LitLovers

I was introduced to LitLovers and I must say - IT IS BOOKMARKED!! What a great site. There are reading guides, book club picks, book club ideas, discussion tips - and that is just the tip of the iceberg. There is even info for children's and teens books as well. AND, as if that isn't enough, you can go shopping for that book lover in your life - hey, it can even be you!! What a great site - if you enjoy books, you won't want to miss it!

Trouble

This book is ANYTHING but Trouble!!! Trouble by Gary Schmidt rates in my book as another Schmidt winner - worthy of that infamous, Newbery - someday he's GOING to get one!!!! This book just makes you think about so much - race, prejudice, families - it's all there and it's VERY good!!! I just don't think you can go wrong with Schmidt and he proves that again. So read it and see if what Henry's father says is true: " If you build your house far enough away from TROUBLE, then Trouble will never find you."

Author/Book Tour

When you are asked to review a book you know nothing of - you just never know what you are getting into - but I have been pleasantly surprised with Trisit Pinkston's Season of Sacrifice. This book is one that I have not been able to put down since I started it. It is wonderful history of the Mormon's as they travel across the U.S. to uncivilized Utah. The pioneers face struggles of all kinds - and woven throughout is the basis for what they are doing - their faith. Pinkston handled with care and honestly the whole issue of polygamy as well. I was pleasantly surprised with this great read - I want to read some of her others now.

Here is a bit of info on Pinkston - Tristi Pinkston is the author of two published LDS novels, Nothing to Regret and Strength to Endure, both set during World War II. She has been critically acclaimed for the realism of her novels, which uplift without being preachy. Tristi has been married to Matt Pinkston for twelve years, and together they have four children: Caryn, Ammon, Joseph, and Benjamin. She home-schools these children and considers it a joy to watch them learn and grow. Tristi enjoys reading, watching good movies, scrapbooking, and taking long naps. She writes reviews for Families.com and also maintains her own personal blog, in addition to owning and operating her own bath-and-beauty supply company. Tristi has been a member of LDStorymakers for over five years. She is a regular presenter at the LDStorymakers Writers Conferences, has presented at the League of Utah Writers monthly meeting as well as the Spring Workshop, was featured at the ANWA yearly conference, and gives presentations regularly to promote the cause of literacy. She also hides her laundry in strange places and enjoys trying recipes no one will eat.

I have enjoyed being a part of Pinkston's book tour in the blogworld - her books are intriguing, and I will certainly "sell" them to patrons at our library!

New Moon

The second one is done and now onto the third. Yes, Stephenie Meyer has done it again. New Moon, the second in her Twilight Saga, kept me just as curious as the first. AND I'M TELLING YOU - I am not normally a vampire-book lover! These are just wonderfully-written books that keep you going up to the very last page. Now, I've got to get the third one finished so I am ready for the upcoming fourth book!!!!

The Glass Castle

We are having a book discussion tonight at the library on Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle. So good thing I JUST finished it!!! That is not like me to leave it to the last minute but this book was just a tougher one to read. I loved the writing - that wasn't it at all, it's just the subject matter. Any story where children are abused or neglected is a tough one for me to read. It was nothing like Dave Pelzer's stories - not that hard to read - in fact, sometimes this book even had me laughing out loud, but I am just amazed at the neglect and downright selfishness of some parents. I just sat there and thought, "Someone needs to talk to these parents!!! Or take the kids away. No kids should have to live like that." But the amazing part of the story is the Jeannette actually makes it all work to her good - her home life pushes her to move beyond and become something. I truly enjoyed the book - it does end with hope - at least for some of the kids. It is a wonderful memoir - and I do hope it doesn't end up like this one!!!

A Pocket Can Have a Treasure in It

Annick Press sent us this book to preview and we love it!! I have already read it in Story Hour and the kids gave it their "seal of approval"!! A Pocket Can Have a Treasure In It by Kathy Stinson illustrations by Keidre Betteridge is a fun book. The kids can interact and have fun answering the questions the book poses. The illustrations are sweet and add much to the book.

Keeper and Kid

Edward Hardy's Keeper and Kid was not a book that I "couldn't put down", but it did have it's good points. It is a story of an ex-wife that dies and leaves her three year old son with the father that never knew he had a son. And this was the man that didn't want children either. He was happy with his life with his new girlfriend and kids were not in the plan. But when he's left with Leo, his son, he has no other option but to take him and raise him. It turns James Keeper's world upside down but it also shares with him the deep love of a child. I did think it was a good story - maybe all parts didn't appeal to me, but the storyline was good.