Fiction
Under a War Torn Sky by L.M Elliot
19-year-old Hank is an American pilot flying dangerous mission when his plane is shot down over Alsace, near the Swiss border. The location is a bit of luck as it allows him to cross into neutral territory. The problem is he has broken ankle, limited language skills, and enemy soldiers all around. Nazis are not known for being forgiving and an American soldier made for excellent collateral. Hank must rely on a few brave citizens of France, and Switzerland, to move him in secret.
Nonfiction
Winston Churchill : soldier, statesman, artist by John Severance
The author of this biography chooses to focuse on Churchill's contributions during World War I, which is why it has made it to my list. He also includes Churchill’s childhood, Boer War stories, and his journey to becoming a statesman. It is obvious from reading this biography that Severance was taking with the famous Churchill wit as well as his larger than life personality and affinity for cigars
Adult Pick
Résistance : a woman's journal of struggle and defiance in occupied France by Agnès Humbert
Agnès Humbert was an art historian in Paris during the German occupation in 1940. She witnessed many atrocities while living in silence. When she could be silent no more she joined forces with several colleagues to form an organized resistance to Nazi power. The members of Humbert’s group were betrayed to the Gestapo while plotting to remove German forces from France. Humbert was imprisoned, mistreated by her captors and forced to endure horrors in a string of German labor camps. In spite of these tortures she never gave up hope for herself, for her country, and for the fate of humanity.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
New Book Madness
Our school has received a grant for new books this year and I feel as though I have been ordering books in my sleep. Some of the books I'm sharing this week are new and ordered with grant money.
Fiction
This book is not new and it was not bought with grant money, but I just finished reading it for the second time and I like it so much I had to share :)
Slam by Nick Hornby
Sam is a startlingly ordinary 15-year-old boy who loves to skate (that's skateboarding, no ice involved). He never considered doing anything else with his free time except skating and worshiping Tony Hawk (he speaks to Sam through a poster in his bedroom). But then he is blindsided: his girlfriend gets pregnant! He thinks about running away, he turns off his mobile phone and tries to have one last normal birthday. Tony Hawk is not pleased. Is it really Tony who is "whizzing" Sam into the future for glimpses of what is to come? With or without Tony's help, Sam shares with his audience the facts about his very eventful couple of years. We know exactly how Sam feels—even when he feels differently from the beginning of a sentence to the end—and it feels just right: a vertiginous mix of anger, confusion, insight, humor, and love.
Nonfiction
This book is a grant book as well as being fabulous.
China: Land of Dragons and Emperors by Adeline Yen Mah
This novel-sized work of nonfiction tricks the reading into thinking they are reading a novel. Crammed full of action, romance, betrayal, and irony, this entertaining account of the entirety of Chinese history is sure to captivate readers of all ages. They layout of the book, with chapters broken into small sections, sidebars, and other distractions help to keep interest and make the book flow. Clearly, Mah is telling stories that she knows well, and she doesn't skimp on the vivid details, which can be gory, tragic, romantic, and yes even amusing. A must read for students studying China or anyone who wants a good nonfiction read with loads of information as well as incredible readability.
Adult Pick
We have this book for our library, but I am recommending it as my adult pick because it is a memoir of a very troubled time.
First they killed my father: A daughter of Cambodia remembers by Loung Ung
I am quoting from Publisher's Weekly (I have not finished this book): "In 1975, Ung, now the national spokesperson for the Campaign for a Landmine-Free World, was the five-year-old child of a large, affluent family living in Phnom Penh, the cosmopolitan Cambodian capital. As extraordinarily well-educated Chinese-Cambodians, with the father a government agent, her family was in great danger when the Khmer Rouge took over the country and throughout Pol Pot's barbaric regime. Her parents' strength and her father's knowledge of Khmer Rouge ideology enabled the family to survive together for a while, posing as illiterate peasants, moving first between villages, and then from one work camp to another. The father was honest with the children, explaining dangers and how to avoid them, and this, along with clear sight, intelligence and the pragmatism of a young child, helped Ung to survive the war. Her restrained, unsentimental account of the four years she spent surviving the regime before escaping with a brother to Thailand and eventually the United States is astonishing--not just because of the tragedies, but also because of the immense love for her family that Ung holds onto, no matter how she is brutalized. She describes the physical devastation she is surrounded by but always returns to her memories and hopes for those she loves. Her joyful memories of life in Phnom Penh are close even as she is being trained as a child soldier, and as, one after another, both parents and two of her six siblings are murdered in the camps. Skillfully constructed, this account also stands as an eyewitness history of the period, because as a child Ung was so aware of her surroundings, and because as an adult writer she adds details to clarify the family's moves and separations."
