August 2010 Book Challenge

[cathe]

Well, NCD must be away so I'll take a stab at starting the thread. It's been a while for me . . . .

So, just by way of clarification (for comers both new and old), new and improved guidelines for the Book Challenge Thread are as follows:

1) Post the books you read ... or not
2) Post a recommendation ... or not
3) Number your book ... or not
4) Make a goal ... or not
5) Have fun with books (This one, unfortunately, is MANDATORY)

I don't have all the links to previous threads but here's the link to July.

[cathe]

The Year Money Grew on Trees by Aaron R. Hawkins

To avoid a summer job working at the scrap yard for a bullying boss, 13-year-old Jackson lets his weird neighbor, Mrs. Nelson talk him into getting her apple orchard up and running--even though he has no idea how to do it. He signs a contract that he will pay her $8,000 and she promises she will leave the orchard to him in her will. With the help of his siblings and cousins--plus lots and lots of hard work--it looks like he will have a bumper crop. But . . . he's not sure he will earn enough money to pay Mrs. Nelson, never mind his cousins and siblings. To make it worse, Mrs. Nelson's not sure she will leave him the orchard after all . . .

This was an okay middle-grade novel. It moved along nicely but I had a few problems with it. Check out my goodreads review if you want the whole scoop.

[katiedidbug]

Joining and subbing here!

[cathe]

As you can see, I am cramming with a bunch of middle-grade stuff before school starts in 2 weeks so I'll have recommendations for my students.

Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes

This was a sweet book about a twelve-year-old girl Izzy who spends the summer with her grandmother in New Mexico while her mother finishes her studies. While she is there, she becomes immersed in the Mexican culture that her mother had surpressed out of grief after the death of her husband. Izzy searches for answers about her father's death and she may find them if she can find the voice in the wind.

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by cathe

Well, NCD must be away so I'll take a stab at starting the thread. It's been a while for me . . . .

Not away ... at least not physically. Just totally spaced that we're in a new month and apparently I haven't been getting updates from July ... so I'm totally out of it.

Sorry.

[cathe]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

Not away ... at least not physically. Just totally spaced that we're in a new month and apparently I haven't been getting updates from July ... so I'm totally out of it.

Sorry.

Glad you're around . . . enjoy your month off

[Bufomander]

Happy August, everyone.

#126 Locked Rooms by Laurie R. King

#127 Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers

#128 The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King

[kaliki_kila]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

Not away ... at least not physically. Just totally spaced that we're in a new month and apparently I haven't been getting updates from July ... so I'm totally out of it.

Sorry.

I wanted to ask for the new thread but I kept thinking he is going to post it any minute now.

57. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

If you are like me and have ever wondered what on earth goes on in that black hole known as North Korea, you'll find this pretty fascinating.

The author found North Koreans who had managed to escape to South Korea and got them to tell their stories. They only get two changes of clothing a year issued to them through the government. Their jobs and place of residence are assigned to them and their homes are randomly inspected by the government. They don't get paid to work - instead they get tickets that they can redeem at the food distribution center for so many grams of rice and such. Everyone is completely brainwashed from birth and it's amazing that some people even thought of escaping and managed to go through with it.

It was nice reading about all of the things South Korea does to help the people who have escaped. They train them how to live in a high-tech, free society, give them a good amount of money to start with, and fully embrace them as fellow countrymen.

[konamama]

subbing

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

Not away ... at least not physically. Just totally spaced that we're in a new month and apparently I haven't been getting updates from July ... so I'm totally out of it.

Sorry.

No worries! I'm usually surprised by the beginning of the next month when I see you link to the new thread.

I have a bunch of books to post. One of these days I will do it! Slammed at the office, so I gotta go. But hi everyone Hope you are all having an awesome summer!

[*bejeweled*]

Hi everyone. I've been hooked on Sudoku lately. But I'm getting back into my books.

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

[kaliki_kila]

58. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

The main character in this book reminded me of the English butler from Remains of the Day. Major Pettigrew is in love with the local Pakistani shopkeeper, Mrs. Ali. He wants to do everything the proper way and so he takes a painfully long time to get to know her. It was pretty good, but the anti-American comments and the two American characters who were portrayed as complete dunderheads seemed unnecessary.

[cathe]

Mallory Goes Green by Laurie Friedmen

Mallory takes her elementary school's mission to go green seriously--maybe a little too seriously as she soon alienates her classmates, friends, and family. She learns that if she really wants to help others to go green, she will have to work with them rather than tell them what they must do. Fun, easy chapter book with a good message for 2nd to 4th graders.

[cathe]

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

This is one of those middle-grade books that is as enjoyable to read for adults as it is for kids. Not only does the book answer all of those nagging questions about how Peter Pan is able to fly, why he doesn't grow up and how he and the lost boys came to live on the island of Neverland, but it is full of action, great characters, and absolutely hilarious. I highly recommend this for 4-8th grade readers and it would be a great read-aloud as well.

