Mrs. Warkentien's Reading Bug

Time To Say Good-Bye To Summer

2008-09-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

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.

A Gossamer Touch

2008-09-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered where dreams come from? Have you ever wondered how fragmented pieces of your memories end up in one dream? Have you ever been frightened by the depths of a nightmare? In Lois Lowry's Gossamer, a Rebecca Caudill nominee for 2009, dreams are bestowed by dream-givers, as they gently touch the objects and items are that tied to the dreamer's happiness and joy, love and comfort. Littlest One is a dream-giver in training under Thin Elderly's tutelage. They are assigned to a young boy, John who is living in a foster home with a retired school teacher. In his eight short years, John has been through many traumatic experiences at the hands of his abusive father. Without warning or provocation, his father was cruel and degrading to both John and his mother. Littlest One and Thin Elderly do their best to comfort the boy in his dreams...yet, they sense that darkness is creeping up on the boy in the form of Sinisteeds, the frightening menaces which bestow nightmares to weak humans. Littlest One has a 'gossamer' touch...she can gather fragments of memories from objects which other dream-givers seldom could. Littlest One attempts a very risky and dangerous bestowal to help the boy fight the effects of the Sinisteeds nightmares. She strengthens the boy with her careful and lovingly placed dreams. John's life begins to be joyful and loving, as his nightmarish bygone life is erased with caring by Littlest One, Thin Elderly and the foster caregiver.

The Joys of Junior High

2008-08-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

Annemarie Wilcox 12, known as 'Shug' to her family, is about to start junior high. She's nervous, excited and full of anticipation. She knows she won't be the most popular girl, but she is certain that her best friend, Mark, will always be there for her, or will junior high change all that? Shug by Jenny Han, is one of the Rebecca Caudill nominees for 2009. It is a story of treading the tricky waters for the student entering junior high. Shug worries about her family, her popularity, her grades, but most of all her friends. Shug has a gorgeous sister, Celia who at 16, is a cheerleader and catches the eye of every boy around, including Mark. Shug's mom is glamorous and her father is a workaholic. Her parents are often at odds with one another, but they seem to work all their troubles out. That is until junior high starts. Shug is worried they will divorce and her family life will fall apart. As school starts, Shug is thrown into a new world, one where her friends seem to be drifting apart. They are forming new relationships which sometimes exclude Shug. In her heart, she knows her lifelong friendship with Mark will always be secure...until one day when he betrays her. She is devastated, humiliated and angry. And, just when she realizes that the friendship is beyond a complete repair, a new friend emerges from a place which was once unthinkable. Her whole being and her heartfelt emotions are tested and tugged, yet in time she is comfortably secure in new her friendships. For Shug, junior high is time of self-acceptance, finding one's self-worth, moving on and branching out.

The Manhattan Project- A Secret Gadget

2008-08-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

History mixes with fiction in this Rebecca Caudill nominee for 2009. The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages tells the tale of a small, yet loving family in Los Alamos, New Mexico during WWII. Dewey Kerrigan, 11, is a girl interested in science, when girls weren't thought of as scientists. She lives with her father, Dr. Jack Kerrigan, a Harvard physics professor, on a desolate camp in New Mexico, as he works for the government with other scientists on a top secret project known as 'the gadget'. The gadget supposedly will end the war with Japan. Dewey isn't quite sure what it is or what it will do, but she does know that her father and the other scientists have been working on it tirelessly and endlessly . Her father told her the U.S.A. is racing to perfect the gadget before other countries do. She rarely sees her father as he often works late into the night on the government project. But, Dewey is happy to be on her own, working on her own projects she creates with cast-off materials. One day, her father draws her close and tells her he must leave on a secret mission and she will live with another family, the Gordons, while he is away. Dr. Kerrigan promises to be away only a couple of weeks. She admires Dr. and Mrs. Gordon, both scientists, but is not overly fond of their daughter, Suze. Suze has teased her in the past, for both her tiny size and her interest in science. Suze is a budding artist and eventually Dewey takes an interest in Suze's love of creating artistic dioramas out of miscellaneous junk. Together, they find a way to bond through their mutual love of creating things out of nothing, whether it is science-based or artistic-based. Dewey comfortably eases into a routine with the Gordon family. As Dr. Kerrigan's mission stretches into many weeks, much longer than he anticipated, Dewey misses him, but she is safe and happy. One day, however, tragic news arrives on the doorstep, as Dewey is told her father died in an unfortunate accident. Dewey becomes withdrawn as bewilderment and uncertainty cloud her future. She fears what her future could bring when the gadget is completed.

