The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

why: I got a strong recommendation from a teacher colleague for this one last summer and I'm finally getting around to it.

when: start 5/30/2013, end 1/5/2014

how: as an ebook on my ipad

thoughts: This is a tome, but it was well worth my time. I started reading it months ago--but I wasn't able to give it the brain space needed by reading it in the 20 sleepy minutes I had before falling asleep on many nights. I put it down after getting about a third into it. I wrote about that here. So once winter break started, I picked it back up again and started at page one. Wow. Loved this book. Chabon makes you work for it. The writing is gorgeous. The characters are wonderfully complex. The heartbreak is real. This is yet another book connected to the holocaust and that has a carney element. Not sure why I keep getting drawn by these kinds of books. But wow. This definitely explores what the devastation of the holocaust can mean to an individual who escapes. This explores the golden age of comic books in America. This explores love and devotion and magic. I definitely recommend it, but be ready to work. Chabon will not coddle you. You've got to pay attention.

Click on the book image to go to the wikipedia entry for this book.

review haiku:
heartbreak and heartbreak
how many ways to escape?
read this book to see

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

why: I loved Eleanor and Park and was really sad when that book was over, so I thought another Rainbow Rowell book would be good.

when: December 2013 (again, due to ignoring of blog updating, I'm not certain of the actual dates, but again about three days this took me).

how: as an ebook on my iPad.

thoughts: I loved this. I really did. Rowell builds very complex adolescent worlds. I loved the whole fanfiction thread--something I have known very little about prior to reading this.

Click on the book image to learn more about the book.

review haiku:
is fanfiction mere
plagiarism? professor
thinks so, but not Cath

MIss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

why: Ms. Maytum (my student teacher) suggested this one

when: 12/2/13-12/4/13

how: I read the hard copy that Ms. Maytum let me borrow.

thoughts: I just discovered this will be a 2015 film directed by Tim Burton. Fun! One review I saw said that this was the next Harry Potter type adventure. I don't agree so much. This book can stand all by itself in its own class. What was cool is that it seemed everything was normal in the world of this book until it just wasn't normal anymore. Surprising. Mind bending in some ways. There is a sequel in the works but I'm not sure I'll read it. And I was somewhat surprised that yet again another book comes to me carrying with it WWII and the holocaust AND carnies. These topics keep coming up in books I pick up. Not sure what that's all about.

Click on the book image to learn more about the book.

review haiku:
peculiar children:
see the levitating girl
she's real I kid you not

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Why: My daughter asked me to read this after she did.

When: start 11/2/13, end 11/3/13

How: I read the hard copy that Jane's Nana sent to her.

Thoughts: This was a great book. And there's a sequel that we'll have to read next. There are seven 5th graders in this class taught by a new teacher, Mr. Terupt, and the point of view of the story moves between the seven students. It worked really well to see the story unfold from each of their perspectives. It was difficult to put the book down for sure. And I still need to ask my daughter what she learned from this book.

Click on the book image to get to the author's website.

Review Haiku:
one snowball of ice
changes everything because
of Mr. Terupt

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Why: I had to read the concluding book of the series (I reviewed the other books here and here). And Outliers wasn't going so well. I needed some brain candy.

When: start 10/25/13, end 10/27/13

How: as an ebook on my ipad (purchased as always from the local independent bookseller)

Thoughts: Well. It was okay. I got a little bored a few times. I was kind of disappointed at what was beyond the fence. It was not the best book of the series. But I'm glad I've read the whole series for sure. The thing about great dystopian stories is when I can so clearly see the possibility of them actually happening. That's why 1984 terrifies me so much. Same with The Hunger Games. Same with The Road. I can imagine how these worlds could come about and I can imagine myself walking within them and it terrifies me. But I just couldn't see it with this series.

Click on the book image to get to the Wikipedia entry on the book.

Review Haiku:
This book travels from
divergence to genetics
I missed life inside.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

why: I wanted some fun summer reading, and this was recommended to me by a friend who often recommends books to me.

when: start 7/14, end 7/22

how: I read this as a ebook on my ipad (as usual, purchased through the website of my local independent book seller!). This is what I was reading for fun in the evenings when I was reviewing all those books about teaching on our road trip this summer).

thoughts: I had read another book by Sittenfeld (Prep) a few years ago (great book, by the way--I highly recommend), so I was expecting this to be equally engaging. Just right for a summer read. For some reason the other book I'm trying to get through for fun right now isn't going very quickly. I like it, but it just doesn't hit my summer reading needs right now. I'll get it done eventually. ANYHOW, American Wife is a fictional take on the relationship of George and Laura Bush (in the book, Alice Lindgren and Charlie Blackwell). The author researched Laura Bush's life extensively, so much of this is accurate (including the tragic car accident in her teens where Laura ran a stop sign and ended up killing one of her friends). But of course, much of this is absolutely fiction (like the moment in the book where Alice speaks out against the war in Iraq and her husband is furious and considers it a personal betrayal). I enjoyed the book on the whole, though I wondered how political I should consider this book. Is it ultimately a criticism of Bush's presidency? (Charlie Blackwell comes off as somewhat ridiculous lots of the time in this book). If you read it, let me know if you think this book is political.