Fiction
This book is not new and it was not bought with grant money, but I just finished reading it for the second time and I like it so much I had to share :)
Slam by Nick Hornby
Sam is a startlingly ordinary 15-year-old boy who loves to skate (that's skateboarding, no ice involved). He never considered doing anything else with his free time except skating and worshiping Tony Hawk (he speaks to Sam through a poster in his bedroom). But then he is blindsided: his girlfriend gets pregnant! He thinks about running away, he turns off his mobile phone and tries to have one last normal birthday. Tony Hawk is not pleased. Is it really Tony who is "whizzing" Sam into the future for glimpses of what is to come? With or without Tony's help, Sam shares with his audience the facts about his very eventful couple of years. We know exactly how Sam feels—even when he feels differently from the beginning of a sentence to the end—and it feels just right: a vertiginous mix of anger, confusion, insight, humor, and love.
Nonfiction
This book is a grant book as well as being fabulous.
China: Land of Dragons and Emperors by Adeline Yen Mah
This novel-sized work of nonfiction tricks the reading into thinking they are reading a novel. Crammed full of action, romance, betrayal, and irony, this entertaining account of the entirety of Chinese history is sure to captivate readers of all ages. They layout of the book, with chapters broken into small sections, sidebars, and other distractions help to keep interest and make the book flow. Clearly, Mah is telling stories that she knows well, and she doesn't skimp on the vivid details, which can be gory, tragic, romantic, and yes even amusing. A must read for students studying China or anyone who wants a good nonfiction read with loads of information as well as incredible readability.
Adult Pick
We have this book for our library, but I am recommending it as my adult pick because it is a memoir of a very troubled time.
First they killed my father: A daughter of Cambodia remembers by Loung Ung
I am quoting from Publisher's Weekly (I have not finished this book): "In 1975, Ung, now the national spokesperson for the Campaign for a Landmine-Free World, was the five-year-old child of a large, affluent family living in Phnom Penh, the cosmopolitan Cambodian capital. As extraordinarily well-educated Chinese-Cambodians, with the father a government agent, her family was in great danger when the Khmer Rouge took over the country and throughout Pol Pot's barbaric regime. Her parents' strength and her father's knowledge of Khmer Rouge ideology enabled the family to survive together for a while, posing as illiterate peasants, moving first between villages, and then from one work camp to another. The father was honest with the children, explaining dangers and how to avoid them, and this, along with clear sight, intelligence and the pragmatism of a young child, helped Ung to survive the war. Her restrained, unsentimental account of the four years she spent surviving the regime before escaping with a brother to Thailand and eventually the United States is astonishing--not just because of the tragedies, but also because of the immense love for her family that Ung holds onto, no matter how she is brutalized. She describes the physical devastation she is surrounded by but always returns to her memories and hopes for those she loves. Her joyful memories of life in Phnom Penh are close even as she is being trained as a child soldier, and as, one after another, both parents and two of her six siblings are murdered in the camps. Skillfully constructed, this account also stands as an eyewitness history of the period, because as a child Ung was so aware of her surroundings, and because as an adult writer she adds details to clarify the family's moves and separations."
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
One for the Ladies
March is also women’s history month, and so I thought it would be fitting to honor some of my favorite lady authors :)
Fiction
Fire From the Rock by Sharon M. Draper
An honor student, Sylvia Patterson is an honor student living in Little Rock Arkansas. She is thrilled when she is chosen as one of the first black students to integrate Central High in 1957. She begins to have second thoughts about attending when racists citzens begin vandalizing and burning homes in black neighborhoods. She does not want to be a hero and change the world, only to attend a good school. Will Silvia ever get that chance?