One hot July night, the whole scientific community and their families watch from afar as the gadget is tested. Dewey and Suze learn that the scientists were working on an atomic bomb which would possibly be used on Japan to bring the war to an end. Dr. and Mrs. Gordon, although not privy to the timing or use of the bomb, are at odds with one another about its devastating effects. Some three weeks later after the test, Dr. and Mrs. Gordon take Suze and Dewey to the test site. The resulting outcome is the glass-like stones that were created when the bomb was tested. Dr. Gordon tells them, "it was so hot that is melted the ground. Over one hundred million degrees. Hotter than the sun itself. It fused seventy-five acres of this desert sand into glass."

Just imagine what the gadget would do to all living things...

Summer of '53

2008-07-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Summer Book Fans! Can you believe it will be August before we know it? Where did the summer go? Well, with August rapidly approaching, I felt it was time to gather the Rebecca Caudill Nominees for 2009 and start reading! Although I've read some already, it is always in my plans to read most of them before school starts...so here is my latest read!

Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm is not only a Rebecca Caudill nominee, but it is a Newbery Honor Book as well, so I knew it must be fantastic... and it was! It is the summer of 1953, and Penny Falucci lives with her mother, Ellie and grandparents, Me-Me and Pop-Pop. Her father died when she was a baby. Everyone is hush-hush about the reason for her father's death, but thankfully for Penny, she has a wonderful relationship with the numerous Italian aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents on her father's side of the family. She has a special relationship with her Uncle Dominic. He is a little eccentric: he lives in his car, wears slippers, and he loves, loves, LOVES the Dodgers a.k.a. "Dem Bums". Penny loves the Dodgers, too and she knows that Dominic and her father were very close. Although both sides of Penny's family rarely communicate, there is an unspoken rule that Penny may spend time with all of her extended family. Ellie is very protective of Penny and won't let her do many things other kids can do, but Uncle Dominic sometimes sneaks her off to the beach or to a Dodger game when her mother won't find out. Penny spends a lot of time helping out Nonny, her Italian grandmother. Her chore when she is at Nonny's house is to help with the laundry, along with her cousin, Frankie. One day, while doing laundry, catastrophe strikes and Penny is rushed to the hospital in Uncle Dominic's arms. Needless to say, Penny's mom is furious and says things she shouldn't have said. Uncle Dominic leaves and no one knows where he is. Penny misses him terribly and while she is in the hospital, she hears gossip about her father's death. In time, Penny learns the tragic reason for her father's death. Healing comes slowly for Penny, but the hospital stay is eye-opening. Penny is reflective about all her family and in the end everyone, including Penny, seems to find room in their hearts for all loves: old, new and never-forgotten.

Amazon Flora and Fauna...in Cornwall?

2008-07-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

The Valley of Secrets by Charmian Hussey is a secret treasure of fascinating facts about the Amazon set within a novel about a teenage boy who embarks on a mysterious journey to Cornwall, England. Teenager Stephen Lansbury has lived his whole life in an orphanage believing that he had no family to speak of. One day, out of the blue, an odd letter arrives for him. The letter requests that he meet with lawyer, Albert Postlethwaite. To Stephen's amazement, he is informed that he has inherited a grand estate named Lansbury Hall, left to him by his great uncle, Theodore! He is shocked by the gift, but even more disturbing is the fact that he has family that knew about his existence. Stephen is at once thrilled and bewildered, scared and excited. Upon arriving at the estate, he is met with strange plants and animals and Stephen wonders about their origin. As the days wear on, and he becomes acquainted with the grounds and house, mysterious occurrences seem to be happening, not the least of which is a feeling that he is being watched and followed. To alleviate some of these fears, he takes advantage of the massive library and settles into a comfy chair to read. Stephen stumbles upon his great uncle's journals that ultimately reveal the reasons for the lush gardens and the unusual objects scattered throughout the house. In addition, he learns the truth about his family and the demise that fell upon them. But most importantly, he learns about his great uncle's journeys, loves, and family. A family that becomes Stephen's as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not only for the fantastic journey it took me on, but also for the delight in the descriptions and stories of life in the Amazon. Theodore's journals take us back through time, to the early 20th century, when the Amazon was mysterious and glorious, but was in danger of being destroyed by greedy rubber barons who only saw profit in these forests of rich and beautiful wildlife. If you are a lover of animals, you will delight in the antics and intelligence of the playful animals that inhabit the grounds around the Lansbury estate. I found I had a hard time putting this book down, as I, too, 'traveled' with Stephen into Theodore's by-gone Amazon world. I encourage you to pick it up and read it...I will be interested to hear your impression of the book.