Click on the book image to read more about the book from the author's website.

review haiku:
a President's wife
her life is complex, manic
she yearns for simplicity

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

why: Jane asked me to read this to her (I haven't read a book to her for a long time! She reads on her own voraciously, but for some reason, she wanted me to read this one to her).

when: start 6/3, end 7/10

how: The photo is of my copy of this book that I've had since I was a child. Jane found it on her book case and asked me to read it to her. So I've read some to her at bed time when she gets to bed early enough for that. I also read a lot of this to her (and to the husband as well) while we were driving to and from Montana this summer.

thoughts: Such a great story. I haven't read it since I was a kid--yet it's just as vivid and wonderful now as it was then. It's amazing how clearly I do remember much of this book even though it has been so many years!

Click on the book image to get to the wikipedia entry on the book.

review haiku:
all is lost to Sara
but she doesn't change herself
and finds it all again

Joyland by Stephen King

why: This one is just for fun. I haven't read King in ages and a colleague posted a link about it in Facebook so I thought I would check it out. 

when: start 7/6, end 7/8

how: I had to read this one in paperback. For some reason, King is not permitting ebook copies of this. This confuses me because King has been a huge proponent of ebooks and ereaders. Whereas I loved seeing the book sitting around the house, I remembered how much I prefer reading on my ipad just for the simple physicality of holding a book vs. having the ipad propped up somewhere and reading on it. 

thoughts: This was a fun read. It certainly doesn't achieve the psychological depth of some of King's work (like The Shining, for instance), but I'm pretty sure it's not about that anyhow. This is a fun summer read set in a fun and campy amusement park in the summer. There is a mystery in the middle of this book and a ghost too, but what takes center stage really is the world that this book throws you into--a world inhabited by carnies. Loved it. 

Click on the book image to read a review of the book from the NYTimes.

review haiku:

a murder mystery?

kind of. Moreso a trip to

carny world. Enjoy!

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

why: because I've always thought I needed to read a novel called Geek Love

when: start 5/31, end 6/28

how: as an ebook on my ipad

thoughts: I assumed this novel was about love between geeks, you know, something like this:

or something like this:

But nope. That's not what this refers to. I did not know about one definition of "geek" (see #3 below): 

geek [geek]
noun Slang.

1. a computer expert or enthusiast (a term of pride as self-reference, but often considered offensive when used byoutsiders.)
2. a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, especially one who isperceived to be overly intellectual.
3. a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, like biting off the head of a live chicken.

This is turning out to be the summer of the carnies for me, since I'm also planning to read this once it comes out on June 4 (it's been a while since I've read any Stephen King).

This book was trippy for sure--and I kind of loved it. I kept pondering the whole time what love meant ultimately in the context of this family. People went to great lengths in this family to protect the oddities that really made them who they were and they work that they did in their lives because of those oddities.

But I do wish the book didn't end before the reader got to see how Miranda responded to learning the truth about her heritage and learning why she has a tail...

Click on the book image to get to the wikipedia entry for Geek Love.

review haiku:
geeks are not just nerds
think old-timey carnivals
where geeks love fiercely

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

why: A student of mine who blogs about books recently blogged about this. It looked like good summer reading.

when: start 5/30 end 5/31

how: as an ebook on my ipad

thoughts: Definitely a suspenseful read. I pretty much tore through it. It's the first in a trilogy but I'll have to wait for a while for installment #2. This is a great mixture of YA, mystery, and science fiction. Girl wakes up apparently the only survivor of a terrible plane crash with absolutely no recollection of anything--that's where the book starts. It unravels the mystery chapter by chapter until the end. Cool stuff.

Click on the book image to get to the official author's webpage.

Review haiku:
Seraphina lost
memories, all of them
but love reconnects

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

why: I picked this up for my daughter and I to read together as our second book club book. She loves animals and she's an artist, so I thought a gorilla who paints would grab her attention.

when: start 5/21/13 end 5/24/13

how: as an ebook on my ipad (purchased through the website of my local independent book seller of course!)

thoughts: I loved this book. I cried at the end, tears of joy for Ivan and Ruby and Bob and Julia. I love that this was inspired by an actual gorilla who spent over 20 years of his life living at a shopping mall. There wasn't an elephant in the real gorilla's life like there is in the book, but the real gorilla did paint like Ivan does. This book is about friendship and the ethical treatment of animals and imagining the mental and emotional worlds of animals and the role of art in creating empathy for the experiences of others. I loved it. This book won the Newbery Medal for 2013, by the way.

