48 Hour Reading Challenge -- I'm starting

Let me start off this challenge by stating publicly how wonderful my husband is. You see, two weeks ago was our 29th wedding anniversary. I am in charge of all End of Grade tests in my school. It's a big deal. I've had zero life outside of school since May 1. My wonderful husband knew how badly I wanted to participate in the Reading Challenge so he suggested we get a hotel room at our favorite hotel and read during the weekend. I needed to relax, and this is the perfect way to do it. I repeat, my husband is wonderful.

I am having one problem, however. My assistant has strep throat, and my throat is getting a little scratchy. I'm just hoping it's sympathetic pains.

I think I'll start off the challenge by reading The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd. I'm starting now, at 7:15 p.m.

The Missing Girl

The Missing Girl

Norma Fox Mazer

There are five Herber girls – Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy, and Autumn. They range in age from 11 to 17. Each has very different personalities from the other, but each has distinct weaknesses. And they are all being watched.

The girls are poor – their father has been in an accident and has not recovered. In many was, they are surviving on their own, even though their parents are in the house. But the parents have made a wrenching decision. They are going to “lend” their middle child, Stevie, to an aunt. Stevie can help the aunt at her house, and in return the aunt will feed and clothe Stevie. The girls are most unhappy about this decision but are helpless to do anything about it, until the unthinkable occurs.

Woven throughout the story are sections of the girls being watched. It is quite obvious from the beginning that he wants one of the girls for evil purposes. When the opportunity finally comes for him to take one, he seizes it. From here the story becomes that of a family struggling with the loss of a child, and the child, desperately trying to get home.

I had been quite eager to read this book. In many ways it didn’t disappoint. Mazer’s depiction of the kidnapper is truly creepy. I never, however, felt as much connection to the girls as I wanted – they just felt distant to me.

One other point – School Library Journal recommended this book for grades 7 – up. I cannot agree. To me this is a high school book, and that’s where I’ll send my copy of it.

MotherReader: The Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

Two years ago I was reading an article about blogs written by Liz Burns in School Library Journal. I decided that I needed to explore the blogs she recommended and just happened to do it the weekend a reading challenge was taking place. It seemed as though every blog I was looking at was participating in this challenge, and I wanted to play too! There were two problems: I didn't have a blog, and the challenge had already started.

Last year I had too many conflicts. This year? Conflicts, but I'm going to work around them. My sweet wonderful husband has booked us a hotel room for two days where I can read and blog to my heart's content. I still have a few things I'll have to do, and I've never been one to go without sleep, but I'm going to see exactly how many books I can get read in a 48 hour period, and I cannot wait!

MotherReader: The Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Wendy Mass

When Jeremy Fink was 8 years old, his father died in an automobile accident. To many this was not a surprise. After all, a fortune-teller had predicted his death by the age of 40 and he was 39 when he died. Jeremy is now almost 13 and he has never stopped missing his dad. One day he and his best friend Lizzy are hanging out on the steps of their apartment building when the mailman delivers a package addressed to his mother. Beset with curiosity, they open the package to discover a letter and a strange, locked wooden box engraved with the words "THE MEANING OF LIFE: FOR JEREMY FINK TO OPEN ON HIS 13TH BIRTHDAY." The letter explains that the box was entrusted to a lawyer until Jeremy turned 13, but unfortunately the lawyer had lost the keys. Jeremy and Lizzy soon discover that the keys to the box will be unique and the box cannot possibly be opened without them. So the adventure begins as they search for some keys that might fit. Throughout the summer they will almost get arrested, they will turn long-lost items to their owners, and they might just find out the meaning of life. I really enjoyed this one. It's got adventure, but most of all it has heart. The ending was neat, but oh so satisfying. I think Jeremy Fink will appeal to many students in my school.

A Wonderful Re-Read

I love to re-read books but I don't often have the time to re-read young adult or children's novels -- there are just so many on my to-read shelf that I can't justify re-reading them. One exception, however, is when I have to read books on the North Carolina Battle of the Books list. These books I read to help prepare my students for competition, so I must be very familiar with them.

Last fall I submitted The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt as a book to be considered for the 2009-2010 list. I didn't have much hope it would make the list -- I had never had a nominated book actually be accepted (and I tried for years with Ender's Game). I was thrilled when the list came out and The Wednesday Wars was included. I've therefore spent the past two days re-reading it and loving it all over again.

How can one pass up the first line: "Of all the kids in the seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, there was one kid that Mrs. Baker hated with heat whiter than the sun. Me."

I must thank Becky of Becky's Book Review for bringing the book to my attention two summers ago. Her review made me rush to order it. If you haven't read any of her blog entries, you should -- she reads like crazy and I must say I agree with most of her reviews.

If you haven't read The Wednesday Wars yet -- go out to your nearest library and get it immediately. It won a Newbery Honor, for heaven's sake!

Wildwood Dancing

Wildwood Dancing

Juliet Marillier

Surely you’ve heard the story before. Widower is struggling to make ends meet. He’s ill, and he has a number of daughters to take care of. He goes away to get better and sell his goods, leaving the two oldest daughters in charge. Unfortunately, there is an evil cousin who wants everything, including the second daughter’s hand in marriage.

So, you say, “I’ve read this, or something similar to it and so I can skip it.” Let me just tell you, you’d me making a horrible mistake. Wildwood Dancing is a wonderfully written story incorporating several popular fairy tales – and it has vampires! Actually they are called Night People, but we would associate them with the vampire myth.

Jena is the second daughter. She considers herself plain, especially when compared to her beautiful older sister Tati. Jena and her four sisters have a secret. Each month on the full moon, they open a secret portal and cross into the Wildwood to dance with all the magical creatures that inhabit this other world. The sisters follow explicit rules while in the Wildwood because although they love their journeys, they know they are not without danger.

In the real world, Jena’s family is struggling. Her father has left to regain his health, and her cousin is determined to take over. In the land of Transylvania of the Middle Ages, the opinion of women isn’t valued, and the suspicions of the people are great. Jena has much to fight against if her world is not to be destroyed.

As it should be obvious, I loved this book. I stayed up an hour past my bedtime to read it, and that just doesn’t happen on a school night (and I paid for it today!). If you love fairy tales, you must read Wildwood Dancing. (And I didn’t even mention the frog who you’ll love more than Kermit!)

The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah

The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah
Nora Raleigh Baskin

When I picked up this book, I thought it would be about a twelve-year old girl trying to decide whether or not she wanted to have a Bat Mitzvah. It was more about a young girl who was deeply grieving over her grandmother's death. Caroline's mother is Jewish and her father is Christian and Caroline doesn't know what she is. Besides a token celebration of Hanukkah and Christmas, she has grown up religious at all. When her grandfather gives her the Star of David necklace that belonged to her grandmother, Caroline is thrown for a loop. Does she want to be Jewish? Her best friend is busy planning her Bat Mitzvah -- does Caroline want one too?

For the most part I liked this book. My one complaint is that I thought it was too short. I wanted Baskin to delve more deeply into Caroline's exploration of her heritage and her faith.