Cross-Country Adventure in a Kit Car

2008-07-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings! I know many of you have or will be taking vacations this summer and I would like to share with you a cross-country adventure book I recently read. The Car by Gary Paulsen is an adventure filled with new experiences, new people and new places. Terry Anders, 14, lives in Cleveland, Ohio as part of a dysfunctional family. His parents constantly bicker and rarely pay attention to Terry or his activities. Unbeknownst to either parent, they both simutaneously and unexpectly move out, leaving Terry to virtually fend for himself. Terry is somewhat relieved and is inwardly happy that the fighting has stopped. As days pass by, Terry is intrigued with a kit car, a Blakely Bearcat, that is partly assembled in the garage. He decides to complete the project. Terry is so immersed in the car, that he is oblivious to the time of day, hours spent, or his need for nourishment. He is on a mission...that is to finish building the kit car, also known as 'THE CAT'. Realizing that he is now on his own, Terry decides to head out west, to visit an uncle in Oregon... an uncle he has only met once in his life.

In the middle of the night, so as not to disturb neighbors or alert police, he practices driving the kit car until he becomes proficient. A few days later, with expired license plates and invalid driver's license, but armed only with the $1300 he saved from his lawn service job, he sets out towards Oregon. Along the way, he meets Waylon Jackson, a world-weary, intelligent, soft-spoken Vietman veteran, who is traveling the country in search of all forms of knowledge. Evenutally, they meet up with Waylon's friend, Wayne his tour-of-duty partner in Vietnam. The trio travels to The Badlands, Deadwood, Custer's Last Stand and a religious commune among other fascinating sites. Sometimes joyous, sometimes frightening, the journey is not without excitement or danger. In the end, Terry learns much more than history or geography, but what makes a decent human being, what makes one truly happy, and what loyalty among friends really means.

I Love a Good Mystery!

2008-07-06T07:43:00.000-07:00

Hi, summer reading fans! I was pleased to see a new series of mystery books arrive on the scene. Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator is a scrappy, irreverent, and sassy 13-year-old who isn't afraid to use her brains and self-proclaimed talent as a psychic to solve mysteries that just seem to fall into her lap. Gilda still misses her dad who recently died and she connects with him by writing letters to him frequently. But, Gilda is most annoyed with her mom who has taken up with a new boyfriend, Brad Squib. Brad does Gilda and her mom a 'favor' by getting Gilda into an elite and exclusive all girls school called Our Lady of Sorrows. She doesn't want to leave her best friend, Wendy Choy behind at her old school. Gilda is silently furious until she finds out that a mysterious secret surrounds the school. Three years ago, a girl drowned under curious circumstances. Gilda is determined to get to the bottom of it. Her psychic abilities come to her via dreams which provide clues to preponderous predicaments. Gilda eventually does solve the mystery surrounding the dead girl, Delores Lambert, by using her insightful instincts and keeping a cool head. But, just when she thinks she will be hailed as a hero for solving the mystery, the real fun begins.

Gilda is a no-nonsense type of girl, who doesn't back away from set-backs or threats. She is a thinker, a doer and a go-getter. You will enjoy her brassiness and determination. I am sure when you pick up the copy of Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison, you will have a hard time putting it down because a mystery is in the making!

Baseball Fever!

2008-06-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Sports Fans! How about those Cubs and White Sox? You're probably wondering what led me to this topic! Well, over the weekend, my husband and I took our youngest son to the University of Louisville for his freshman orientation. He will be attending UofL in the fall. While there, we saw the Louisville Bats stadium (Triple A) and the Louisville Slugger Bat Museum (the one with the giant bat). And, I was thinking how much fun it would be to read some sports books.

One Rebecca Caudill nominee for 2009 is Heat by Mike Lupica. Have you read it yet? Here's a summary. Imagine this: you are a twelve-year-old pitcher who throws 80 mph fastballs and is the best in the Bronx. Michael Arroyo has dreams of going to the Little League World Championship in Williamsport, PA. this summer. One problem: his mom and dad are both dead and Michael and his seventeen-year-old brother, Carlos, are trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities who will send them both to foster care if found out. Mrs. Cora, an elderly, poor neighbor cares for them as best she can, but Michael and Carlos are virtually fending for themselves. Carlos holds down two jobs so that Michael can live out his dream, a dream held by their father, too. Michael is so good at baseball that the other teams contest his age and demand proof of age, proof that was left behind when they left Cuba for the U.S. Without guidance from their parents, Carlos and Michael don't know how to produce the birth certificate without calling attention to their difficult predicament. This is a book for baseball fans, but will also appeal to those who like a warm-hearted story about the love of family and the compassion that comes from those all around who desperately want to do the right thing.

