Good Grief!

I guess everyone feels grief in their own way - and there are a lot of different types of loss.  I noticed that the past few books here have dealt with the death of someone.  Sorry to be so 'Debbie Downer'.... but it isn't going to get much lighter.  At least this post isn't about someone dying - something to get excited about!

I had heard so many great things about the book, Eleanor and Park, that I actually stopped reading the books I am supposed to be reading for the state book award committee I am on and started listening to it.  At first, I felt disappointed.  I wasn't being drawn in as I have been with other 'great books' recommended to me by my many librarian friends. 

Perhaps because this book is meant for an older crowd, it has plenty of pages to build up steam, but when it did - it blew my socks off.  As I just spent the last 20 minutes of my lunch hour in my car sobbing along with the 'at the same time heartwarming and heartbreaking' end to the book, I can tell you that it is worth the long introduction and build-up.

Eleanor is the new girl - and much like with 'When Life Gives You O.J.', she doesn't look like anyone else.  Long curly red hair and a not-so-size 2 waist quickly give her the nickname of   'Big Red'.  As a person who also wasn't the skinny kid in high school, I felt every bit of the shame in her nickname.  Listen up, some kids aren't meant to be super thin.... read: I am of good German farmer stock and inherited a few too many masculine traits from my dad. It happens.

There is something about Eleanor.  Either you knew her in high school, or you felt like you were her.  Either way, she becomes a sort of kindred friend of yours that you want to protect from her horrible life.  I know I live in my own little bubble - if I don't want to see something, it doesn't exist, but this book gently breaks into the subject of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse in a way that feels organic and real.  I was left wondering who in my high school I may have overlooked.  Was that going on in the houses of any of my friends?  Should I have noticed something I didn't?

And then she meets Park and her life is never the same.  They find in each other a friend and champion they didn't know they needed, but will never live without.  It is those first experiences with love and connection that shape us into the fully grown adults we are today.  Even when the heartbreak comes, it is always worth it - and isn't that a good lesson to learn?

Books that make you go, "hmmmmm." And then sweep you off your feet. :)

And Then Life Gave You O.J.

I have to admit, it has been a long time since a book made me cry.  Maybe I was all cried out?  Maybe I was just reading really crappy books.  Either way - I guess I wasn't quite sure what to expect when picking up the book, When Life Gives You O.J. by Erica Pearl.  I guess perhaps I was thinking it was going to be an odd sort of 'make the best of what you have' story.  Instead, I found a heartwarming story of the new girl in town.  Zelly isn't just the new kid, she also looks different than all of the other people in her new town.  Everyone in her small town in Vermont has blonde hair and blue eyes... she has a crazy brown 'fro; talk about feeling like you don't belong.

After moving into town in the spring when her grandmother, Bubbles, passed away,

she makes one good friend, Allie, before the school year ends and her new friend goes off to camp.  Left all alone, Zelly feels like the only thing that will make her feel less lonely is if she either gets a letter from her friend at camp or gets the dog she has been asking for forever.  When they lived in Brooklyn, Zelly understood why they couldn't have a dog.  Now that they live in Vermont, if she can't look like everyone else, perhaps she can have a dog just like everyone else in town.

Her grandpa, Ace, comes up with a great plan for how to show her parents how responsible she is by taking an old orange juice jug and treating it as if it were the dog she has always wanted.  At first it just seems silly, but when she meets a new boy in town (who looks just like her), he convinces her to take it seriously.  I will let you guess what she names her 'practice dog'.

All goes well until Allie returns with new camp friends and Zelly begins to feel like a dog isn't worth all of the ridicule she is facing.

Throughout the book, Zelly is a great example of what life is like when you are the new kid - especially when you don't quite fit in with your surroundings.  The interactions of Zelly and her grandfather show both love and the understanding that comes as a child grows older and realizes that adults have feelings too; that point in each persons' life when they realize that the world doesn't revolve around how they feel and what they are doing.  The loss of Bubbles has affected Zelly deeply, but it isn't until she realizes how much her grandfather misses his wife that she begins to understand what life might be like for her 'crazy' grandfather.  

Will all of her hard work pay off?  You will just have to read to find out, but enjoy the fun and frustration until you get there.

