Hurt Go Happy

Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby is a story about friendship and love--the love of a parent and child, sister and brother, and a young deaf girl, her elderly neighbor and his sign language using chimpanzee. It's funny, horrifying, compassionate, and full of twists and turns. The first time I read it, I enjoyed it. The second time (in one sitting) I cried in sadness and joy (even tho I knew what was going to happen) and wanted to learn more about chimpanzees.

Hurt Go Happy is one of the Battle of the Books selections for the coming school year. One of the the reasons it was chosen is because it has won the teen Schneider Family Book Award, an award given to an author or illustrator who artisically expresses the disability experience for children and young adults.

Do NOT checkout this link or this link until you have read the book !!! Did you know that Wisconsin has a primate research laboratory?

Ender's Game

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is a science fiction book that was written in 1977 but remains timeless. The main plot of the book is that the government on Earth needs a savior to keep the planet from being overtaken by "buggers"-- alien-like invaders from a far-away planet. Ender is carefully groomed to be that savior beginning at the age of 6. He is put through many trials and games, often grueling and cruel, to prepare him for the final battle with the buggers. There is a great twist at the end of this book that even suspicious me didn't expect.

There is loads of symbolism in this book and it has been used to study literary elements in some schools.

I read this book because it is one of the Battle of the Books books for the 2008-2009 school year. I also wanted to read this book because the author was recently under fire for being honored for his lifetime contribution to young adult readers with the Edwards Award. The controversy stems from Card's extremist personal views. To learn more about this, read this School Library Journal article.

The Other Boleyn Girl was fantastic!

I finished The Women in Red and I thought it was okay. However, I thought The Other Boleyn Girl was fantastic. Everyone should read it, my mom thought it was a little slow in some parts but I disagree. Has anyone read The Book of Ruth? I am almost done with it and I thought it was really boring.