| We’re
writing this on the coldest May 25 on record, but we continue
to have faith that the weather will warm up. For a cheery
book about flowers and love that will put you in the mood
for spring and summer, we recommend Julie and Romeo
Get Lucky (1416509690) ,
Jeanne Ray’s follow-up to her highly-acclaimed
Julie and Romeo (0451208684).
The long-awaited sequel is fun, light reading. Julie and Romeo
come from rivaling florist families in Somerville in a “deliciously
witty and wickedly sexy..modern love story,” one Florida newspaper
said. Or, if you want a juicy paperback for the beach or back
porch, just ask—Dede has compiled a list of suggestions, and
we all have our own favorites.
Even
if we don’t see the sun begin to peek through the clouds,
there are still lots of celebrations in June: anniversaries,
weddings and graduations fill the month. Also, we’ll be honoring
our fathers on June 19, a holiday that leaves lots of people
asking, “What does he want?” That conundrum has been simplified
by the publication of a few new great “dad books.” The following
is a list of three paternal gift ideas: David McCullough,
the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of John Adams, has a new
book, 1776 (0743226712).
A historian with a gift for telling fascinating and engaging
stories, this book takes a powerful look at the few founding
fathers who made a difference during the Revolutionary War.
Also, Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen
have completed their historical fiction trilogy with Never
Call Retreat (0312342985).
Publisher’s Weekly said it was “one of the best Civil War
novels to appear in years.” Finally, Robert Littell
has a new book, Legends (1585676969),
about a former CIA field agent turned private detective. The
“undisputed master of American spy fiction” brings readers
on an exciting psychological journey, making it perfect for
thriller-loving papas everywhere.
Alice
writes: For 19 years, I spent some part of the summer
away at overnight camp. Without a doubt, these days molded
me. Michael Eisner, the former CEO of Disney,
has similar nostalgia and indebtedness to his camping days.
In his new book, Camp (0446533696),
he recalls his experience at Camp Keewaydin and the life lessons
from these summers that contributed to whom he became. For
those with happy memories of camp days—or parents considering
sending their children to camp—this is an excellent memoir.
Also,
Justin Cronin’s The Summer Guest (0385335822)
was just released in paperback. As some of you may recall,
we read his Mary and O’Neil in the store’s book group, and
I LOVED this, his second book. His book captures the nostalgia
for a landscape where hot days are spent lazing by a lake,
and cool nights are spent slumbering in a rustic cabin. The
story is told through the eyes of each of the characters,
people whose loves and sufferings are the history of this
small, forgotten corner of northern Maine.
For book
group we will discuss, on Tuesday, June 14 from 7-8
p.m., Michael Morris’ Slow Way Home (0060727675).
Eight-year-old Brandon tells the story in simple, graceful
and poignant prose. His mother has a history of drug abuse
and leaves him with a bus ticket to his grandparents when
she leaves for Canada with her current boyfriend. When, a
year later, she comes to retrieve her son, the grandparents
“kidnap” Brandon, resettling in a volatile Florida town. The
story raises questions about guardianship rights as well as
issues of race. Delving into the meaning of home, our sense
of belonging and the power of faith, Morris’ second novel
received lots of critical praise when it was published.
Dede
writes: In May, the American Academy of Arts and
Letters honored Ann Patchett, author of Bel
Canto (0060934417);
Edward P. Jones, author of The Known
World (00605575559)
and John Dalton, author of Heaven
Lake (0743246357).
All three of these novels are in paperback. If you have not
yet read them, you may want to see if you agree with the Academy!
Richard
Russo said that C. J. Hribal is a “masterful
storyteller,” describing his new novel The Company
Car (140006287X)
as “broad, the sights and sounds true, the vision both hilarious
and heartbreaking.” Inspired by his opinion, I read the book
and found that this portrait of a postwar Midwestern family
is told with tenderness and honesty. It’s about love, marriage,
lots of kids, tornadoes, despair, forgiveness and hilarity.
Beth
Gutcheon’s Leeway Cottage (0060539054)
is set in an enclave of Maine summer “cottages” and, in stark
contrast, occupied Denmark during WWII. This is another family
story—this time about the surprises in a difficult and enduring
marriage. Anne Lamott said, “Beth Gutcheon is a wonderful
writer.”
From
the Children’s Room:
Pat
writes: Hooray for Fish (0763627410)
by Lucy Cousins, creator of the popular series about a little
mouse named Maisy, is a riot of color and rhyme in an oversized
read-aloud picture book. Little Fish swims along throughout
the book encountering new friends: spotty fish, stripy fish,
happy fish and gripy fish. The story encourages children to
think about similarities and differences, ending with a comforting
reunion between Little Fish and his mother. The rhythm and
rhyme make this a book that can be read to babies and young
children again and again.
Gunilla
Bergstrom’s Good Night, Alfie Atkins (9129661544)
introduces us to a four-year old boy who doesn’t want to go
to bed. Looking for any excuse to prolong his bedtime, Alfie
eventually puts his patient and exhausted father to bed. After
retrieving his teddy from under the couch, he crawls into
bed with the moon and stars looking down on him.
