Bibliotechies

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Lizsays — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:23:12 +0000

Curious Alice follows a White Rabbit who must be late for something. She falls into a magical world, where she meets a Cheshire Cat, a Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts.

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Lizsays — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:32:36 +0000

Bhima, a domestic servant in the household of Sera Dubash, an upper-class Parsi housewife, develops a bond with her employer over the course of many years as they both suffer through abusive marriages, loss, and disappointments, but their friendship still cannot overcome the restrictions of class and money.

Liz says:

“A novel written with both a lyrical cadence and a pragmatic straight-forwardness, this is a story of two women, one a servant and the other the employer. Their relationship with each other, their husbands and their children reveal much about Indian culture specifically as well as the human spirit universally. This can be easily paired with The Help by Stockett and Sister of my Heart by Divakaruni.”

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Lizsays — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:18:08 +0000

Rare book expert Hanna Heath discovers a number of tiny artifacts hidden within the binding of a fifteenth-century Hebrew manuscript and begins to unravel the mysteries behind its past.

Liz says:

“Historically fascinating and beautifully written! We unanimously loved this book but some of us would have preferred a different ending.”

2010 Caldecott Medal Winner The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Lizsays — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:42:31 +0000

In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle.

Liz says:

“Through incredible watercolor paintings, Pinkney recounts the Aesop fable of the brave little mouse who saves the fearsome lion. A simple and tender book for kids of all ages.”

Stop Pretending by Sonya Sone

carascherzer — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:31:52 +0000

A younger sister has a difficult time adjusting to life after her older sister has a mental breakdown.

Liz says:

“Through beautifully written free verse poems, Sones recounts the year that her sister was diagnosed as a manic depressive.!”

2010 Printz Award Winner Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Lizsays — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:33:42 +0000

Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen-year-old diagnosed with mad cow disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure.

Liz says:

“Holy Cow! It’s hard even to comprehend how to describe this masterpiece. Crazy, epic, fun, funny, tragic, ironic are just a few words that come to mind. This is for a reader who likes a long book that goes off in wild tangents. For those who decide to sink their teeth into this treasure, you will not be disappointed .”

2010 Newbery Honor Winner The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

Lizsays — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:43:37 +0000

In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads to an important discovery.

Liz says:

“We predicted this to be a Newbery Winner, and in fact it received the Newbery Honor Medal. This first book by Kelly is about a young girl growing up at a time when girls were taught to be housewives. Instead, Callie wants to be a scientist just like her Grandfather. As she and her Grandfather observe nature and ultimately make a discovery, Callie also looks inward and makes her own discoveries about herself. Beautifully written, this book is best enjoyed by 5th and 6th grade girls.”

2010 Newbery Medal Winner When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Lizsays — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:05:21 +0000

As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, “The $20,000 Pyramid,” a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

Liz & Rob (Liz’s son) say:

“This is a thought-provoking, fun story. You have to pay attention to details and suspend your disbelief and you will be in for a real treat!”

carascherzer — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:46:27 +0000

Todd Parr

Colorful illustrations and simple yet meaningful statements define Todd Parr. Here are some of what we love the most and make great gifts to honor the relationship to whoever you are reading it with.

Lizsays — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:36:08 +0000

Not Yet Tweens-Great Stories

Awesome fantasy stories with more sequels to come.