is the one that rounds out that trifecta. 

In all of history, WWII and the holocaust are the two major events that regularly influence the world around us ... from political and social comparisons that are often  made to lessons (we hope have been) learned to story lines for books and movies ...  the lives that were lived and lost during the second world war are never far from people's minds.

The Book Thief is unique in that the narrator, the "person" telling the tale, is Death himself.  Death follows the life of a young girl living and surviving during the years of WWII in war-torn Europe.  He offers her story as a gift to the reader, pulling the reader into her life, her decisions, her fate. The "it" factor of this book is that while sharing her life, he also offers insight into the lives of those around her -- other victims, other survivors, other people who are simply trying to live in a world that is changing no matter what their personal, political, or religious beliefs or convictions. 

Usually I read a book in one setting.  I sit down and read - from beginning to end - from the first word to the last.  I couldn't do that with this book.   I HAD to take breaks.  I HAD to stop reading to process the images and thoughts this story provoked.  I HAD to think and live my life beyond the book before returning to the characters and their lives.  Never before, and I truly mean NEVER, has a book had such a profound and powerful pull on me.  And at the end of the book?  I sobbed ...body-shaking-tears-pouring-crying-out-loud sobbed for twenty minutes or more.  And then, after I pulled myself together, I called a friend to tell her about the book and sobbed again.  

THIS BOOK is one book you must read at some point in your life.  Whether today or tomorrow ... whether when you are in high school, college, or beyond ... just remember to put it on your list of "must reads" and read it.  It may very well join the list of books that influence your own life.

Day Nine of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Ghost Stories

Day Eight of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Nonfiction Graphic Novels

As I've admitted in a previous post, I was never a fan of history class (or what we call Social Studies in middle school).  I just didn't get it ... the facts ... were, well, to me they were just plain dry.  I needed the "story" behind the facts!  Now, if there had been these kind of nonfiction books when I was a student, I would have been up front and center in my history class every day!

Day Seven of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: GRAPHIC NOVELS

One of the fastest growing sections in our collection is that of Graphic Novels and Manga. 

 

* Side note: Did you know the difference between manga and anime is that one is print while the other is animation in movies and television shows?

If you are already a fan of graphic novels and/or Manga, you may already be familiar with the titles in today's quick recommendation.   Feel free to add your thoughts and own recommendations in the comments section!!

- Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta

- Lunch Lady by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

          

hey, wait!!!!  Is this one saying that librarians are                                                     evil???????  Agh!!  Nooooooooooo!!!

* sidenote:  Manga and Graphic Novels are found in the 700 section of non-fiction because of the ARTWORK.

- Amulet Series by Kazu Kibuishi

- Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

Oh, and did you know that A LOT of popular novels are now being reissued as graphic novels??

Day Six of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

007 ... even if nothing else was said than those iconic numbers, most of us would know exactly to whom we are referring. According to the stories, Bond, James Bond, was (and is) the ultimate spy.

Well, no longer ... make way for Alex Rider.

14-years-old, orphaned at a young age and having just lost his beloved uncle, Alex is recruited into Britain's most secretive organization of spies; placed in situations that even the ultimate spy would question.    Too young to carry a weapon, but old enough to carry the weight of world, armed with only his wits, a few "cool" gadgets, and hope.Alex Rider is the one I'd want in my corner!

   

The first in a nine book series, Stormbreaker takes you on the ride of a lifetime, 

no matter what the cover looks like!

Day Five of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Author Donna Jo Napoli

Today's recommendation is a bit different as I'm recommending an author versus simply a book:

Donna Jo Napoli

Who among us doesn't enjoy a good old fashion fairy tale?  One only has to look at the movies to see that people still clamor to hear the stories about Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, or even Beauty and the Beast.  Napoli takes the stories one step further, transforming these tales from long ago into modern retellings.  If you like "happily-ever-after" mixed in with some teen angst, then these books are what you're looking for!

 

  

 

Day Four of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthea Lui

Imagine you have just moved to a new town, to a new house, and your new friends have challenged you to "take the dare."  Do you? What if the dare includes the forest behind your new home ... a forest that is said to be haunted. Do you still take the dare? What happens if you don't? 

Follow twelve-year-old Paris as she works to fit in with her new classmates and still be true to herself and her family.

