Good Reads

I know, I know, I haven't been posting here regularly. Shame on me.

In my defense, I have been visiting schools, working with amazing children and some truly wonderful teachers. And . . . I've been reading and reading and reading. So, here are a few of the books that have grabbed my heart.

I just completed WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead. I had seen this book mentioned on several lists, but (on purpose) had not read any kind of summary. (I like to read books cold and think about their impact as I go.) OH MY WORD, what a great read! Hmmm, how to describe this without giving away any of its charm. The style of writing is breezy and accessible. The main character is genuine, believable, flawed, yet perfect. The author's device of the game show adds humor and is a good foil for the more serious content. The storyline is intriguing, yet Rebecca provides all the clues the reader needs to put the puzzle together. This is the kind of book that I envision being passed from one kid to another to another. And, I could be wrong, but it looks like the kind of manuscript that would require a LOT of fiddling. The author juggled several story balls in the air from chapter to chapter. Read it. I love it when authors push the literary envelope. It's fun!

A few weeks ago I read my first book in Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series - BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS. Now I know what my friends have been raving about. This is the kind of book you can read two chapters one day and three the next and keep meandering and smiling and thinking. The folk wisdoms abound. Human nature is explored to its fullest. I'm anxious to read more in this series, as well as explore Smith's other series. If nothing else, the names of these series are a hoot.

I've read Roland Smith's books since I was a classroom teacher and my students enjoyed JAGUAR. He's written one great book after another from PEAK to ZACH'S LIE to ELEPHANT RUN to CRYPTID HUNTERS to JACK'S RUN. And now he's started a series entitled I.Q. During a week's worth of school visits last year in Spokane, Washington, a fifth grade boy approached me and told me his name was Quest. Then he smiled and shared that Roland Smith had thought his name so unusual that he was going to use it for his protagonist in his next book. He was right. I don't know which came first - Roland's use of the name, or meeting the young man in Spokane - but Quest is the protagonist of this series. I recently read Book One: INDEPENDENCE HALL and I have the next book in the series - THE WHITE HOUSE - on order.

Practice makes perfect and Roland's books are a great example of this. He does not compromise reality or danger, but deftly balances it with believable characters who use their resources to face the current challenge, cope and move on. Each book is a healthy page-turner and so much more.