9/26/2016 0 Comments Journey of a Thousand LivesFestival of Books
It has been an amazing week for books, with our visit from Gene Luen Yang on September 24, 2016 or the National Book Festival on September 25, 2016. I had the pleasure of hearing some amazing stories of how literacy has impacted the lives of those who read and those who desire to share their love of reading with the world. Stephen King said it best when he stated "You can live one life, that is cool and great. But if you read you can live a thousand lives and explore unknown realms. Which is much COOLER!". Book love does not just happen, it is a purposeful and deliberate act which asks us to act by faith and pick up and read about the lives of other, whether created or real. Two great books that illustrate this point is have the same title, but very different lives. In Hoge book "Ugly", he speaks of being born with birth defects so severe that his mother thought of abandoning him at the hospital. He writes of his triumphs and struggle and his overcoming impossible odds to live a life many of of would envy. Contrastly, the Briscoe book "Ugly" digs into the social creation of beauty and the struggle of those who do not fit the definition of beauty and who struggle to redefine the concept. Moving and thought provoking are the ways I would describe this read. In keeping with Banned Book Week I will be highlighting this week's book selection based on books that feature journeys worthy of a thousand lives. Book talks this week will focus on selection of books that feature different genres and highlight journeys from around the world. I hope you will join me in selecting a book from the Banned Books List and living a thousand wonderful lives.
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9/20/2016 0 Comments Back to School with new booksReflection on Summer Reading!
I hope everyone had a great summer and read some really wonderful books. I spent the summer reading some excellent books that I have included in my September Picks. These books were so great that have already been checked out so I am over the moon with excitement for our upcoming book clubs. My first pick is “When A Monster Calls” by Patrick Ness, which is written in semi graphic novel style and features a main character torn apart by his mother’s illness. This sweeping story offers readers insight into the grief process and how this process affects young people in a very gripping way. Since this book is already in production as a feature film, reading the book first is a must. My next pick was “The War That Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and is set in English during the Second World War. The main character in this book has a disability which impacted her ability to walk and to see the outside world. Her mother’s treatment of her made the character so real and you begin to really empathize for her and hope that change was going to happen soon. This page turner is a great book for anyone who likes the time period and novels with complex and interesting characters. My last pick for the summer was “Echo” by Pam Munoz Ryan, which is also set in during the Second World War but offer a bit of whimsy and mystery. The plot moves from 3 sisters who are trapped in a harmonica to the rise of the Hitler youth and post-Depression America. With rich description and an engaging plot, this novel set the tone for what a great hybrid book could be for readers of any age. The end was somewhat like a cliffhanger and I am hoping for book #2 if this becomes a series. (hint, hint) With summer over, my wish listed book list has grown longer and my next reads “A Torch Against the Night” by Sabaa Tahir and “The Marvels” by Brian Selznick are going to be a part of next month’s featured books. Looking forward to adding new books to my list and featuring them in the months to come. |
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