Day Three of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Ashes by Ilsa J Bick

Ashes by Ilsa J Bick.  I have a difficult time with horror books ... left over emotional/mental stuff from when my father took me to see horror movies at the young ages of 7 and 12 ... needless to say there were NUMEROUS nightmares from those "fun" movie going experiences ... but I digress ... 

 NO ... Not you, Ms. Lewallen!!  You ALWAYS stay on topic.

As I was saying, I have a difficult time with horror books ... and let me say this book definitely made me uncomfortable ... so much so I didn't want to read it at night as I knew (I mean I KNEW) I'd be having nightmares, BUT the story was SOOOOO good I couldn't put down the book.  Yep, me and this book kept good company into the darkest of of the darkest night hours (mind you, I kept a keen eye on the door and window the entire time) as I was completely hooked!!! 

The story line?  Pretty simple end-of-the-world stuff ... electronic pulse occurs throughout the world and suddenly one of three things happen.  You die.  You live, but are "changed".  Or you change - and NOT in a good way - more of a "oh-my-goodness-run-from-that-monster-otherwise-ya-gonna-DIE" kind of way.  And the ending???   The last line of the book?????  AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!  Heart attack worthy.  THANKFULLY, Ilsa J Bick didn't end there and went on to continue the story via a trilogy of books.  

My personal favorite cover

 2nd generation cover

Current cover

If you like zombies, end of the world tragedy, hope and cheering for the good guys (and just who are those guys???  Are they always the people you THINK?) then check out this book today!

Day Two of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: The Fifth of March by Ann Rinaldi

About 15 or 16 years ago I was taking a class on the America Revolutionary War and I was BORED OUT OF MY MIND!!!  Every textbook I had to read dragged on and on and on.  Now, I will admit that prior to this time history was never a real interest of mine, but, by Merlin's beard (a history lesson for another time), I was determined to make it through this class and learn something!  THANKFULLY someone recommended I read an historical novel to get myself in the "mood" for learning about history and I happened to pick up Ann Rinaldi's The Fifth of March.

I was enthralled! I was flabbergasted!  I was ... LEARNING!!!  Yep, I was learning myself some history ... especially as I had to do some research on the side to determine what was real in this novel and what wasn't.  Suffice to say I actually walked away with waaaayyy more knowledge about the Boston Massacre (that occurred on the 5th of March in Boston, Massachusetts and is referred to as a massacre, but actually wasn't .. I know!  Propaganda was alive and well in the 1770s!)

Anyway, Rinaldi follows the life of Rachel Marsh, a servant in the home of John and Abigail Adams, providing insight into the events that took place before, on, and after March 5th, 1770.  It's an easy read filled with emotions, history, light romance, and a road-map of sorts to life, liberty, and the American way!

Day One of the Ten Day Quick Recommendations: Gallagher Girl Series by Ally Carter

I loved, just LOVED, this series by Ally Carter!  Fun, exciting, suspenseful ... it has it all!  The Gallagher Girl series follows Cammie Morgan through her years at a private, all-girls school.  Okay ... seems ... ehh at best, right?  Well, take into account that this "private" school is actually an academy that trains young girls in the arts of warfare, hacking, and using one's body as a weapon of mass destruction?  Oh, yeah!  You've got a school for SPIES!

Vampires ... the GOOD STUFF.

I am a HUGE fan of British Literature, so you'll probably be seeing listed in this blog a whole bunch of recommendations based on that passion.  HOWEVER, you will also see connections between my passion of Brit Lit and other books of interest.  Here's the first connection ...

Dracula by Bram Stoker.  Although Stoker is actually an IRISH writer, his writings find themselves listed in British Literature due to the whole "British Isles" and "United Kingdom" historical stuff.  Suffice to say, Dracula is an amazing piece of work and has been the inspiration for numerous movies as well as various vampire based novels.

MOST of these novels have a romantic turn ... you know, girl meets boy.  Girl falls for boy.  Girl learns boy is a vampire.  Boy is a vampire with a conscious.  Girl freaks out.  Boy wins girl back.  Girl loves vampire.  Well, that's all good and great for someone who want to read a romance, but what about those of us who just want a good old fashion vampire story?

Never fear, there are two series that put the love connection on the back burner:  Cirque du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan and The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.

We will first begin with Cirque du Freak ...

