Librarina

2:33pm: Sorry...
So, I have been so caught up in the Summer Reading Program (SRP) that I have not been doing well in keeping up with my book blog. Rest assured, I have still been reading! (Although I think there is a book that I forgot to add to my list, so I may be leaving a book out.) I will probably post a bunch of books all at once today, unless SRP business takes me away from my computer too often. So, I guess the message of the day is, "Please bear with me!" Thanks.

Happy Reading!

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Current Audiobook:
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Audiobook Waiting List:
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Current Book:
A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz

Book Waiting List:
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein
Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy

Pre-Ordered:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!]

2:46pm: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
TWEEN

Jeremy Fink is 12 (almost 13) years old. Jeremy's father died when he was only 8 years old, and he left behind a mysterious box which has been engraved with, "The Meaning of Life. For Jeremy Fink To Open On His 13th Birthday." What's the problem? This box has an intricate locking mechanism that requires 4 different keys -- and Jeremy doesn't have any of them. His best friend, Lizzy, joins him on the adventure of a lifetime, as they search high and low for keys that may or may not exist. I won't tell you if they ever succeed in finding the keys or what, if anything, they find out about the contents of the box. What I will tell you, though, is that Jeremy gains some amazing insight into the meaning of life during the months leading up to his birthday and is extremely lucky to have a friend like Lizzy.

Happy Reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current Audiobook:
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Audiobook Waiting List:
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Current Book:
A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz

Book Waiting List:
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein
Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy

Pre-Ordered:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!]

3:02pm: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama
TWEEN

Maud has been in an orphanage for years -- even though her brother and sister were adopted. She is constantly in trouble at the orphanage and no one is more shocked than Maud when the Hawthorne sisters actually choose to take her home. Once outside the orphanage, they begin to lavish her with new dresses, books, and treats like ice cream. For the first time in her life, she even has access to indoor plumbing! So, when the Hawthorne sisters insist on keeping her a secret and then ask her to help them stage phony séances, Maud does not object. When they ask her to play the part of a little dead girl to trick a grieving mother, though, will she continue to play along?

Happy Reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current Audiobook:
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Audiobook Waiting List:
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson

Current Book:
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown

Book Waiting List:
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein

Pre-Ordered:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!]

3:25pm: The Lightning Thief
TWEEN/TEEN

Apparently, I am the last librarian alive to find out about the Percy Jackson series! Rick Riordan is an awesome writer, and I am sad that I only just heard of these books, but I am kind of glad that I did not have to wait long between books! For much the same reason, I am actually a little happy that I was late to jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon, too. (I started reading the first book around the time that the third book came out -- looks like a pattern!) Anyhow. For anyone who does not know about these books, let me get you up to speed.

Perseus Jackson is a demigod, also referred to as a "half-blood." That means that he has one mortal/human parent (his mom) and one parent who is a god on Mount Olympus (I won't say which male god, though, since I don't want to ruin anything for readers who are new to the series). After Percy is nearly killed by a teacher -- or, rather, a monster posing as a teacher -- at his boarding school for troubled youth, he is finally told the truth. His best friend, Grover, is actually a satyr who has been sent out to find young half-bloods and keep them safe. His mother has known all along that Percy was a half-blood, and she has been selfishly trying to keep him near her. Now that she knows he is in too much danger, however, she is finally sending him to Camp Half-Blood for the summer.

At Camp Half-Blood, Percy meets other half-bloods, trains for combat, and even discovers who his father is. But the story doesn't end there! Unless Percy and his friends can stop a feud between the gods, all of mankind is doomed to experience World War III.

Aside from the obvious entertainment value of an action-adventure story, I really liked how Riordan stayed true to the Greek myths. I have taken mythology classes in the past, and I enjoyed the stories, but I was really bad at remembering them. Since this story translates the stories of the gods into modern times, nevertheless, I am able to relate to the stories and find that I am capable of remembering much more about them. I love when I can learn something and don't even have to "try" to learn!

Happy Reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current Audiobook:
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Audiobook Waiting List:
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson

Current Book:
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown

Book Waiting List:
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein

Pre-Ordered:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!]

3:40pm: Anansi Boys
TEEN/ADULT

Once again, I am feeling a little stupid. Not only have I never read anything by Neil Gaiman before, but I have also never heard of "Anansi stories." Charlie (one of the main characters) actually says, "Everyone has heard of Anansi stories." Well... Ummm... I guess he was wrong! Either way, though, this story was great.

Charlie "Fat Charlie" Nancy is a typical, boring adult. He has a job. He has a fiancée, Rosie. But nothing much happens in his life. That all changes when his estranged father dies. Suddenly, Charlie is told that not only was his father the human form of Anansi (the African trickster god), but that he also has a twin brother, Spider, who has supernatural abilities similar to those of their father.

When Spider comes to visit, he turns Charlie's life upside-down. Charlie ends up fired from his job and wanted by the police -- plus Spider convinces Rosie that he is actually Charlie. Will Charlie end up in jail? Will he ever get his own life back? Find out for yourself when you read (or listen to!) this book.

Happy Reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current Audiobook:
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Audiobook Waiting List:
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson

Current Book:
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown

Book Waiting List:
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein

Pre-Ordered:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!]

3:58pm: Hugging the Rock
TWEEN/TEEN

Some people might think that this book is only for Tweens, but I think it would speak to some Teens as well. Although it is a difficult subject, the free verse (poetry) format makes it easier to read. The book begins with Rachel's mother leaving home and goes on to show how Rachel and her father attempt (and sometimes fail) to deal with the resulting mix of grief and anger. A "must read" for children of bipolar parents.

Happy Reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current Audiobook:
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Audiobook Waiting List:
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson

Current Book:
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein

Book Waiting List:
Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis

Pre-Ordered:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!]