Nonfiction
Who Killed my Daughter by Lois Duncan
On July 16, 1989, the authors daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, was shot as she drove home in Albuquerque, N.M. and died the next day. The police department initially suspected that she had been the victim of a random shooting. Duncan believes the police were lazy and stubborn and did not follow leads as to the killer properly. Duncan's appeals to the FBI for help went unheeded. Much later it surfaced that Kait had become involved with a Vietnamese gang of drug smugglers. The case is still unsolved, according to the author, and there are clues galore to be pursued.
Adult Pick
I am actually reading this week’s adult pick for a local ladies book group I helped found. I am finding it descriptive and delightful.
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
In the early 19th century three spinster sisters are banished from London by there brother and sent to live on the English coast. The small town of Lyme Regis is quaint and comfortable, but what it is most remarkable are the snake-stones littering the shoreline. These snake-stones hold the bodies of ancient creatures. The premier expert on these creatures is not a professor, or a lawyer, or a diplomat, but a young girl named Mary Anning. Mary’s remarkable ability to learn and remember facts about these creatures is blamed on her being struck by lightning when she was a baby. The spinster sisters and Mary become fast friends and marvel as she grows into a fine young woman, and a scientist.
Fiction
Fire From the Rock by Sharon M. Draper
An honor student, Sylvia Patterson is an honor student living in Little Rock Arkansas. She is thrilled when she is chosen as one of the first black students to integrate Central High in 1957. She begins to have second thoughts about attending when racists citzens begin vandalizing and burning homes in black neighborhoods. She does not want to be a hero and change the world, only to attend a good school. Will Silvia ever get that chance?
Nonfiction
Who Killed my Daughter by Lois Duncan
On July 16, 1989, the authors daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, was shot as she drove home in Albuquerque, N.M. and died the next day. The police department initially suspected that she had been the victim of a random shooting. Duncan believes the police were lazy and stubborn and did not follow leads as to the killer properly. Duncan's appeals to the FBI for help went unheeded. Much later it surfaced that Kait had become involved with a Vietnamese gang of drug smugglers. The case is still unsolved, according to the author, and there are clues galore to be pursued.
Adult Pick
I am actually reading this week’s adult pick for a local ladies book group I helped found. I am finding it descriptive and delightful.
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
In the early 19th century three spinster sisters are banished from London by there brother and sent to live on the English coast. The small town of Lyme Regis is quaint and comfortable, but what it is most remarkable are the snake-stones littering the shoreline. These snake-stones hold the bodies of ancient creatures. The premier expert on these creatures is not a professor, or a lawyer, or a diplomat, but a young girl named Mary Anning. Mary’s remarkable ability to learn and remember facts about these creatures is blamed on her being struck by lightning when she was a baby. The spinster sisters and Mary become fast friends and marvel as she grows into a fine young woman, and a scientist.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The luck of the Irish
I'm sure it comes to you as no surprise that March is also Irish Heritage Month. With St. Patrick's Day looming around the corner, I thought we might want to explore some well written books on the proud island race.
Fiction
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
I know what you're thinking: "Artemis Fowl doesn't sound very Irish!" But that's where you are wrong. Artemis Fowl is the lovably despicable main character of this fantastical series and the brilliant brain child of school teacher Eoin Colfer, who lives in Ireland. So there it's Irish. More over Artemis gets mixed up in all sorts of shady dealings with fairies, leprechauns, banshees, and more. Being cursed by the fae is about as Irish as you can get. A highly entertaining series with something for everyone. Pick one up from your local library today!
Nonfiction
Feed the Children First: Irish Memories of the Great Hunger Edited by Mary E Lyons
This heartbreaking book presents first-person accounts from people who remember the potato famine that swept Ireland in the mid-nineteenth-century. This famine caused widespread starvation and death. The illustrations and photographs included in the book bring this tragedy to life.
Adult Pick
I try hard not to put my personal bias on these book reviews, but this book is one of my favorites. It is in my top 5 favorite books I've ever read. I would recommend this book to a mature 8th grader, all high schoolers, and all adults. This is a must read!
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
In this riveting memoir Francis McCourt chronicles his impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland. In his poetic sty he recounts live in the 1930s and 1940s. McCourt describs in depth, with truth, and feeling his father's alcoholism and talent for storytelling. With love and honesty he recounts the challenges and tragedies his mother faced, including the loss of three children to sickness and starvation. As always McCourt balances these tragic tales and painful memories with humor and humanity.
