Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck Dial Books, 2006 145 pages Think back to your teen years, to the times when you sought advice on friendship, dating, college, even choosing your path in life. Maybe you confided in a favorite teacher, picked up a teen-oriented magazine, or even asked your parents for input. How … Continue reading Driving Toward a Dream
Of Fairy Tales, Family, and Friends
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall Alfred A. Knopf, 2005 262 pages The Penderwicks is a fresh but near-timeless novel. Even without its National Book Award trophy, it would be a classic-in-waiting, destined to entertain many generations of readers. Set on an estate … Continue reading Of Fairy Tales, Family, and Friends
Finding Community in the Midst of Dystopia
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry Houghton Mifflin, 2000 215 pages Lois Lowry is easily one of my favorite children's authors, and Gathering Blue is my favorite Lois Lowry novel. Set in a future, post-apocalyptic dystopia reminiscent of the early Middle Ages, the book tells the story of a teenage girl named Kira. In Kira's ruthlessly … Continue reading Finding Community in the Midst of Dystopia
Read Like a Girl 