I had hoped to report on these titles individually, but time is passing and I'm remembering less and less about them. If you click on the title(s) you're interested in, I'll take you to Amazon or Chapters, where you can read up on content and reader reviews.
You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded) by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. Waterbrook Press, 1999. Parenting. Discipline. Strong-Willed Children. Highly recommended.
Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom by Kristin Van Ogtrop. Little, Brown, 2010. Parenting. Motherhood. Marriage. Also see this review, which first spurred me to read the book.
Glom Gloom by Jo Dereske. Backinprint.com, 2006. Juvenile Fiction. Teen Fiction. Fantasty. For the record, I really enjoyed this one.
Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke. Kensington, 2011. Mystery. Hannah Swensen novels are usually an entertaining and enjoyable read, and this one was no exception.
All That is Bitter and Sweet: a Memoir by Ashley Judd. Ballentine Books, 2011. Memoir. Celebrity Biography. Though we're not on the same page on everything, after reading this book I have an increased respect and admiration for this talented actress and activist.
Showing posts with label teen fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teen fiction. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The River
by Gary Paulsen
Random House, 2002
It's been over a year since Brian made his way out of the wilderness, armed only with a hatchet. At first, there was much media interest and curiosity, but now life has returned to normal, though Brian himself has changed, with a greater appreciation for the smallest amenities and pleasures.
Then three men show up at Brian's home with a proposition. They want him to go back into the wilderness with a government psychologist so they can learn how Brian survived - not the mechanical stuff, but the psychological - so they can teach others who might find themselves in similar circumstances.
At first Brian is reluctant, but he changes his mind after giving it some thought. If he can help others survive where they might otherwise die, he has to do it. He and the psychologist, Derek, are flown out to a remote location to begin their journey home. Before their plane lands, Brian knows that they can't take with them all the equipment the government has provided, or they will depend on it for survival, instead of on their wits alone. He insists that they take the barest equipment - a knife - and agrees to bring an emergency radio as well.
Their wilderness experience is off to a satisfying start when lightning strikes their camp. Derek is rendered comatose and the emergency radio destroyed. Brian knows that he has to get Derek to civilization or the man will die of dehydration. He fashions a raft, lashes Derek to it, and sets off down the river in a desparate bid to get help before it's too late.
This book was in the children's section of my library, but I think it more properly belongs in the teen collection, since Brian himself is about 16.
Highly recommended for readers of all ages.
Random House, 2002
It's been over a year since Brian made his way out of the wilderness, armed only with a hatchet. At first, there was much media interest and curiosity, but now life has returned to normal, though Brian himself has changed, with a greater appreciation for the smallest amenities and pleasures.
Then three men show up at Brian's home with a proposition. They want him to go back into the wilderness with a government psychologist so they can learn how Brian survived - not the mechanical stuff, but the psychological - so they can teach others who might find themselves in similar circumstances.
At first Brian is reluctant, but he changes his mind after giving it some thought. If he can help others survive where they might otherwise die, he has to do it. He and the psychologist, Derek, are flown out to a remote location to begin their journey home. Before their plane lands, Brian knows that they can't take with them all the equipment the government has provided, or they will depend on it for survival, instead of on their wits alone. He insists that they take the barest equipment - a knife - and agrees to bring an emergency radio as well.
Their wilderness experience is off to a satisfying start when lightning strikes their camp. Derek is rendered comatose and the emergency radio destroyed. Brian knows that he has to get Derek to civilization or the man will die of dehydration. He fashions a raft, lashes Derek to it, and sets off down the river in a desparate bid to get help before it's too late.
This book was in the children's section of my library, but I think it more properly belongs in the teen collection, since Brian himself is about 16.
Highly recommended for readers of all ages.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Touching Spirit Bear
by Ben Mikaelsen
HarperTeen, 2005
I like to keep on top of what my kids are reading in school, so when I found out my daughter's grade 8 class was reading this together, I decided to pick up my own copy.
Cole Matthews is a young offender on the verge of being convicted of a violent assault against a classmate. Faced with the choice of going to jail or taking part in traditional native Circle Justice, Cole chooses the latter. He figures he'll play along and outsmart those who are trying to "help" him. He believes they don't really care.
Banished to an island off the coast of Alaska, things don't go quite as Cole planned. A failed escape attempt, followed by his near-fatal mauling by a bear, lead to the beginnings of a changed outlook. Cole's anger does not immediately subside, but over a period of time he learns the lessons he needs to know in order to choose a different future for himself.
As far as the native elements are concerned, a review by Beverly Slapin (click here) concludes that Touching Spirit Bear is "a terrible book". While I didn't always find Cole, or the situations he was in, to be credible, I did find it a mostly enjoyable read.
HarperTeen, 2005
I like to keep on top of what my kids are reading in school, so when I found out my daughter's grade 8 class was reading this together, I decided to pick up my own copy.
Cole Matthews is a young offender on the verge of being convicted of a violent assault against a classmate. Faced with the choice of going to jail or taking part in traditional native Circle Justice, Cole chooses the latter. He figures he'll play along and outsmart those who are trying to "help" him. He believes they don't really care.
Banished to an island off the coast of Alaska, things don't go quite as Cole planned. A failed escape attempt, followed by his near-fatal mauling by a bear, lead to the beginnings of a changed outlook. Cole's anger does not immediately subside, but over a period of time he learns the lessons he needs to know in order to choose a different future for himself.
As far as the native elements are concerned, a review by Beverly Slapin (click here) concludes that Touching Spirit Bear is "a terrible book". While I didn't always find Cole, or the situations he was in, to be credible, I did find it a mostly enjoyable read.
Monday, July 7, 2008
The Missing Girl
by Norma Fox Mazer
Harper Teen, 2008
A psychological thriller, this book should definitely give the reader the creeps. Five sisters are circumspectly watched by a man who has worked hard to maintain a life of anonymity. We get into the minds of each of the girls, as well as the mind of the predator. What happens when he abducts one of them will change their lives forever.
Mazer's writing style exactly captures the thought lives of each of the characters. She creates a vivid story that teen readers will not soon forget.
Harper Teen, 2008
A psychological thriller, this book should definitely give the reader the creeps. Five sisters are circumspectly watched by a man who has worked hard to maintain a life of anonymity. We get into the minds of each of the girls, as well as the mind of the predator. What happens when he abducts one of them will change their lives forever.
Mazer's writing style exactly captures the thought lives of each of the characters. She creates a vivid story that teen readers will not soon forget.
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