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by cathe

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

This is one of those middle-grade books that is as enjoyable to read for adults as it is for kids. Not only does the book answer all of those nagging questions about how Peter Pan is able to fly, why he doesn't grow up and how he and the lost boys came to live on the island of Neverland, but it is full of action, great characters, and absolutely hilarious. I highly recommend this for 4-8th grade readers and it would be a great read-aloud as well.

As for being read aloud ... the audiobook edition is read by Jim Dale, the same gentleman who read the Harry Potter books, and it is awesome!

[kaliki_kila]

59. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Re-reading one of my favorites. It's about a head demon who is training his underling nephew on how to keep humans away from God. It means something different to me every time I read it. Reading this book is like having a cool drink of water when you didn't even know you were thirsty.

60. Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
Wow, this was depressing. It was also a page-turner and the storyline that followed the Jewish women made my heart race.
From Amazon:

In his 12th novel, Bohjalian (The Double Bind) paints the brutal landscape of Nazi Germany as German refugees struggle westward ahead of the advancing Russian army. Inspired by the unpublished diary of a Prussian woman who fled west in 1945, the novel exhumes the ruin of spirit, flesh and faith that accompanied thousands of such desperate journeys. Prussian aristocrat Rolf Emmerich and his two elder sons are sent into battle, while his wife flees with their other children and a Scottish POW who has been working on their estate. Before long, they meet up with Uri Singer, a Jewish escapee from an Auschwitz-bound train, who becomes the group's protector. In a parallel story line, hundreds of Jewish women shuffle west on a gruesome death march from a concentration camp.

[Bufomander]

#129 Heist Society by Ally Carter

This was a read for Tattooed Books' YALSA Challenge. It was a lot of fun to read -- just what I needed right now. Katarina Bishop wants to leave the only world she's ever known -- thievery and con games with her family -- to lead a normal life -- after one last con, getting herself into a high profile boarding school. Once in, though, she learns that her father has been accused of a crime he didn't commit. She finds herself assembling a team to save her father's life and re-steal some extremely valuable paintings.


I love all the names she and her friends have for the various cons -- Mary Poppins, Five O'Clock Shadow, Smokey the Bear, etc., and the one line comments about them. The whole book reminded me of Oceans Eleven but with a much younger cast -- just as much fun and just as much not like my life.

[kofduke]

American Gods, Gaiman

Shadow gets out of prison early when his wife is killed in a car crash. At a loss, he takes up with a mysterious character called Wednesday, who is much more than he appears. In fact, Wednesday is an old god, once known as Odin the All-father, who is roaming America rounding up his forgotten fellows in preparation for an epic battle against the upstart deities of the Internet, credit cards, television, and all that is wired.

I know this has been recommended quite a bit...I loved it!

Push, Sapphire

A courageous and determined young teacher opens up a new world of hope and redemption for sixteen-year-old Precious Jones, an abused young African American girl living in Harlem who was raped and left pregnant by her father.

I don't know why the amazon summary focuses on the teacher...this book is really about the girl. It follows her growth and maturity as a person, and understanding of who she is and what she wants to be. It's an easy read, but very challenging to digest. It really could be any of the girls I work with on a daily basis. And I think Push is a much better title than Precious, which was the movie title.

Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer

I was really disappointed by this...I expected the recipies to be about cooking the dishes and then freezing them -- not marinating chicken, then freezing it, and then needing to bake it for 45 minutes anyway. One or two of the recipies look good so I guess I'll try them.

[Bufomander]

#130 Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell

My six-year-old daughter and I have been staying with friends this past week. I read this in the space of two evenings and a short span of afternoon, to my daughter, her five-year-old friend, and her almost 12 year-old friend. All four of us enjoyed the story -- which, in my opinion, is a real feat for any single book.

Though Isabelle Bean is the type of child who is always ready for something magical to happen, she doesn't expect to fall into another world on the way to the principal's office. But that's exactly what happens when she opens the door to the nurse's closet. Isabelle makes her first friend, encounters a witch, cares for an entire campful of sick children, meets the grandmother she didn't know she had, and is surprised to learn that her mother has some magic of her own. All in all, a very fun read.

[cathe]

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

This was an interesting mix of historical fiction novel and 1962 history bytes and pictures. The main story was about 11-year-old Franny dealing with a stressed out mother, mostly absent father, crazy uncle, perfect younger brother, and an older sister who is in college and not around for her much anymore. Franny's school life is also full of problems as her best friend becomes increasingly hostile to her and Franny seems to be invisible to her teacher.

I found the mix of history and coming-of-age story very original and enjoyable but I wonder if elementary school kids will like it as much as I did. My hestitation is that the interruption of the history bytes will take them out of the story and cause their interest to flag. I will pass this to my 11-yo daughter to see what she thinks.