Kathy's comments
(member since Oct 06, 2008)
Kathy's comments from the YA Book Club group.
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November reading list so far:A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris
The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Death of a Dreamer by M.C. Beaton
The Black Tower by Louis Bayard
The Pale Blue Eye A Novel by Louis Bayard
Uglies by Scott Westerfield (currently reading)
I finished Shiver tonight and absolutely loved it. A favorite.
So far for October, I've read:Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Thirsty by M.T. Anderson
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Swindle by Gordon Korman
The Day the Falls Stood Still
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
I'm currently finishing up
Sherlock in Love A Novel by Sena Jeter Naslund, and then I will be finishing up October with Shiver and possibly Murder on the Eiffel Tower.
Lisa wrote: "I thought that The Willoughbys was very funny. It does help if you're familiar with the books & genres its spoofing."Well, I did look at the books that are involved, and I am familiar with them. I've only read the first chapter so far, so there hasn't been the literary involvement yet that I am looking forward to. I think I will find it funny, too, after I get into it more. Like I said, I love Roald Dahl, and he definitely has a dark side to his humor, which I like. I think what made me not the dark side of the first chapter in The Willoughbys is the parents both saying that they didn't like their children and want to get rid of them. I'm probably a little more sensitive than others to such statements as these right now, as I have been way too familiar with a real life case where the parents didn't want a child, or they put their own selfish needs before the child. Thank goodness someone else did want and love the child now.
I started The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry last night. I think it's going to be good, but it certainly starts out on the dark side. I guess it's in the tradition of Series of Unfortunate Events and those books that pit children against a largely devious and self-serving realm of adults. Of course, I love the master of this theme, Roald Dahl, so I should like this new Lowry book, too.
In adult fiction, I'm currently halfway through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I also plan on reading Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin, Silent On The Moor by Deanna Raybourn, and The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King.YA books I'm going to try to get to this month are The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Glass by Ellen Hopkins, and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I have seen I Capture the Castle listed in both adult and YA fiction, but whatever it is, I definitely want to read it soon. I think there are many books that are YA or adult fiction and can easily cross the classification.
I just met Ellen Hopkins at a book fest, and I purchased Glass and Identical, her latest,and had her sign them. I had already read Crank and was fascinated by it. Glass is the sequel to Crank, continuing the story of Ellen's daughter who becomes addicted to meth.
Thanks, Jess for the positive feedback on The Sisters Grimm. Michael Buckley is going to be at the book fest I will be attending in 10 days to promote his 7th book in this series. I want to have read at least the first one before I talk to him.
So far, I know that I'll be reading the following:A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Death at Sunrise by Bonnie Moore
The Sisters Grimm Book 1 The Fairy-Tale Detectives book 1 by Michael Buckley
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen A Novel by Susan Gregg Gilmore
Most of these titles are by authors that will be at the Southern KY Book Fest on April 18th. There will probably be more I will read from authors attending it.
I will, Angie. I think that I originally decided to order and read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian due to this group. I'm really looking forward to reading it. I think I might try to fit in John Green's Paper Towns, too, since I've read Looking For Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines (loved, loved, loved the Katherines book).
Well, since December is going to (already is) crazy busy, I'm trying to be realistic about just what I will get to read (of course, it would help if I'd get off of Goodreads and read). I just finished An Abundance of Katherines and loved it. Other books I hope to get to are A Christmas Carol, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Dewey, Company of Liars, and a mystery I've yet to choose.
I finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and loved it. I am reading An Abundance of Katherines now.
I'm currently reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer. Other November reads include Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Mystery and The Gargoyle. I plan on reading either An Abundance of Katherines or Anne of Green Gable, too. This fall has been a slow reading time for me, too much other stuff going on. Arghhhhhhhh!
What a great project, Fred. I will do some thinking on some books. Chris Crutcher comes to mind without thinking too much. Books like Iceman and others would be good for boys.
Angie, I think that the book would be a good choice in high school, probably junior and senior years.
Well, this book is certainly one that is not just for YA in terms of the ethics and morals discussion. Throughout the book, Eli represents the high ground on ethics and morals. The inclusion of Dr. Fukuyama and her experience with the Down Syndrome person at the convention was a stroke of genius on the part of the author. I wish that this novel would be required reading in school.
Well, I wasn't immediately hooked by Double Helix, but I became increasingly interested and ended up really enjoying it. Coming at the book from a teacher's perspective, I think it would be an excellent book to use as an across the curriculum read, science and English. The questions raised about genetic tampering are fodder for great discussion.
