List of Reviews in this Category (6)
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August 01, 2008
Crazy Aunt Purl
Ok, I'm not quite finished this one, but so far I've been quite enjoying it. I'm not divorced and I've never directed traffic with my bra on my head (not counting that one time in college....) So far it's a quick easy read that draws you into her topsy turvy life without bringing you down. I'd recommend it as a light read, but you may want to pick this one up at the library. I'm not sure I'll want to re-read this one repeatedly so it's shelf-space vs. expense is not equal.
February 15, 2007
Marley & Me
Last week I was at our monthly Paws for Love meeting and a friend had just finished Marley & Me. When she went home, she left it for someone else to take. Unable to resist the opportunity to not hit the hold list at the library, I took it home. It was excellent.
I do not own a yellow lab, but I do understand the whole "worst dog in the world" concept quite intimately. (Don’t we all, really?) I have also known my fair share of labs that could be Marley’s twin.
Weighing in at 304 pages, the length seems to fit perfectly. It is well paced and at no point did I find myself wanting to skip ahead or find myself completely lost. John Grogan is known for his light, personable writing with a penchant for good-hearted humor. This book is no exception. I found myself reading into the wee hours of the night (the fact that I start reading at eleven doesn’t help) and finished it in about four nights of reading. It was engaging and entertaining. Partway through I thought that I would be disappointed at the end, craving more insane-canine antics. Quite the opposite was true as I wrapped up the novel last night. Grogan did an excellent job of winding us down to the conclusion at exactly the right pace, leaving us contented to set the novel down, both nostalgic for the past and optimistic for the future.
I won’t recap the book more than this…. Young couple decides to get a dog, picks a boisterous lab, and lives with the consequences. Ok, a little more. The story follows this family’s growth as it adapts to a string of changes including starting a family. We meet Marley as a young pup bursting with way too much energy, watch him flunk out of obedience school, and finally grow old and need more human assistance. Any dog owner can relate to this story, but anyone who has lived with a less-than-perfect canine companion will find themselves flinching, groaning, laughing, and crying right alongside the Grogans.
February 09, 2007
The Ringworld Engineers
July 19, 2005
Happy B-Day, Newbery
Today is the birthday of John Newbery, namesake of one of the most prestigious awards for young adult novels. I spent a few minutes perusing the list of medal winners with a librarian friend yesterday and discovered I hadn't read nearly as many as I would have liked to. I am especially lacking in the newer publications. So, as a goal on the side, I am going to take the list of Medal winners and Honor books and attempt to read as many as my little mind can handle. I'm not going to set myself a deadline, but I have established a few rules.- My goal will be to focus on winners since 1950. I already have a few older ones under my belt (like Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson, 1945 Medal Winner), and I may choose to read more. My goal, however will not include winners between 1922 and 1949 by default, since a girl has to have limits.
- My goal will "require" only Medal Winners, but I would like to attempt as many Honor Books as I can.
- I will limit myself to books I can get through the library (including Inter Library Loan), from friends, and from the bowels of our stacks upstairs. I will not eBay just to finish the list.
- I will finish the books. Any book that I can't get through does not count.
Here is more on the Newbery Award, taken from the ALA site:
- The Newbery Award was the first children's book award in the world.
- The Newbery Award was first awarded in 1922, and is still awarded today.
- The purpose of the Newbery Medal was stated as follows: "To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field."
- In 1971 the term "runners-up" was changed to "honor books."
I'm debating adding the list of Caldecott Medal winners to the list, but that decision hasn't been made just yet....
For more on the Newbery Award visit the American Library Association's Newbery Medal Home Page.
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