Time To Say Good-Bye To Summer

Hi Summer Book Fans! I know Miss Hagensee and I had a wonderful time this summer planning our blogs, reading new books and gathering all the great book reviews you sent to us. However, it is time for this blog to end...for now. But, never fear, we will be back next summer with more books to share! We thank you for participating in our first ever summer reading program.

I must admit I am a little sad to see summer go...but, autumn brings great things, too. There are new books on the shelves at the library, especially all the Rebecca Caudill nominees for 2009. The cooler weather is perfect for snuggling up in a favorite chair with a good book. Most importantly, though, I am able to chat with all the summer reading fans face-to-face.

The summer blogs are archived and ready to view any time you need a suggestion for a new book. I am also pleased to say that I've started a new Prairieview blog where you can read about my new favorite books. Please take a look on the Prairieview library page. Enjoy...and happy reading!

No Toys in the Fish Tank!

This is one of the rules Catherine, 12 made for her autistic brother, David. A Rebecca Caudill nominee for 2009, Rules, is a realistic life portrait of a family which deals with disabilities on a constant basis. Catherine is sometimes embarrassed by her brother. Yet, she is hurt when people ignore him, pity him, or make fun of him. Her emotions are torn between trying to love her brother as he should be and attempting to lead a normal life of a pre-teen girl. Catherine sometimes accompanies her mom and David to his occupational therapy sessions and there she meets Jason, a boy who cannot speak, but expresses his thoughts and feelings via his 'communication book'. Words are written and drawn out for Jason, and he taps them one by one to create simple sentences. His book is sparsely filled with words until Catherine volunteers to draw him words using her impressive artistic talents. Jason and Catherine become fast friends, but that nagging, ever-present embarrassment rises to torment Catherine whenever she is outside of the therapy office with Jason. Jason is hurt and bewildered at her standoffishness and reluctance to mix with her 'normal' friends while he is with her. As Catherine is maturing into a young adult full of compassion and empathy, in the end she does what she knows is right, true and just...she is a loyal friend to Jason and her brother. Rules is a candid, true-to-life story which will have readers understanding the sometimes perplexing emotions of finding acceptance in all.