BONE Update...

Remember our review of Bone? No? Well, go read it and we'll wait.

Seriously, go ahead. No hurry.

Dum-de-dum-de-dum...

(Hums. Twiddles thumbs. Cleans fingernails.)

Okay? Back? Read it? Good. We'll continue.

You'll notice that the review said:

Due to its size (1300 pages! -- but believe me, they go fast) and some content that might frighten the younger kids, this book is currently located on the adult side of the library...

Well, things have changed a little. In addition to the original 1300 page one-volume edition, we've been able to buy the the much more manageable 9-volume series, and we've placed these in the Young Adult section. So now you can take the series a piece at a time and enjoy it in all its full-color glory. (That's right, the individual volumes have color illustrations instead of the black and white ones in the one-volume edition.)

Color pictures or not, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Read it now, before Hollywood tries to make a movie out of it.

See you at the library!

Book Bites

Hi! It's Miss Jo. I've just finished three books that I thought you might like to check out. Here's a little bit about each one:

• The first one is The Hand You're Dealt by Paul Volponi. It's amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it. After Huck's father dies, his world starts to come apart. His best friend isn't there for him, the girl he likes won't talk to him, and his mother is working extra shifts to make ends meet. The only thing that makes sense is poker -- Texas Hold 'Em, the game his father taught him to play. This book deals with grief, family, school, and poker -- all mixed together, and keeps you hooked until the very last page.
  
  
  
  
• The second book is Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This book is about a young girl who, thought to be a princess, was raised in hiding to be kept out of harm's way. Was she really a princess? Or just a young woman taken from an orphanage and trained as a princess? Pick the book up and follow the twists and turns to find out! This book was very entertaining and I never expected the ending to turn out the way it did. (Don't have time to read? This title is also available as an eAudio book.)
  
  
  
• The last book is A Thousand Never Evers by Shana Burg. The setting of this book is in Mississippi in 1963, during the Civil Rights Movement. This book takes you through the good and bad times in the life of Addie Ann Pickett, a young black girl who lives with her mother, brother, and uncle in Kuckachoo, Mississippi, until things turn terribly wrong. How can something good that has happened to the people of this town turn into something bad for the black citizens, especially for Addie's uncle and brother? Check out this book to see how Addie's family and the black citizens of Kuckachoo fared through this difficult time. This book made me angry, and it made me cry. It will certainly make you stop and think. Remember, we're all in this world together.
  

All in all, these were great books. See you at the library!

A "Star" is born...

Hola! It's Miss Jo (or Josefína, in this case). I just finished a book that I really enjoyed, called Estrella's Quinceañera, by Malín Alegría.

You may be wondering what a Quinceañera is? A Quinceañera is a traditional party for a young Mexican girl when she turns 15. It signifies that the young girl is becoming a woman.

Back to the book. Estrella Alvarez is a young, smart girl who is raised in the barrio with her mom, dad, and two brothers. Estrella has won a scholarship to Sacred Heart, an upscale high school in the wealthiest part of San Jose.

Estrella's life has changed. She has dropped all of her old friends for new ones at her new school. She is basically embarassed about her home life -- her life in the barrio. She tries to fit in with her new rich friends, but it's not working out. Her mom wants to give her a big Quinceañera, but Estrella is against it. She thinks it is lame and embarassing. What if her new friends found out?

The preparations for the Quinceañera are driving the whole family crazy. Her mom and her aunt are going completely overboard, making huge plans and spending too much money that the family does not have. It seems like Estrella's parents are always fighting. Finally, Estrella decides she wants out and yells at her mom and dad -- the party is off.

It takes a boy from the barrio and her old friends to make her see that she is the one who has changed -- and not for the best.

Will Estrella wise up? Will she make amends, and let her new friends into her real life? And what about the Quinceañera?

This book has taught me a lot about Mexican culture and the closeness of family. While I would recommend this book, please be aware that it is a young adult book due to some language.

Adios!

Miss Josefína

Living like there's no tomorrow...

Hi! It's Miss Jo. I just finished a book that got me to thinking about what I would do if I found out I had less than a year to live. The book is Deadline by Chris Crutcher.

Ben Wolf is a senior in high school and runs cross-country for his small high school in Trout, Indiana, population 943. Ben goes in for his school physical and finds out he has a terminal illness -- and less than a year to live.

What would you do in this case? I'm sure it's different than what Ben decided to do. Ben decided to not tell anyone -- to keep this information to himself and not pursue treatment. The doctor wanted to tell his parents, but Ben told him NO. He told the doctor that he was eighteen and an adult, and that it was his own personal business. Since Ben was legally an adult, the doctor had to abide by his wishes.

Ben decided to live life to the fullest and even go out for football even though he only weighed 123 pounds. He gets a girlfriend for the first time in his life. He speaks up in class about things he is passionate about, knowing he will cause trouble and that he might not even graduate. (He even tries to get the name of "Main Street" changed to "Malcolm X".) Knowing you are going to die changes how you live your life.

This young man is very likable and is loved by all who know him. While I felt he was brave, I also feel that we need others to help us through difficult and trying times. After the disease starts to affect his life, Ben finally realizes this and tells his family and friends the truth.

This is a very good book and the characters are just like the people we knew in high school. Check it out -- I don't think you will be disappointed.

See you at the library!

On a Roll...

Hi! It's Miss Jo. I just finished a book that I thought you might like to check out.

The book is Derby Girl, and it's written by Shauna Cross. It is a real easy read and just a fun one to take your mind off about going back to school.

Fifteen year old Bliss Cavendar is in high school in a small hick town not far from Austin called Bodeen. Bliss has a mother who is into beauty pageants and she thinks her daughters should be into it, too.

Bliss hates pageants and wants out. Bliss and her friend Pash take a trip to Austin and they end up at a Roller Derby event. Bliss loves it and so she tries out for a team without her parents knowing about it. You have to be 18 to be on a roller derby team, but Bliss lies about her age.

Well, she doesn't really lie -- she just doesn't tell them her age. She makes the team (the Hurl Scouts), and the rest is history.

Between school, parents, work a new boy friend and her new life as a roller derby star, everything is going along fine for Bliss, until her boyfriend cheats on her and her mother finds out about her roller derby life.

Grab your skates and check this book out and see what happens to Bliss and her life as a roller derby queen. Roller Derby is not a beauty pageant, but it is a lot more exciting.

ALL SKATE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome to 2009. One of our resolutions for this year is to take better care of this blog.

To that end, we have some book reviews coming up (including one this afternoon), and we'll be keeping you informed on books, music, and movies coming up that should interest you.

We invite you to join in! Comment on the blog entries, e-mail us or stop by the library to let us know what you think, and what you're interested in.

Remember, this is your blog. Help us make it better.

See you at the library!