Newbery Honor Book...Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

When a student tells you they've read a book 14 times because every time she goes back she sees something new, that's a pretty good recommendation. Today I finally read Newbery Honor Book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. Wow. Lin is an incredible storyteller and because I fear I cannot do her book justice, checkout: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and go to the bottom. The reviewers from School Library Journal and Booklist did a far better job than I could ever do. And then - read the book.

Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline

There are some authors who I've read for years - their characters familiar. When I saw Lisa Scottoline had a new book I waited for it it to appear on the shelves of Rowayton Library. Think Twice was there for the taking on Friday and I spent Saturday afternoon becoming reacquainted with lawyers, Mary, Bennie, and Judy. Is it great literature? No. Is the identical twin storyline believable? No. But it was fun catching up with some old friends.

For kids...

When I read a chapter book for kids the question I often ask myself is, "Would I want to be friends with the main character?" I found two books recently where the answer to that question was yes.

I'll be honest - I only picked up Dessert First by Hallie Durrand because of the title. Who wouldn't want dessert first? As it turns out, Dessert isn't just a food group, she's a young girl figuring out how the world works. She's helped along the way by her fondue restaurant owning parents and Mrs. Howdy Doody, her delightful third grade teacher. Put simply, this is a sweet but not too sugary story of one third grader's struggle with figuring out right from wrong.


How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills was recommended by my favorite children's librarian Kathy J and she was right on with this recommendation. Oliver's parents are the doting, over protective type. Wanting nothing more than for their son to succeed, they decide it's best for them to do his projects. As it turns out, Oliver wants something too - to do his own projects. Can the Olsons let go of their need to control? Can Oliver speak loud enough for his parents to hear and understand? Read How Oliver Olson Changed the World to find out.

For the Adults...

Someone mentioned the book Go Ask Alice recently. I remember reading it way back when and thinking it was a book my parents probably wouldn't approve of. Well I reread it and three things struck me - there is no way I understood what was happening within the pages of that book. I wish I could go back to that Amy and have a conversation. I was also struck by the parents love for their daughter, despite the choices she made, the parents were always there to help pick up the pieces. Lastly, being a teenager has always been hard - technology may hasten things but kids can be cruel.


Jodi Picoult's new book House Rules offers an engaging and compelling story. While I have not read all her books, I often find myself thinking, "I can't believe how predictable this story is," and then wham, I'm blindsided by a twist I never anticipated. So yes, there's a twist in House Rules. Is it as jaw dropping as My Sister's Keeper? No, but the character development is superb and Picoult does a masterful job of writing from five different perspectives, including that of 18 year old Jacob, a young man who has Asperger's Syndrome. It is a book you won't want to put down and you don't want to end.