I liked Heat so much, I went on to read Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica, too. This book is a newer addition to Lakeview's IMC and will appeal to those of you who have basketball fever! Molly Parker is 12 years old and has just lost her mom to cancer. In handwritten notes to her from her mom she discovers some truths about her father, a father she never knew. Apparently, Josh Cameron is her dad and he left Molly's mom when Molly was a baby. Oh! One thing you should know: Josh is the best and most famous basketball player in the country at the moment and he just happens to be playing for the Boston Celtics. Molly, living in Boston with her adopted family, is determined to find Josh, talk to him and be part of his family. The question is: does Josh know about Molly and want a relationship with her?

Historical Fiction: Karen Cushman style

2008-06-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to a great historical fiction author, Karen Cushman. I recently read a new addtion to Lakeview's IMC and thought you might want to hear about some of her other books, too. Here are some great suggestions:

Rodzina

It's 1881, and Rodzina is a 12 year-old orphan. Having recently lost her father to an accident, her mother to the 'fever' and her brothers to a fire, she is left alone in the world. Rodzina feels she is coping quite well. However, social services become aware of her situation and she finds herself traveling west on a orphan train to be adopted into a needy family. Rodzina wonders who will want her...she is big and strong, not pretty or young. But as the train makes its way west, she befriends many of the smaller waifs who need comfort and reassurance, and she also is a help to the adults on the train. She is nearly adopted by two different families with dire consequences, but using her quick wit and intelligence she fashions for herself a place in the west with an unconventional family structure which gives her both love and acceptance.

The Midwife's Apprentice

Brat is an ophan on the streets of a 14th century English village. She does not know her true name, her real age or who her parents were. She survives by scavenging for scraps of food and staying warm by sleeping in the dung heap. Jane Sharp, the town's crusty, brass midwife needs an apprentice and she decides Brat fits the bill. Brat decides to change her name to fit her new-found status and calls herself Alyce. Alyce works hard and long, listens and watches Jane with the intention of becoming the best apprentice she can be. But Jane criticizes and belittles Alyce constantly resulting in Alyce's decision to run away. She finds herself at an Inn near the Manor and is employed as an Inn maid. With subtle encouragement from a guest at the Inn, she eventually finds her way back to her true calling in life...when she realizes that all she wants in the world is a "full belly, a contented heart and a place in this world."

Catherine, Called Birdy

Catherine, daughter of Rollo and lady Aislinn, is one feisty, quick-witted maid. Her father is determined to marry her off to any suitor who will handsomely contribute to his financial wealth. Catherine will have none of it...she wants to be independent and successful. She resorts to trickery, one-up-manship and deceipt to keep these suitors her father has found as far away as possible. Written in diary form during Catherine's 14th year, her antics and ploys are both humorous and ingenious. In the background of this entertaining novel, you be introduced to life in medieval England.

What's next?

2008-06-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished rereading The Lighning Thief and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it the second time through! Rereading a favorite book is not a waste of time, as you begin to see the author's motives, foreshadowing and clues he or she is leaving the reader. Having the advantage of knowing the outcome, a reader becomes more savvy to slight references about characters and events that have a huge impact on the ending of the book. And, I was not impatient to get to the end, but found I relished the play of words and the intricacy of the plot. I encourage you to reread this nail-biting adventure if you have already done so, and if you haven't read it yet, I think all readers, young and old, will be delighted with this book. It will become one of your favorites. I know it is one of mine.

I've read all the sequels and they are just as entertaining as Percy and his friends are reunited for more quests. They are a fine-tuned team, yet the evil lord is even more persistent in his desire to overtake the western world! I look forward to more and more adventures. I encourage you to read the sequels, too. Here are the titles:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series:

The Sea of Monsters, Book 2

The Titan's Curse, Book 3

The Battle of the Labyrinth, Book 4

I personally feel The Battle of the Labyrinth is the best so far! I would love to hear what you think...leave a comment! Enjoy your summer.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2008-06-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of one of the hottest books in the Prairieview and Lakeview libraries? The Lightning Thief is shaping up to be an ongoing favorite for students and staff alike. I invite you to join me as I (re) read this fabulous adventure starring Percy Jackson, as he is jolted by the news of his unusual parentage. Imagine if you were like Percy, a typical pre-teen who gets himself into some trouble as mysterious 'accidents' seem to follow him wherever he goes. His mother reluctantly shares the story of his unlikely father, and Percy takes refuge at Camp Half-Blood, where he meets other teens similiar to himself.

My goal is to finish my rereading of this captivating adventure this week, and I hope that some of you will read along with me. I am open to comments and observations, so blog along with me!