Fair Weather

Fair Weather
By Richard Peck

I've been noticing all of these books by Richard Peck on the library shelves--some with gold or silver book award stickers--and I'd never read a single one. So I borrowed this, read it, and now I can't wait to read all the others!
It's 1893, the year of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and Rosie and her older sister, little brother and goofy grandpa head from their isolated farm by train to experience the magic and wonder of the big city and the Fair. Electric lights, running water, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, the world's first Ferris wheel and many other marvels await them....
Richard Peck describes the time period in such wonderful detail, I felt like I was right there, and I learned quite a lot about both country life and city life at the turn of the last century!

Doll Bones

Doll Bones
By Holly Black

I thought Doll Bones was just as great as it looks and sounds!
A creepy underlying story about a supposedly-murdered-girl-turned-into-a-ceremic-doll really makes for an excellent plot.
And the three middle school-aged friends, Zach, Poppy and Alice are very endearing and believable. Dealing with their own issues about growing up and getting too old to "play dolls", they embark upon an exciting adventure with many twists and turns, and some unexpected disappointments too.
An excellent book that truly kept me up--reading--at night!

P.S. I had to look up whether bone china is really made from bones...It is...!

Ninth Ward

Ninth Ward
By Jewell Parker Rhodes

Lanesha sees ghosts--all around her neighborhood in New Orleans, including her own mama who died giving birth to her. Growing up with her adopted grandmother, Mama Ya-Ya, Lanesha has become comfortable with the ghosts and even appreciates their company.
When Hurricane Katrina hits the city, Lanesha needs to be stronger than she's ever been, drawing on all the skills and knowledge Mama Ya-Ya has taught her over the past 12 years. Even the ghosts are called upon to help out as Lanesah, Mama Ya-Ya, a neighbor boy and their dog end up in a serious survival situation: the Mississippi River flooding into their home and the waters are rising and rising...
This is an intense book based on the real events of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Brown Girl Dreaming

Brown Girl Dreaming
By Jacqueline Woodson

This is a beautiful collection of story-poems about author Jacqueline Woodson's own childhood in both the South and in New York. Her perspective of the Civil Rights Movement is particularly interesting and engaging, since she was a little girl at the time and just beginning to understand what it was all about.
Brown Girl Dreaming won the National Book Award in 2014 for YA literature; click here to see the author speaking about her book when she received this prestigious award!

Joey Pigza

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
By Jack Gantos

Joey Pigza is a funny, smart, quirky kid who struggles daily with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). His medication doesn't always work, his mom has been in and out of his life, his grandma has had her own challenges being a substitute mom...things are not always very easy!
Joey gets in trouble at school, all the time--and sometimes really endangers himself and classmates. Like the time he's running with scissors...
But Joey is an awesome kid and everybody knows it. He wants to learn how to have more control, and luckily Joey has some supportive people in his life to help him out.

Firegirl

Firegirl
By Tony Abbott

Tom, an introverted 7th grader, is challenged by some difficult feelings and decisions when a new girl joins his class for a brief period of time. His classmates ruthlessly tease Jessica, who has been horribly burned in an accidental fire and receives treatments at a nearby hospital. Tom befriends Jessica, despite his fear of her, and this is ultimately an action that changes his life and forces him to rethink what friendship means.

Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park
By Rainbow Rowell

For Valentine's Day I thought I'd treat myself to a love story; my librarian friend Chalida told me, "this one will tear you apart!" so I picked it up...and couldn't put it down! And she was so right.

The alternating voices of high school juniors Eleanor and Park tell a magnificent love story. Eleanor, proud and stoic, puts up with bullying at school and at home, while Park appears to have it all. Who would have thought they would fall in love with each other on the school bus--a true, deep love--and who would have thought there would be such a beautiful book that captures every single feeling?

Sigh....