Fiction
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
I know what you're thinking: "Artemis Fowl doesn't sound very Irish!" But that's where you are wrong. Artemis Fowl is the lovably despicable main character of this fantastical series and the brilliant brain child of school teacher Eoin Colfer, who lives in Ireland. So there it's Irish. More over Artemis gets mixed up in all sorts of shady dealings with fairies, leprechauns, banshees, and more. Being cursed by the fae is about as Irish as you can get. A highly entertaining series with something for everyone. Pick one up from your local library today!
Nonfiction
Feed the Children First: Irish Memories of the Great Hunger Edited by Mary E Lyons
This heartbreaking book presents first-person accounts from people who remember the potato famine that swept Ireland in the mid-nineteenth-century. This famine caused widespread starvation and death. The illustrations and photographs included in the book bring this tragedy to life.
Adult Pick
I try hard not to put my personal bias on these book reviews, but this book is one of my favorites. It is in my top 5 favorite books I've ever read. I would recommend this book to a mature 8th grader, all high schoolers, and all adults. This is a must read!
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
In this riveting memoir Francis McCourt chronicles his impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland. In his poetic sty he recounts live in the 1930s and 1940s. McCourt describs in depth, with truth, and feeling his father's alcoholism and talent for storytelling. With love and honesty he recounts the challenges and tragedies his mother faced, including the loss of three children to sickness and starvation. As always McCourt balances these tragic tales and painful memories with humor and humanity.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March is National Nutrition Month
Did you know March is National Nutrition Month? Neither did I :) Find out more here. To highlight the importance of eating right I have chosen food themed books for this week's post.
Fiction
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
I'm Just Here for the Food: Heat + Food= Cooking by Alton Brown
Alton Brown, best known for his hit Food Network series Good Eats, has brought food science to the print world with his new "cookbook." This book is not your grandma's cookbook with painstakingly preserved recipes and glossy pictures of well presented dishes. This book kicks cooking into high gear in a homeowner's manual style breakdown of gear, gadgets and technique that will blow your mind. If you have ever wondered why you need eggs in some recipe and oil in another Brown will not only explain away the worry but tell you how you can incorporate both into your next dish. A must read for all weekend dabblers and aspiring chefs alike.
Picks for Adult Readers
This week's pick for adults is one I would also recommend to my students. It is important to know where food comes from and what it does to our bodies.
Fast food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
One out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant everyday, without knowing why the food is so fast and cheap or what it is doing to their body. The fast food industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. This book takes apart fast food and rebuilds it from the ground up. Eric Schlosser tells the story of the food as it moves from farm to bun, but moreover he tells the story of the overworked and underpaid providers who serve this food to hurried and hungry Americans.
Fiction
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
With two major motion pictures created from this classic work, you probably think you know the story of Charlie's magical trip to Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory. Think again. This magnificent work of children's literature has inspired the world since 1964. Charlie and his family find themselves destitute but rich in love. Candy mogul Willy Wonka has built an extensive empire, but has no heir to leave his fortune to. Believing that children are pure and their love for candy is infinite, Mr. Wonka designs a contest to find his successor. Invertible mayhem and hilarity ensue. Check out this beloved classic today (perhaps you can enjoy it with a Wonka bar!)
I'm Just Here for the Food: Heat + Food= Cooking by Alton Brown
Alton Brown, best known for his hit Food Network series Good Eats, has brought food science to the print world with his new "cookbook." This book is not your grandma's cookbook with painstakingly preserved recipes and glossy pictures of well presented dishes. This book kicks cooking into high gear in a homeowner's manual style breakdown of gear, gadgets and technique that will blow your mind. If you have ever wondered why you need eggs in some recipe and oil in another Brown will not only explain away the worry but tell you how you can incorporate both into your next dish. A must read for all weekend dabblers and aspiring chefs alike.
Picks for Adult Readers
This week's pick for adults is one I would also recommend to my students. It is important to know where food comes from and what it does to our bodies.
Fast food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
One out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant everyday, without knowing why the food is so fast and cheap or what it is doing to their body. The fast food industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. This book takes apart fast food and rebuilds it from the ground up. Eric Schlosser tells the story of the food as it moves from farm to bun, but moreover he tells the story of the overworked and underpaid providers who serve this food to hurried and hungry Americans.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)