Dealing with Grief

As a reader, I tend to shy away from reading books about dead family members.  It hits a little too close to home and brings up sad memories.  This time of year, however, the sadness is here whether I read the books or not, so I thought I would pick up a book that had been recommended to me several times by different librarian friends of mine.... and that book is Love, Aubrey.

Love, Aubrey is about a young girl whose father and sister are killed in a car accident and whose mother is so consumed with grief she leaves home not remembering that Aubrey is still there.  For weeks, Aubrey is left alone in here house until her Grandmother comes to rescue her.  The book chronicles that first summer and school year after the accident as Aubrey makes new friends, learns to deal with her grief, and to forgive her mother for the things that are out of her control. 

I found the book to be incredibly realistic and heartfelt, much as it was described to me, however, I also found the book comforting.  Unlike in some books about children dealing with grief or about families dealing with a stressful situation, all adults did not abandon Aubrey.  Although I loved reading it, the book Captain Nobody's main character Newt is basically ignored by every adult in his life.  A fact that I found almost disturbing.  In this book, I found the fact that Aubrey's grandmother, aunts, uncles, and counselor were all supporting her recovery much more attuned to what might actually happen.  I also thought that the portrayal of Aubrey's mother as she dealt with an all-consuming grief and could not help Aubrey recover very realistic.

As Aubrey learns, it isn't just accidents that take your family members away, grief can do it as well.  It is hard to deal with situations that don't turn out the way you expect them, and it is even harder when they are completely out of your control.  This book offers a little bit of hope that although we all deal with grief in our own way, even the worst grief can be overcome and we all can be happy again.   The end of the book doesn't come all 'tied up in a big red bow', but it is as happy as a sad situation can possibly get.

a WONDERful book

I love recommendations from fellow librarians.  As people who spend our entire lives surrounded by books, it is sometimes hard to tell the good from the bad and the good from the great.  Every one has a different taste in books, but for the most part, a great book is a great book to everyone.

Enter, Wonder, the first novel by JR Palacio.

Filled with references to other wonderful contemporary novels, kindness, and triumph over bullying, this novel is quite the 'great book'.  Auggie (August) Pullman is the recipient of a combination of genetic mutations and disorders that leave his face 'deformed'.  He has lived with it all his life and lived with the stares and shocked faces that greet him everywhere he goes.  After being homeschooled most of his life, Auggie's parents decide that he should start the 5th grade in a real school. 

Much like the book Schooled by Gordon Korman, another of my very favorite books, I found myself appalled at the treatment of Auggie when he gets to school.  Perhaps I just have blocked most of my middle school experience from my memory bank, or perhaps I simply still suffer from only seeing what I want to see, but  I just don't remember my experience that way.

Don't get me wrong - I totally remember high school like that.  I just don't remember middle school kids being that mean (especially in fifth grade).  Either way, both books help us understand that although some kids grow up differently than we do or look/act different, they are still kids, they still have feelings, and they still just want to find their place in the world.

Sometimes the narrator of an audiobook can make or break the way we feel about a novel.  It was definitely the narrator of Shakespeare's Secret who facilitated my love of that book.  In the exact opposite way, I actually had to turn off the audiobook of Wonder after only ten minutes; knowing that if I left it on, I would end up hating the book.  I ended up reading the book and loving it.  It didn't take long, as it is a fast read, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen to Auggie and his friends.

I would recommend this book to all children entering middle school as a way to teach compassion and understanding of those different than we are.  In an environment where everyone is trying to find their place, it might go a long way to understand that everyone is trying to do the same thing.

Hmmmm... It's a Mystery!

Oooh - Everyone loves a good mystery.  And this one is GREAT!  

As a child, I spent a lot of time reading realistic fiction (mostly Sweet Valley Twins,  which is funny considering how much twins freak me out).  It wasn't until library school when I read my first real mystery.  Yeah, I'd been forced to read mysteries in middle school, I am sure... I DID read The Westing Game, after all... but I had never picked one up out of my own volition.  I didn't even read The Boxcar Children, a childhood staple in most lives.  Perhaps it has something to do with how big of a baby I am and how I avoid suspense like it is the plague (I can't even play hide-and-go-seek for fear I pee my pants in anxious terror), but mysteries just never had much appeal.

