Thursday, January 20, 2011

Updated List

So far in 2011, I've read the following books:

1.  If I Stay, by Gayle Forman -- Intriguingly inventive perspective for narration.  Moving.
2.  Real  Live Boyfriends, by E. Lockhart--The fourth and final book.  Ruby's all grown up now.
3.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larson --About 15%  of the book is interesting.
4.  The Sky is Everywhere, by Jandy Nelson-- Fantastic setting, characters, emotional spectrum.
5.  Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro -- The most subtle dystopian sci-fi ever written.
6.  Jumpstart the World, by Catherine Ryan Hyde -- I like the concept of a kid living in her own apartment.
7.  Every Last One, by Anna Quindlen-- Wonderful, but very sad.
8.  Crooked Letter Crooked Letter, by Tom Franklin-- Quality voices and fleshed-out characters, well-oriented setting, builds gradually toward its climax.
NEW TO MY LIST:
9.  The Help, by Kathryn Stockett--This author has moxie.  My belly was a knot of nerves for these women, and the book serves as a reminder that sometimes furtive activity is quite bold and courageous, and integrity matters more than most any attributes I can call to mind.

10.  Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen--A compassionate he (ordinary and lacking confidence) said - she (un-self-consciously free-sprited) said for the tween set.  Reminds me of Bridge to Terabithia, somehow.
11.  Kaplan ACT Strategies for Super Busy Students (non-fiction)-- This book helped me to revise my methods for teaching kids how to approach the reading and English sections of the ACT.  Repetitive, yet accessible and helpful--if put to use.

 Two books I read late December 2010 that I wish to recommend are Tawni O'Dell's latest, Fragile Beasts, and Sara Gruen's newest, Ape House.

My most frequently recommended (and best loved) books of 2010: My Name is Memory, by Anne Brashares, The Nobodies Album, by Carolyn Parkhurst, and Fragile Beasts, as referenced above.

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