Book Notes

This young adult historical fiction is set during the Plague in London in 1665. Hannah has just arrived in London to help her sister in her sweets shop. Very soon after she arrives the gates are closed and no one is permitted to leave. Come what may, Hannah and Sarah are in it for the long haul.

The historical details are what make this book so rich. The plague was gruesome and London was no picnic either. The grime and swill that littered the streets and the rats that carried the disease make for an accurate depiction. A great read for true history lovers.

This is the first book that we are reading for our 4th and 5th grade book club. I enjoyed re-reading this. It’s been just long enough that I was starting to forget some of the details.

Do you believe in witches? Could you spot a witch if she were walking past you on the street? Our character’s grandmother can. She knows all about witches and tries to protect her grandson from them by giving him all the facts. However, the facts aren’t quite enough and when the boy is turned into a mouse, he needs his grandmother’s help to stop the witches from turning all the children of England into mice! Will they be able to stop them? Tell us what you think.

I should start off by saying that I listened to this on CD. I’m not a big audio books listener. My mind tends to wander, and I want to actually read the book and hold it in my hands. So this was an interesting experience.

Simone has a great family and some great friends. She is also adopted. When she is 16, her birth mother who has long been in contact with her parents, has asked to speak with Simone. At first she resists, but eventually curiosity overwhelms her and she makes the call.

At the same time she has started to notice Zach at school. But he has a “just friends” girlfriend. What follows is a great story about family and friendships, religious beliefs, and love’s first kiss.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and it was surprisingly fun to listen to. The narrator did a great job, making herself sound like the main character. It was fun to listen to. I wonder how it would be to read it instead?

This is probably the third time I’ve read this, and I still love it. The story takes place in 1906 in northern New York State around the real-life murder of Grace Brown.

Our narrator is Mattie Gokey, a lover of books and writing. She is also facing a difficult decision: attend Barnard college on a full scholarship, or fulfill a promise to her deceased mother and stay at home to care for her siblings.

She is a wonderful narrator and character. I’m always sad when the book ends. Highly recommended.

I kept on with the series and did little else for several days. These two were okay. Nowhere near as good as the first one. I was sadly disappointed by parts in both of them. Of course, Edward is still wonderful, Bella is still attracting trouble, and Alice is adorable. I’ll hang in there for the characters even if not for the plot.

I am absolutely in love! I didn’t think that I would like this book, but I took Mrs. B’s recommendation, and I am so glad I did. I will never doubt her again!

Bella moved to Forks, a small town in the Pacific Northwest to live with her dad. There she meets and falls deeply in love with gorgeous Edward, a vampire, who lives with his beautiful vampire family. They are unusual in that they don’t drink human blood. They live off of the blood of other animals. Bella feels perfectly safe with Edward. He would never do anything to harm her. He also can’t live without her, and finds himself protecting her from outside evil. Bella wants to live with him forever, free from all the dangers that she is exposed to, and thinks that it would make more sense if she were a vampire too…

Vegetarian vampires living in New York City? You bet. Lexy, Hudson, and Maddie live in Manhattan with their parents. They are not your average school kids either. They are fruit-bat vampires, or they used to be in the Old World. As if being a kid isn’t hard enough, you should try being a kid who’s a vampire!

Hudson is trying to save the planet. Lexy is trying to get Dylan to notice her, and Maddie is convinced that the people across the street are blood-sucking vampires in disguise and must be stopped. And she will stop at nothing to prove it! All this while trying to look and act like a normal human being.

It’s funny and vampire-y and a perfect fall read. Hurry and check it out before Halloween–it may give you a few ideas.

I’ve been re-reading this book, and loving every minute of it. I’ve lost track of how many times I have read this over the years, but I never cease to be amazed at how fabulous it is. It’s a very timely reading too. Ms. L’Engle passed away while I was in the middle of reading her wonderful book.

Meg and Charles Wallace and Calvin. With the coming of Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. What, the three children are whisked off on an adventure through time and space to rescue Meg and Charles’ father. If you are a fantasy or Science fiction lover, give this one a try. It’s well worth it.

What a great book for dog lovers! Jon Katz has a humorous, honest, and gentle storytelling style. This book chronicles one year in which four dogs impact his life. Julius and Stanley are his laid-back, sweet yellow labs. Devon and then Homer are two Border Collies.

The entrance of Devon is what makes this book. He had a traumatized past, and it shows. From mini-van surfing and car chasing, to an impressive ability to open the refrigerator with his nose, Devon keeps that house on its toes. Jon has a great capacity to work with, love, and report to us the antics and adventures of his dogs. We laughed and cried over this book. A must for animal and dog lovers.

I have been meaning to read this book for ages, especially since the sequel just came out. I’m glad I did.

Emily Windsnap lives on a houseboat with her Mom, but has never been swimming before. Not until she joins the 7th grade swim class. Once she hits the water she swims perfectly, and for good reason–she’s half mermaid! It’s illegal for merfolk and humans to marry each other, but that’s what Emily’s parents did. When found out, her father was imprisoned in Neptune’s underwater prison, and Emily’s mother had her memory erased. Can Emily save her Dad and make her mom remember? Will she get to swim freely as a mermaid, or will she always have to keep it a secret? A fun book for mermaid fans, and a great summer read.

I read the first Katie Kazoo book called Anyone But Me. Katie wishes she could be anyone but herself, and she gets her wish–she becomes her classroom’s hamster!

Katie is in the third grade and has great friends and great family. But will she stop being a hamster and start being Katie again? Read it to find out!

I will say nothing. I’ll write what I think in the comments section. You too!

Set on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, this was an intruiging book, with a fast plot.

Tragedy strikes one of Brady’s neighbors when their kayak sinks one chilly April morning. Brady had participated in the rescue efforts, and feels connected to the family. He discovers that the sunken kayak had a hole drilled in the bottom of it. Was this no accident but murder? And more horrifying, is Brady friends with the sabateur?

It’s a short read. Fun and light for summer.

I have just finished reading this incredible Swedish import. I love reading books that have been translated to see what is popular in other countries.

In this novel, a teenager finds that he has become invisible. Something happened to him two days ago when he was reported as missing. And now he is watching as a detective tries to piece together the events of the past two days. It’s really interesting to watch Himler as a ghost. His frustration at not being able to communicate with people: his slow realization of what happened to him.

It’s an engaging read, and takes no time at all to finish. An interesting perspective. I’d like to see how they managed the movie version of it.

Well, here it is! The title for our first ever Live Together, Read Together program.

It all begins one rainy night with a stranger standing outside Meggie’s house. A stranger that her father knows, but has never mentioned. A stranger who does not call her father Mo, but Silvertongue. A stranger named Dustfinger.

From there, Meggie and Mo are packing up and leaving their house, heading south. Along the way Meggie begins to piece together what is so special about this book named Inkheart, why her father has never read out loud to her, and what might have happened to her mother ten years ago.

I am not a real lover of fantasy as a rule, but this book I could not put down. I love the idea, the writing, the adventure. Mo is one of my favorite characters in a long time. It took me awhile, but Dustfinger is too.

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