Enter the aforementioned Shakespeare's Secret.  Perhaps it is that in children's mysteries, the suspense is minimal, or that it only lasts for a few pages, but I loved it.  It was awhile until I picked up another mystery, but I definitely wasn't disappointed in picking up the first in The Red Blazer Girls series, The Ring of Rocamadour.  

As the audiobook selector, I had a conversation about this particular series a few months back.  We owned several of the audiobooks, but not the actual books.  In our collection development policy, if we don't own the physical book, we shouldn't own the audio... so I had to convince our YA selector to purchase the copies or get rid of the audiobooks.  After a 15-20 minute discussion, we decided to keep them and purchase the whole set.  I am SO glad we did (and so is she).

I don't know if it is because they had to use their brains to solve the mystery or because they were the most sarcastic middle school girls I have ever read about, but I felt as if I would have been friends with them when I was younger.  I found myself immediately living with them in their city dwellings, fretting over school-girl crushes, and enjoying the 'Catholic humor' and adventure that ensued.  

As soon as I put the audiobook on in my car, I recognized the narrator as the same one from a different book I had listened to, which always excites me.  I enjoyed the book so much, I also checked out the physical book so that I could be reading it at home, on lunch, before bed, and then listen to it in the car.  I would definitely recommend it to any parent looking for a fun 'girl book' for their daughter that isn't too mature and has just the right amount of 'sass'.

As my coworker says, now we just have to get recommending it to the right kids!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It has been awhile since I posted anything - a direct result of the turmoil of my personal life and the loss of my husband.  Through his stay in various hospitals and nursing homes, the 'favorite things' song kept playing through my head like a mantra for when I was feeling sad, mad, bad or any other emotion that ends in 'ad'.

One of my favorite books (which I love to recommend to EVERY child that comes into the library... and adults too) is Shakespeare's Secret.  I know.... those of you who know me well have probably been waiting to see when this book might make its appearance on here.  Although it isn't a book that makes me cry, I do get quite emotional while talking about how much this book inspired me to read all things 'Anne Boleyn'.  

In library school, I had to pick one of the books I read for my Children's Literature class and write a review of it.  This is that review:

Elise Broach’s debut novel about a lonely middle-school girl named Hero is one not to be missed.  Hero and her older sister Beatrice have just moved into a small town outside of Washington, D.C.  The girls may share the source of their names, Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, but they could not be more different.  The story follows Hero as she learns about her new town, the secret of the house into which she has moved, and how to accept herself and grow through her experiences.  The novel allows the reader to enter the overbearing world of English royalty and observe some of the social injustice that occurred at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s rein.  Shakespeare’s Secret is an accurate portrayal of a new student dealing with typical middle-school problems and any reader can relate to Hero’s dilemmas and predicaments.  The narrator of the audio book only adds to the brilliance of this novel, as she provides excellent character separation.  The mood and setting created by her voice are easy to get enveloped in.  This novel, both in print and in audio book formats, is an excellent title to be added to any school or public library and can easily be worked into a school curriculum. 

My love for the book goes far beyond 'the best book I read in library school'.  I was just getting into the world of children's literature in my second semester.  For someone who was stuck reading Sweet Valley Kids and Baby Sitter's Little Sister books well into High School, I missed out on a lot of great books for kids.  It is only lucky for me that I have to read books I should have read as a child for my job.

After reading Shakespeare's Secret, I was so excited to learn about Anne and Shakespeare as well as try to figure out if Hero's discovery of their connection might actually be true.  I devoured books on Elizabethan England and Shakespeare like I was a two year old eating an Oreo.  It was definitely just as messy.  I tell this story to parents as often as I tell it to children - mostly as encouragement to find 'that book' for their child... one that will inspire them to absorb as much information as they possibly can on a subject before finding the next book that inspires them.  It is incredible to watch and even more awesome to experience.  

I encourage everyone to check out Shakespeare's Secret, but on that same note, I encourage them to find their own 'Favorite Thing' and have fun with it!

A Welcome Distraction

Sometimes, instead of books causing me to cry, my real life becomes so overwhelmingly sad that I turn to them for comfort and an escape. Over the past few weeks as my 'real life' became slightly overwhelming, my 'book life' became light and fluffy. Instead of gravitating toward the sad stories that make my heart break, I opted to read The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone (in between adult chick-lit titles).

