2. Astrid & Veronika

The only thing more inviting than the cover of this rather short novel is the story itself. Linda Olsson's first novel Astrid & Veronika is beautifully written and the two women come to full life as their stories unfold slowly over the course of four seasons.

This is a story about home; two homes really. Veronika comes to live in one home running from her life. Astrid has always lived in the other home to avoid life. In spite of the fifty years between their ages, the two women come to be just what the other needed. Olsson paints a picture of the two houses, the two women, and the beauty that surrounds them in darkness and light. To add to the wonder of this novel, the author includes translated verses of poems (with references should one wish to read more) throughout.

I read this book in two short bursts and was often surprised at the outcomes when I thought I knew what was coming. We learn about the women in two voices - Veronika's and Astrid's. Often sad and often uplifting, I could not put this book down and cannot wait to read it again.

One passage led me to think about blogging in our often lonely busy electronic world. Astrid said:

I think that if we can find the words, and if we can find someone to tell them to, then perhaps we can see things differently. (p. 153)

I can think of many instances in my life when it was very difficult to find the words to describe an event of great joy or great sorrow. But in considering the event enough to find the right words and sharing them with a friend, the event takes on a new, and perhaps more clear, meaning. Even committing events or feelings to our blogs, we define how we felt and even why. I wish that I could find all of the right words to talk about how this book made me feel. It reminded me of who we are, how we relate to nature, how secrets must be shared, what it feels like to come home.

Olsson's next novel Sonata for Miriam is released this month - I should run to the bookstore to see if I can find it. Her writing is beautiful and will surely get even better.

TITLE: Astrid & Veronika
AUTHOR: Linda Olsson
COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 247
TYPE: fiction
RECOMMEND: Absolutely

LibrarysCat

21. Stargirl

What a delightful book. Stargirl, who has been homeschooled, shows up at Mica High School and changes the culture of the school with her individualistic antics. She plays her ukelele, wears outlandish outfits, cheers for the opposing teams as well as her own, and falls in love with Leo. The vary idiosyncracies Leo fell in love with in Stargirl soon became too much fror Leo and the school to tolerate and Leo convinced Stargirl to try harder to fit in. She does that and soon her popularity dropped and she was "shunned". Ultimately the relationship ends, but Leo never forgets. This story shows the cliques found in every high school and how the students become "one". I loved this book. It was pure delight!

TITLE: Stargirl

AUTHOR: Jerry Spinelli

COPYRIGHT: 2000

PAGES: 186

TYPE: Fiction

RECOMMEND: Absolute delight, everyone should read

FlusiCat

8. My Enemy's Cradle

TITLE: My Enemy's Cradle
AUTHOR: Sara Young
COPYRIGHT: to be published Jan 2008
PAGES: 361
TYPE: Fiction
RECOMMEND: Yes, if for no other reason, it is a good story.

I read the uncorrected copy of this work by Sara Young, who has written a number of children's books undet the name of Sara Pennypacker. The copy I have has no cover picture, so I will not include one. I loved this book.

This is the story of a young Polish girl who was half Jewish. She was sent by her father to live with Dutch relatives, including a cousin she resembles in almost every way except perhaps temperment. It was her father's hope that she would stay safe during World War II. It is also the story of the Nazi machine and policies which encouraged young Aryan women to become pregnant, often by married soldiers, and give their babies to the Nazis to help populate Europe. The young girls' experiences and her understanding of how her safety and future were dictated by circumstances often beyond her control provide the reader with a somewhat different, and decidedly female, picture of the Holocaust.

I read this book very quickly and loved every minute of it. I think it would be appropriate for a wide age range and hope that it will be used in History classes at multiple levels. Thank you to the publisher for providing these copies at ALA.

7. The Break-up Diet

TITLE: The Break-up Diet

AUTHOR: Annette Fix

COPYRIGHT: to be published Feb 2008

PAGES: 279

TYPE: Non-Fiction

RECOMMEND: Yes, anyone who has ever been on the down side of a break-up would relate to and enjoy this book.

Annette Fix found herself on the bad side of a breakup. She was raised believing in the “kiss a frog, marry a prince” and “happily ever after” theories of relationships. A single mother trying to raise her son and pursue her dream of becoming a writer, Annette finds Mr. Right at her night job at a strip club. He is in the process of divorcing his wife and they move in together. Then it happens – he breaks up with her. This memoir is her journey of recovery. Written in diary form, Annette outlines her pain and slow steps toward a new life. The writing is very candid and sometimes even graphic. The reader empathizes with the author and rallies as Annette sorts out her emotions and day-to-day challenges.

I read this book very quickly and found it to be entertaining although I suspect a younger crowd will better appreciate the circumstances and lifestyle portrayed. To tie in with the title, the author provided recipes of disaster throughout the book. I read the first few and found them amusing, but I must admit after three or four, I stopped looking at them. Still, I thought the writing was sound and wanted to finish the book with hopes of a happy ending. The Disney desire does not fade easily!

Other nice touches, and ones I have not seen in other Early Reviewer books, were a letter from the author and her signing the front of the book. She clearly wants to connect with her readers and I think she just might be successful at that aspiration.

Flusi Cat

1. Tuesdays with Morrie

I could not have read this book at a better time. A few things struck me as vitally important concepts from this easily read outline of the "last class" the author, Mitch Albom, had with his beloved professor Morrie Schwartz. Morrie described the emptiness of our cultural demands - more money, more possessions, more prestige. He said that we should reject that culture and create a culture of our own that gives our life true meaning. Love and forgiveness are at the heart of the culture he describes and it brought me to tears. He provided numerous examples of the power of love - love without conditions, love without demands - pure and simple love for self and others. Something we can all aspire to in these hectic times.

TITLE: Tuesdays with Morrie: An old man, a young man and life's greatest lesson
AUTHOR: Mitch Albom
COPYRIGHT: 1997
PAGES: 192
TYPE: Non-fiction
RECOMMEND: Yes, something everyone should read to learn how to live and die

Flusi the LibrarysCat