A new
author from Needham, John Lechner, has written
a wonderful new story that is great for sharing with primary
school readers. Froggy Fable (0763621234)
is a modern-day
fable about a little frog who is content with his life and
wants it to stay the same. One day the unexpected occurs,
and Froggy finds himself in a situation that he has never
experienced. The gentle but colorful illustrations convey
Froggy’s changing emotions.
Marilyn
writes: Student reviewer Haley, aged 8, tells us
that Beany (not Beanhead) by Susan Wojciechowski
(0763625671)
"was the best book. Every time I had a chance I would pick
it up and read it. Beany is scared about something in each
chapter. Things always turn out well in the end...This book
makes me laugh." Recommended for ages 6 to 9.
Jane
B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens’ Bella Baxter Inn Trouble
(0689862806)
is a good book for younger readers. Anashua D. writes, “This
book is great! Bella Baxter is trying to help her parents
with their inn, but her parents are convinced that all she
can cause is trouble! When Bella goes to the library to get
books to help her parents with their crumbling inn, she meets
a young woman named Trudy. Trudy happens to be handy with
a hammer. Bella’s parents welcome the idea of Trudy helping,
and soon Bella sneaks in and tries to help herself! From smelly
skunks to leaky pipes, Bella learns that household improvement
is harder than it looks!” Recommended for ages 7 to 9.
The
Naming (0763626392)
is the first book in a promising new series by Alison
Croggon. Mearad is a slave, unaware that she has
a special and powerful gift. Once one of the great Bards of
Lirigon discovers her, her true heritage and extraordinary
destiny begin to unfold. Reviewer Julian P., aged 14, found
the story similar in many ways to The Lord of the Rings. Reviewer
Jacqueline A. wrote, “This is a suspenseful story I would
recommend for kids, teens, and young adults.” Suggested for
ages 10 and up.
It looks
like Anthony Horowitz, author of the popular
Alex Rider series, has scored another hit with Raven’s
Gate (0439679958),
the first book in his new Gatekeepers series. A sinister plan
is being hatched in the little town of Lesser Malling, and
Matt has been drawn into the center of it. It will take all
his strength and power to save the world from the evil that
could escape from Raven’s Gate. Student reviewer Lanbo Y.,
aged 11, writes, “The words that describe this book are intense
action and excitement. This book is between fantasy and mystery.
I just couldn’t stop reading it.” Recommended for ages 10
and up. Warning! It gets a bit creepy!
With
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (0316154556X),
well-known adult writer James Patterson has
turned his hand to children’s fiction. I agree with reviewer
Sam S.—this one’s a winner. He writes, “If you liked Artemis
Fowl, you’ll love this. If you liked Harry Potter or Faery
Wars, you’ll like this. And if you liked X-Men, then you’ll
love this. You see, the book is about Maximum Ride and her
gang: Angel, Iggy, Fang, Nudge and the Gasman. They’re 98%
human, 2% bird, and the kids can fly! The 6 kids all escaped
from school, the evil institution that mutated them. This
is a must-read adventure!” Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Student
reviewer Liza P. really enjoyed Westminster Abbey
(0142404136)
by Micol Ostow. The book is about a 16-year
old girl named Abby who goes to London for the summer, looking
for adventure and an escape from her parents and trouble with
her ex-boyfriend. Liza especially liked reading this over
April vacation in England! She writes, “This story includes
many popular tourist sites in and around London (lots of which
I visited) along with Abby’s experiences with friends, English
culture, and a cute British ‘bloke’ (guy), Ian. So, even if
you are not in London, I think many readers will love this!”
Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Isabel
writes: We’re getting ready for summer in the Children’s
Room with lots of great activity collections and books on
tape. The Little Box of Pirate Treasures
(0764178237)
is chock full of “everything a real pirate needs.” All of
the Klutz activity kits continue to be perennial
favorites of ours, but we recommend a couple of notable new
titles: Books In A Cup (1570542740
& 1570542716)—mini
activity books collected in a plastic cup designed for your
car’s cup holders—and a whole new line of adorable kits called
Chicken Socks which are designed for ages
2-6.
The
Callahan Cousins #1: Summer Begins (0316736902)
by Elizabeth Doyle Carey is the first in
a delightful new series featuring four 12-year old girl cousins.
Set on an island off the New England Coast, Summer Begins
chronicles the girls’ friendship and adventures as they spend
the summer with their grandmother away from any parents.
A great
book to share with your sons, especially those in grades 5-10,
is Guys Write For Guys Read (0670060275),
an anthology collected by Jon Scieszka that
consists of short pieces, comics and drawings by over 80 beloved
and notable male authors and illustrators. Chosen by readers
on the Guys Read website, each author/illustrator has included
a short biography and a selected bibliography to accompany
their selection.
Judy
H. writes: Louise Erdrich’s latest young adult novel
is here, The Game of Silence (0060297891)
—the sequel
to The Birchbark House (0786814543).
Set during the 1850s in the Lake Superior area, a young Ojibwe
named Omakayas (or Little Frog) is struggling with the encroachment
of the Chimookomanag (or the white man). They are endangering
her way of life and her family’s routines and traditions.
Erdrich, as always, gives an insightful view of Native American
culture and how callously white people treated them. This
is excellent historical fiction for the middle school reader.
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