I have an affinity for books that take place in and around Chicago landmarks (such as The Time Travelers Wife or Chasing Vermeer), especially ones written by Illinois authors. This is even more true when it comes to places I have actually been such as the Thorne Miniature Rooms in the Art Institute of Chicago, which is where this book takes place. Like most other books that 'play on history' such as my most favorite of favorite books, Shakespeare's Secret, I delve into the story and can't be distracted.

This sort of devotion to a story can cause the people around you to be annoyed, but it can also help you through a rough time, creating an alternate reality in which you can live for a few moments at a time. This fascinating story of two friends, Ruthie and Jack, who find a magic key that shrinks them and allows them to live in the 68 Thorne rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, is one that can do just that.

I thoroughly enjoyed living within the rooms that I have seen so many times, and not only remembering what they look like, but learning about the life outside of the rooms; what it was like in 18th Century France, or in America before I was born. Now, I love a good HGTV interior design show, and this book is basically a child's version of a cross between Antiques Roadshow and House Hunters International with a bit of family mystery, art history, and friendly fun. What is not to like?

While I wouldn't recommend this book to someone looking for a good cry, I did tear up at the end when things come together and Ruthie and Jack help an old artist find his passion for life again. It is a wonderful story to be read aloud or read alone - either way, you can easily find yourself lost in The Sixty Eight Rooms.

That Thing About Georgie

While I do read quite a bit, both for pleasure and work, I rarely come across a book that moves me quite like The Thing About Georgie. Today, while recommending another great Lisa Graff novel, Umbrella Summer, and walking the child to the shelf, I noticed The Thing About Georgie sitting next to it. I quickly added the book to the girl's growing pile of reading material, explained how the book was about a dwarf boy and how he learns to fit in with his class, and then grabbed her shoulders and said - don't skip to the end! With tears in my eyes, I walked back to the reference desk. In the instant it took me to sit down, I was taken back a few weeks to when I finished the book.

It isn't every day that I allow myself to finish a book in bed, but it happens. As someone who suffers greatly from 'stuffy noses' at night, I try not to cry too much before bed... but I guess I just didn't see this one coming.

The book was interesting from the beginning, each chapter starting off with a fact about what Georgie can or can't do just like a 'normal' child... such as:

Put your hands in fists... now try to tie your shoes. You can't? Well Georgie can't either.
- or -
Take a tape measure and mark a wall at 42" tall. Look at the items around your room that are taller than 42". Those are the things that Georgie wouldn't be able to reach.

In a polite way, the author of these tidbits of information makes understanding the plight of the dwarf a little more realistic. The rest of the story chronicles the every day events in Georgie's life through the school year, including a falling out with his best friend, the pregnancy of his mother, the impending arrival of his new baby brother or sister, and the torment of having to deal with the meanest girl in the 4th grade.

It isn't until the end that you figure out the author of the aforementioned handwritten information. As it turns out, one of Georgie's classmates has checked out the only book in the school library on what it is like to live as a dwarf, and is writing these bits of information as he or she learns them. As someone who comes from a family that includes children with special needs, it was 1) absolutely heartbreaking to read the story from Georgie's point of view... knowing that the way he feels about being different may be the way my family members feel, and 2) absolutely heartwarming to observe the humanity in those interacting with Georgie. Have you ever had your heart broken and warmed at the same time? It actually physically hurts.

I have to say, sometimes I cry through an entire book, but most times I just tear up a little at the end.... I sobbed through the end of this book, and then woke my husband up so that I could tell him about it. Most times, when telling a real-life story to a friend, I will say 'and then my husband asked me what was wrong', but in the middle of the night, I am not even sure I wait for him to ask - I just simply start to tell him.

A lot of what I read would be considered books for children, but though they are meant for children, I find them more satisfying than any adult title I have picked up (with the exception of Pride and Prejudice). There is something so innocent and gentle about the way they approach every day issues, and for the most part they tend to teach the reader how to deal with a problem in a way that is less than preachy. The thing about Georgie is.... he teaches children to accept life's problems, and that even if you have dug yourself into a hole, a friend's hand is all it takes to help you find the way back out.