Click on the book image to go to the book's official website.

review haiku:
Ivan and Ruby
captive in a shopping mall
art sets them free

Billy Ray Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain

why: a colleague brought this to me this week but warned me not to start reading it until I have three days to dedicate to it, meaning I won't be able to stop reading it once I start it

when: start 5/4/13 end 5/28/13

how: as an ebook on my iPad (from the local bookseller of course!) Even though I have a copy of this sitting on my desk at school to read, I much prefer ebooks so I downloaded it for myself.

thoughts: When another colleague saw this book on my desk, he told me that this is the book everyone should have been reading about the Iraq war. And I agree. Wow. The juxtaposition of war vs. the American pro football insanity is powerful here. The Dallas Cowboys' equipment room as described in this novel has more gear in it for a single game than our soldiers have for battle. I've always had issues with the hype surrounding professional sports in our world (and by "hype" I mean all the money spent on this when there are people starving in our country). And I think that ultimately this novel makes a burning commentary about US and what WE pay attention to. In the novel, this group of soldiers are only on the mind of the Americans back at home because a Fox News team caught a few minutes of a firefight where the soldiers killed a bunch of bad guys. So now the soldiers are all heroes and on tour for two weeks in the states so everyone can admire them. The two week tour culminates with a Thanksgiving day Cowboys game with the soliders as the special guests (though not more special than the halftime entertainment, Destiny's Child--see again how this novel comments on our priorities?). The novel tells the story of that five or so hour period at the football game--brilliant. Heart wrenching. Powerful. I could keep going here, but you should really read it on your own and tell me what you think.


Click on the book image to see a review from the NYTimes for the book.

review haiku:
football versus war
where are our priorities?
never mind. Kickoff.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

why: recommendations from our librarian and from students

when: start 4/1/13 finish 5/4/13

how: as an ebook on my iPad (from the local bookseller of course!)

Click on the book image to see the Wikipedia entry for the book.

thoughts: I loved this book. The moment I finished it I immediately went back to page one and started reading again! (Didn't read the whole thing again, just the first few chapters). There's a bit of mystery to it, and there are several different characters on seemingly different paths who eventually come together (I always love that). And yes, it is essentially about love and what it means in our lives. Loved it.

review haiku:
The history of us
history of all of us is
The history of love

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

why: recommendations from colleague and student

when: start 4/1/13 end 4/9/13

how: as an ebook on my ipad (purchased through the Boulder Bookstore of course--must support the local independent bookseller!)

thoughts: This is another post-apocalyptic story akin to The Road, but set in Erie, Colorado. The main character lives at the Erie airport, flies a plane to patrol the area looking for intruders, and shares the airport with another survivor of the flu that took almost everyone. It was fun to be able to visualize all the places mentioned in the book since most of it takes place in Boulder County. In the center of the text is not a father/child relationship like in The Road, but a man and his dog and also a friendship with the other man who is also living at the Erie airport. Hence, the story is a bit less painful and heartbreaking than The Road (though The Dog Stars definitely has its moments), and I was pleased in the end that the final image of the characters is a hopeful one. There is hope for this world.

Click on the image to get to some information about the book on NPR.

review haiku:
most dead by the flu
the few who remain build a
new reality

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Why: first book of the book club my kid has started with me!

When: start 3/5/13 finish 3/10/13

How: as an ebook on my iPad (she's reading it in hard copy-- of which she has two. I bought her one yesterday and she also checked it out from the library at her school!)

Thoughts: It's hard to believe this is the first Spinelli book I've read, but it is. I think that there will be more after this. My kid made it halfway through the book in only one day.

Loved this. The way that people responded to Stargirl really showed a lot about who they are themselves. I loved her personality and her confidence in who she is. If only more of us could be so brave to be ourselves.

Review haiku:

Ukelele, rat
long skirts, birthday songs, cheer all
We should be Stargirl

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Why: Book club

When: Start 2/15/13. Finished! 3/5/13

How: as an ebook on my ipad

Thoughts: I've been very intrigued by this book, wondering how Rowling's writing would translate to an older audience. So far, some things have shocked me a bit--things that never would have graced the pages of Harry Potter. But the intricacies of the plot are just as I would expect based on the other seven books I've read by her.

So now after reading this: it was longer than it needed to be. Way longer than it needed to be. By the end it all came together in a heartbreaking way that has left me thinking ever since I finished. Full of commentary and symbolism about class structure, community responsibility for the individual, etc. Though the omniscient narration annoyed me and made it difficult for me to feel connected to the story because it wasn't about one particular character's struggle, by the end it became clear to me why the omniscience was necessary. The book is about all of us collectively and how we fail to take responsibility for others because of being so wrapped up in our own crap.

I'm glad I read it even though it took me forever.

(click on the book image to read about the book on wikipedia)

Review haiku:
Pagford. Fields. Yarvil.
We are these communities.
Care for each other.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Why: This is the second in a series by Laini Taylor. I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone and had to read this when it came out.

When: Start 1/2/03; End 1/9/03

Thoughts: Whoa. This world is really very cool. There were some intense scenes here that went way beyond what I read in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I kept having to go back to the first book to remind myself of all the plot twists. There will be a third book by the way.

Oh, and I discovered this author because she came to speak to FHS last year. She had bright pink hair that day.

How: ebook on my ipad, purchased through The Boulder Bookstore (must support the local bookstore, people!)

(click on the book image to read the author's blog)

review haiku:

a parallel world
chimera and bad angels
and an epic war