Monday, August 28, 2006

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You By: Hanna Jansen

This is a novel based on a true story which actually happened in 1994 in Rwandan, Africa.
It takes you through dangers of one family that some survive. Unfortunately, it was only the daughter Jeanne, who was able to escape the mass destruction of villagers, and hers too. The name of the tribe was Tutsi, which was Jeanne's ethnic group. Jeanne saw h0rrible events, and happenings which effected her for a long time. She endured lots, and survived not eating regular food, but had lots of courage, and endurance, and strength.

It's very painful to realize people go through many hardships in perilous times. It's very tough, but Jeanne makes the adjustments at first, but becomes sick to a point, that she is almost dead. She has recurring dreams.

Jeanne is a strong person, and gets chosen by a German lady who takes her to live in Germany.
Of course Jeanne has a better future to look forward now, being adopted.

If you like intrique, and excitement this true story is a must to read.


LRD 8/28/06

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight By: Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

This is a comical book as well as romantic. It had much meaning to me , because in my childhood I was always sent to private Camp in Canada from 4 -6 weeks. This novel is all about Camp. This is an experience you never forget being that you are 6 years old.

Eliot is one of the main characters that has to deal with his Father, whom has a business, and own's a Christian Camp in N. Carolina. The other main character in the book is Cal, a female girl. She and Eliot meet at Camp, and they hit it off. They encounter many challenges together. For example, a missing camper, and a flood . Do you think Cal, and Eliot are a summer love, or will their relationship mushroom into a special bond ?

This book will have you on the go with just these two characters. Also not to mention are the colorfull settings throughout the novel.

Before I spoil the plot for you, or go any further, you need to read this novel. It is worthwhile believe me.

LRD 8/28/06

Friday, August 25, 2006

Monster Blood Tattoo by D.M. Cornish

Rossamund Bookchild, a boy with a girls name, has grown up at Madam Opera's Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boys and Girls. Every year there is a period of time where prospective employers come and take the older children for employment. About 3 weeks after this period ends Mister Sebastipole, an agent from High Vesting, comes to offer him a job as a lamplighter. He gets all of his papers in order and sets out for High Vesting. During his journey he meets up with Europe, who is a lazar. After a few days of being with her and her driver they are involved in a battle and Europe is severly injured. Rossamund takes her to an inn where she recovers and Rossamund finds a new driver for Europe. They arrive finally at High Vesting. He goes out to explore while Europe takes care of some business. He meets up with some people he knew from Madam Opera's, and is captured by Captain Poundinch. He is rescued by Europe and Fouraces. As Europe and Fouraces depart and promise to visit him when they can, Rossamund starts his new life as a lamplighter.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Banana Sunday by Nibot

This is a graphic novel. New girl in the high school, Kirby, shows up on the first day with an intelligent spider monkey, an intelligent orangutan and an indistructable gorilla. Needless to say, fitting in isn't easy. She is bullied by an obnoxious snob and pursued by a school newspaper photographer and the paper's gossip columnist. She must keep GO GO the gorilla from destroying any one and anything that appears to harm her. Its his mission to protect her.
Kirby handles the bully very well indeed. The photographer with chicken legs falls in love with her. When the gossip columnist discovers the truth about where Kirby's unusual companions really came from, she chooses to be a good friend to Kirby and remain silent. Its all great fun.
JDW 8/24/06

Monday, August 21, 2006

Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story by Eddie Guerrero and Michael Krugman

This is the life story of the late great Latino Wrestler Eddie Guerrero. Combining his famous father technique mat wrestling with that of the high flying Mexican wrestling Eddie has blended them both to his style to become the most famous Latino Wrestler ever in the history of the business. The book recounts much of the hardship that Eddie had encounter from being in the business. Eddie has been through many obstacles in his life, everything to death from his father early on to his close friends and the struggle of being an alcoholic and partying too hard on the road. Eddie was able even to overcome it all to finally reach the very top of his profession, winning the WWE Championship belt. He is the first Latino to ever hold the title. Sadly Eddie Guerrero passed away on November 13, 2005 of heart failure.

RH

Vampire Loves by Joann Sfar

Vampire Loves is a funny love story of Ferdinand the Vampire. The story begins off with Ferdinand opening the door to his ex-girlfriend Lani who is a human plant. She wants to get back together but Ferdinand can’t get over the fact she cheated with him with his best friend! Trying his hardest to forget Lani, Ferdinand embarks on a quest to look for Love. He finds many opportunities yet something in the end makes it hard for him to truly fall in love. Vampire Love is funny and witty and some what romantic story if you can get pass the fact that monster also can fall in love.

RH

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Godless by Pete Hautmann

Pete Hautman is speaking at the library on October 18th. This book won the young people's National Book Award in 2004. A teenage boy's father insists that he participate in a church youth group though the boy has begun to question the existence of God. The kid is kind of a pain in the way he responds to the leader of the group. He invents his own religion and recruits a few members. One of the acts the group performs is to climb the water tower and swim inside as a sort of baptism. This of course causes great problems. A couple of the kids are hurt by the religion, one who believes way too seriously and one who falls. We don't get to read about teens questioning their faith often enough but it happens frequently. This is worth the read.
jdw 8/12/06

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

Max is a genetically altered human with the ability to fly. She and several other similarly engineered kids live together by their wits. They once had a teacher/guardian but this person vanished. They are constantly being pursued by really nasty beings which are altered humans as well. Thus far they have mostly succeeded to evade them. All except the youngest who was captured and taken back to the lab of their origin for more awful tests. Max is the oldest and the leader of the pack but they all work together, share new discoveries about their many special abilities. They yearn to know who their original parents (pre experiments) are. They dread being imprisoned in the lab again where they are treated as animals. Max has also discovered human kindness and for the first time after she rescues a girl from bullies. Then is rescued from her enemies by the girl and her veterinarian mother. The mother repairs Max's damaged wing, treats her to her first hommade cookies. Tells her about the microchip embedded in her shoulder making tracing her at all times possible and helps her on her way. Max has been receiving messages believed to be from the man she once trusted as her teacher/guardian. They say that if the world is to survive she must save it. There was a lot of action here. The kids are excited about their discoveries about themselves and I MUST read the sequel. This is a great book
JDW8/12/06