Meet Darren Shan. A typical teenage boy, in fact, he's probably much like many of the students that attend Skinner Middle School. Enter a creepy, fascinating show ... the Cirque du Freak!  A circus of sorts that showcases the weird, the amazing, the creepy ... the freaks of the world!  Add in a best friend's life threatening crisis and a mysterious vampire and you have the beginnings of a daring, fantastical ride!

There is so much I'd love to tell you about this series, but that would be totally giving away the plot!  AHHHH!!!  Can't do that!  So what I WILL tell you is by book two I absolutely knew with pure certainty where the book was headed.  And it went just like I expected ... but what I knew was going to happen happened in, like, book 7 or 8!!  And there was still a bunch of books in the series left to read!  So, I began the next book.  And, uh-huh .. now I see what's going on.  And, like I thought, it happened.  But it happened in BOOK 11!!!  AND THERE WAS STILL ONE MORE BOOK IN THE SERIES!  WHAT?!!?!?!?!?!?  What on earth was going to happen next?  Let's just say I was shocked.  Didn't see "that" coming at all!  What a way to end Darren Shan's saga!

Overall, the Cirque du Freak series was a fun read.  Lots of adventure, tension, and suspense mixed in with intriguing characters and a roller-coaster of a plot line.  Truly a must read for vampire lovers!

---

Next is The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer. As you are most likely aware, school can be a real pain in the ... well, let's just say some days aren't always as good as others.  With having to deal with homework and annoying inspiring teachers and the inner quirks of what's cool one day and what's cool the next ... living the life of a teenager can sometimes be compared to walking through a minefield!  Add on to all the teen angst stuff that you are a vampire?  Huh ... crossing that minefield of life just became a bit trickier.

Vladimir (can I just stop and say WHAT A COOL NAME!!!!! Almost as cool as Alucard which is Dracula spelled backward - and, yes, I really have met someone named Alucard) is just trying to get through 8th grade as any typical teenager does, albeit with the need to keep his love of "blood sandwiches" a secret, when lo and behold he gets a note that states someone knows said secret!!  Get out!  He's gone thirteen years keeping his vampirism hidden from everyone but his caretaker and best friend and then suddenly one day a third party is in on the game?  That, my friends, is called CONFLICT in the world of writing and leads the reader into the thick of the plot and, if one is lucky to have a proficient writer, a variety of sub-plots.  Thankfully, Heather Brewer IS a proficient writer and her five book series does a superb job of mixing various conflicts (from the "yeah-yeah-even-I-have-had-to-deal-with-something-like-that-and-it-wasn't-the-end-of-the-world" to the "OH-MY-WORD-I-CANNOT-BELIEVE-THAT-JUST-HAPPENED-WHAT-ON-EARTH-CAN-VLAD-DO-TO-SURVIVE"), world-life threatening drama, and standard teen issues all together.

Each book in her series takes the reader through one school year of Vladimir's life, from 8th grade all the way through his senior year.  Many surprises pop up through the story: some more touching than others, some more intimidating, and some more jaw-dropping.  The most surprising surprise of all is when jjdlkjlkdjflkadjfkladsjflksadjfksadljflkadsjfskladjflaksdjflakj  .  Believe me, I totally freaked out during that scene.  

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is a story of growing up, deciding whom to trust during that process, learning from the mistakes of ourselves and others, and figuring out what we really want in life.  Oh, let's not forget trying to save the world while keeping your vampire secret an actual secret.  

Both series can be found on the shelves of our library.  Be sure to check them out the next time you stop by!

Who am I?

My name is Mrs. Lewallen and I am SO excited to be Skinner Middle School's librarian next year!!

I have lots of plans for us ... ranging from after school activities to reading clubs to poetry slams and much MUCH more!

I will be traveling this summer and plan to regularly post pictures from my trips, funny happenings, as well as young adult book recommendations.

Feel free to contact me with your own recommendations for MUST READS!

Have a great summer!

I Love Reading

I'll admit it!  I am addicted to reading.  I feel the urge to read wherever I am ... even if it's at the dinner table and I'm reading the back of a ketchup bottle.  :)   My daughter loves to taunt my passion and each year challenges me to "GIVE UP READING" for a specific number of days ... usually the days match up to her age.  This year she has challenged me to stop reading for 10 days.  10 DAYS!!!  It's insane, but I'm sure going to try my best.  I'm expected to begin this adventure as soon as school finishes ... that's in just three days!  Egads!  I better get my fix immediately.