New Newbery

I love Jack Gantos. Joey Pigza cracks me up. I even named my son Joey! Gantos' biography, Hole In My Life, was surprising, but gripping. So I really looked forward to reading Dead End in Norvelt when I learned that his latest book won the biggest award in children's literature. Soooooooo, what did I think? I don't know. I'm all over the place with this. My first impression was how hilarious it was that the main character was actually Jack himself, who did indeed grow in in Pennsylvania. Interesting. All the characters were intriguiing. Maybe characterization is what Gantos specializes in. The plot though- it was a bit random. We had the dad building a plane, though I'm not sure why, the dying town and its dying residents, Jack grounded cause he shot his dad's gun because, as we learned in the, his uncle had loaded it. That part really lost me. The uncle really came out of left field. Of course, if I'm honest with myself, I do regularly miss the big picture. Maybe I just need someone pointing it to me. Maybe my readers will tell me what they see in it that I missed. I mean I liked it, but I didn't love it.

What do you value most?

In the book Divergent, it determines what faction you belong to.

Honesty= Candor

Bravery= Dauntless

Intelligence= Erudite
Peace and friendship= Amity

Selflessness= Abnegation

Tris was born as a member of Abnegation, but decides to join Dauntless at her Choosing Ceremony. In Abnegation, she just didn't feel like she belonged. Dauntless is very different, but she has to survive initiation before she can have the privledges of membership. That means she has to face her fears, fight, and survive the bullies. But  when her family is criticized for their political leadership, and her mother tips Tris off to a dangerous plot, she will be challenged to try and save her new friends, as well as her own family. In the stages of being made a movie, this science fiction thriller is as much fun as Uglies, Matched and Delirium, and is on the new Lone Star List.

Creepy story?

It's close to Halloween, would you like a scary book to read under the covers at night? This one will haunt you! Kendall lives in a farming community that is trying to get over the loss of a sophomore girl last year. She just went missing. They looked and looked for weeks, but no sign of her ever turned up. Now it's a new school year, and their one room schoolhouse has a conspicuously vacant desk. But then Kendall's best friend, Nico, starts to act strangely. Days later, he has also vanished without a trace. Kendall is absolutely numb with grief. They search the fields, like last year, but to no avail. One day at school, Kendall sits in Nico's desk just to feel its familiarity with her best friend. She lays her head down on it and carresses the familiar carved graffiti on the desktop with her fingers. And that is when she hears it. Nico's own voice saying, "Please. Save me."

Forever it is

Ah, it is sad when a good series comes to an end. At least, I think it's over.... The door was left open just a crack in case the author decides to write more in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I'm not sure how much I should say, since it could spoil the ending if I say too much. Can I assume you know what happens in Linger? Ok, so on the cover that's Sam as a human and Grace as a wolf. That doesn't reveal too much. Grace's disappearance begins to be blamed on Sam by everyone in town. Isabel's parents are again petitioning to have the wolves eliminated from Boundary Wood. And Cole, well he's finally decided to put his genius to good use and see if he can invent a cure. But someone new learns the real secret behind Grace's disappearance. That's about all I can tease you with....

Movie, anyone?

I may be a bit behind, but the May 27 issue of Entertainment had some great YA book suggestions! Actually, they were detailing books being made into movies, but all the more reason to read them.They are hoping to find the next Twilight since we are about to see our last movie from the series. So, without further ado, here are some great books being made into movies:

Beautiful Creatures
City of Bones
Delirium (a Rockett fave)

Divergent

Earthseed
Incarceron
Matched

Pure

Shiver(yippee!)

Warm Bodies

Anyone notice the predominace of one word titles there? Here's a little extra dirt on series installments I picked up from the article. The third of five books in the Beautiful Creatures series is coming in October. The Mortal Instruments series will have 5 books, but there is no word on when the last one will come out. Delirium will be a trilogy; the second one is titled Pandemonium, coming in March. Divergent is very new and will also be a trilogy. The second book will be out next May. Incarceron doesn't have a third book yet planned, but guess what? Taylor Lautner is cast for the lead! Crossed, the sequel to Matched, is due in November. Pure won't even be out until February. Hope you didn't miss the release of the 3rd book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series- Forever came out a couple weeks ago! I had not yet heard of Warm Bodies, but guess what- it's a zombie romance! Now, you have to promise to read all those before you go see them in the movie theater!