Monday, December 24, 2007

Sold


I finished Sold by Patricia McCormick yesterday. Lakshmi is a 13 year old girl who lives with her family in a small mountain village in Nepal. They are a poor family, but Lakshmi is still able to enjoy the simple things in life...including taking care of her goat. This doesn't last long, though, once the monsoons wipe away their crops and her step-father says she must leave the family and find a job. This job, of course, is not a desirable one. Lakshmi, like many young girls, is sold into the slave trade of India. The story is told from Lakshmi's point of view in the form of a journal that makes it an easy, but powerful read.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

A couple fast reads

I'm a big fan of children's literature (as my French students probably figured out when they wrote them) and have been wanting to read three books for awhile now. I've had the chance to read two and recommend them.

Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins is a story about a Bangladeshi girl, Naima, who wishes she were born a boy so that her father doesn't have to work so much. Naima is a clever girl, always coming up with schemes - the biggest one when she decides to drive her father's rickshaw disguised as a boy so that he can have a break. Instead she crashes the rickshaw and disgraces her family. What happens next is a good twist to the story that I won't give away. Rickshaw Girl is a short, but powerful book.

The Cat with the Yellow Star by Susan Goldman Rubin and Ela Weissberger is a true story about Ela's life as a Jew taken to Terezin. It follows her life from the time she arrived, her experiences in the camp, the liberation and her life since. The book is fully illustrated with items from the camp which add to the realism of the story.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Kvetha Fricäya. Greetings Friends.

As many of you have heard, I am writing the final chapters of Book Three, which will be published September 23, 2008. Earlier this year, I realized that I had too much story to fit into one volume and that a fourth novel was necessary to complete the adventures of Eragon and Saphira as I originally envisioned them. Therefore, what began as the Inheritance trilogy has become the Inheritance cycle.
I know from your letters that you are curious about the name and cover design of Book Three. The decision to add a fourth book to the Inheritance cycle has affected many things, this included. I promise you'll be the first to hear as soon as the title of Book Three is announced. And, like you, I am excited to see what the cover will look like!My friends at Random House have some exciting pre-publication activities planned for 2008. You can anticipate that something new and interesting will be revealed each month, beginning in January.I wish you a happy holiday season, and . . .May your swords stay sharp!

Christopher Paolini
p.s. The picture above, taken in snowy Montana, shows me holding the Hawaii Nene Award plaque for Eragon.

That ^^^^^ is an update from Christopher Paolini!
Alex just emailed it to me and I signed up to the mailing list now.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Saint Iggy



I finished Saint Iggy last weekend. It's by K.L. Going. It's about a teenage boy who is supposed to be a senior in high school but because of lots of skipping school etc. he is classified as a freshman. Iggy's parents are drug addicts who constantly owe their pusher money. Iggy gets suspended from school for a minor altercation with a teacher. He really wants to finish school and contribute to society. Iggy hangs around a person who was supposed to be his, "Big Brother" but is also a druggie.

This is definitely a book about good vs. evil and overcoming circumstances in one's life. What will triumph is Iggy's life? Read it and find out! Our library has two copies.


Very fast read!!

Saturday, December 8, 2007

The End of a Childhood


Just finished this book. It's written by a local Lake Mills man. Basically it's about how his mother and sister are driving him to college and how he remembers his childhood along the way. I enjoyed several chapters; in particular, the chapter where he wrestles for the regional championship for the L-Cats. The other chapter I liked was the one where he and his emotionally distant dad go to Boy Scout camp.

I think this is a good read for townies like me.

Friday, December 7, 2007

yo im new homie


ello im carina and im a senior at lake mills high school. and im mrs.Bade favorite student. lol. i am recently reading new moon by stephenie meyer. i finished the first one and loved edward is so amazing. he goes through so much to try to keep bella out of danger. and he trys so hard to not give into tempatation. but when i started reading new moon and edward left i was devistated i didnt want it to be true. so yeah im glad i am reading it.

xoxo
carina
ps. for any one out there who wants a good read check out tounge and chic by christina dodd. fantastic book let me tell ya.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Freak Show good read

I finished Freak Show by James St. James tonight. It was a light, oftentimes funny read. It's about a gay high school boy, Billy Bloom, who has moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to live with his dad. Billy has a hard time fitting in with his conservative peers especially since he is a known drag queen, but not only that, Billy decides to run for Homecoming Queen at his elite school.