What should I read next?

The holiday break is approaching quickly, and it is time to find some great books to read.  I love this time of year when the "Best Books of 2016" lists begin to be published.  I often find books on the lists that I haven't read yet, and this year is not exception.  I have been in a little slump lately, and haven't found a book to review that I have really loved.  So I thought I would share a couple sites that offer lists of the "best" with some great looking suggestions.  I am going to read Tales of the Peculiar over the break (written by the same author as the Miss Peregrine books) and The Girl From Everywhere (Thanks for the great suggestion Miss Busk!)  I will review those for you after the break, but in the meantime, check out these great lists and happy reading!

http://www.readbrightly.com/the-most-exciting-ya-books-to-read-in-2016/

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/2016-best-fiction-young-adults

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/teen/best-young-adult-books-2016/

Wolf Hollow

When reading Lauren Wolk's novel Wolf Hollow I couldn't help but think of To Kill a Mockingbird, one of my favorite books of all time.  Like the Harper Lee novel, this book explores discrimination, but not based in racism, rather social status.  While Wolf Hollow may not become a great American classic, it is definitely worth a read!  

Summary

Growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. While others have always seen Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. She will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of justice as tensions mount.

Brilliantly crafted, Wolf Hollow is a haunting tale of America at a crossroads and a time when one girl’s resilience, strength, and compassion help to illuminate the darkest corners of our history.

“The honesty of Wolf Hollow will just about shred your heart, but Annabelle’s courage and compassion will restore it to you, fuller than before. This book matters.” —Sara Pennypacker, New York Times bestselling author of Pax“An evocative setting, memorable characters, a searing story: Wolf Hollow has stayed with me long after I closed the book. It has the feel of an instant classic." —Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author

Welcome Back to school and the Wizarding World

Welcome back to school everyone.  I hope that you all had a great summer, and that you have settled into the school year.  I read lots of great books this summer, and can't wait to share some of them with you!  Lets start with the return of our favorite wizard...

It has been 9 years since J.K. Rowling published a Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the Harry Potter series.  I have told many of you before that I LOVED all of the books, except I wasn't very happy with the epilogue written at the end of the Deathly Hallows.  I didn't think it was necessary, the book should have ended after the Battle of Hogwarts...however, she did write it, and what was there was hugely unsatisfying.  It answered some questions we had about our favorite characters, but left WAY too many questions unanswered.  I just found the whole chapter disappointing.  I was stunned when I heard that they were making a new play, to be performed at the Palace theater in London, that was being billed at the 8th story in the HP series.  STUNNED.  Then I was shocked when they announced that the script to the play was going to made available in print so that fans could enjoy the story even if they didn't get to see it performed live.  SHOCKED.

I decided last September that I had to see the play if I could.  I was able to get two tickets to see it in August.  Then I was chosen as the recepient of the Faculty Enrichment grant, which provided the funds for this adventure in London.  I made the decision not to read the script before I went to see the play live.  I didn't want to have any expectations.  This was a great decision, because none of the surprises were spoiled.  Then I read the script when we got back from London.  So here are my thoughts and impressions.  No spoilers.  I am on board with #KeepTheSecrets

1.  If you are a fan of HP then you will love finding out what has become of your favorite characters, and disappointed that some of them never appear in the story at all.

2.  Reading the script is not the same as seeing it live.  It is hard to really get into the "story" when you are simply reading the dialog of the script.

3.  Some parts of the story/play feel rushed, and some parts drag on for too long.  You will see what I mean when you read it.

4.  Time turners are both awesome and horrible.  Terrible things happen to wizards who mess with time.

5.  The magic is still there.

Enjoy, and take the time to read the script.

Peculiar Children

It has been a while since my last post, but I have been reading a new series and I wanted to wait until I had read them all.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was published 3 years ago as the start of this trilogy.  The author Ransom Riggs combines fiction with actual photography to create a truly unique reading experience.  Sixteen year old Jacob has just suffered a tragic loss.  While dealing with his grief he travels to a remote island off the coast of Whales.  While exploring a long abandoned home for children who had been quarantined on the island, Jacob discovers that the children may have been sent to live on the island not because of illness but rather due to the dangerous abilities they possessed, and that they may still be alive.  All three books follow Jacob and his experiences with the peculiar children, and contain actual vintage photographs that contribute to the spooky air of the books.  If you are looking for a thrilling read over the Holiday break, start this series.  Hollow City and Library of Souls follow Miss Peregrine.  See full summaries below. Have a great holiday break and happy reading!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

From the Publisher

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow--impossible though it seems--they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Hollow City

From the Publisher

September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them--but she's trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom. Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.

Library of Souls

From the Publisher

A New York Times #1 best seller

A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.

The adventure that began with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and continued in Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he's diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They'll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil's Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It's a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.

Book Sale and Author Visit

Each October the PA hosts the amazing Fall Book Sale in the library.  It is a great opportunity to check out some the newest books for young adult readers.  Part of this event involves hosting an author on campus for a day for assemblies and book signings.  We are so lucky this year to welcome Lisa Safron, mother of Peck alum Renee, to discuss her first YA novel Cut Paste Gone.  This entertaining novel reminds us all to be careful what you wish for!  Happy Reading!

From the Publisher:
Seventh grade wasn't supposed to be this hard for Mona Ryland. She just got her worst grade ever on a science test, her best friend Turnbacker is suddenly turning into her first crush, her sister Violet is acting weirder than usual, and worst of all, Mona just can't shake the loss of her beloved, kooky, tracksuit-wearing Gram. After finding a mysterious birthday gift--an unusual pair of bejeweled scissors--Mona uses them to create a collage. Cut paste is her therapeutic hobby. But the imaginary world Mona pieces together on paper is beginning to mesh with her real life in ways she never expected.

Get ready to revisit an old friend!

Welcome back to school!  I hope that everyone had a great summer, and that you are as excited about this school year as I am.  My family and I traveled A LOT this summer, and I read some really great books that I am excited to share with you in the next couple of months.  I will start in October with a new book written by the mother of a Peck graduate.  She will be visiting us during the book sale at the end of October.

In the mean time, if you have not heard, we are about to be revisited by an old friend.  It is no secret that I am HUGE fan of the Harry Potter book series, and I am excited to hear that we will be able to visit the HP universe in a lot of exciting new ways.   If you follow entertainment, tech, or publishing news, you may have heard that there are some really exciting things happening in the wizarding world.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling, was written like a Hogwarts text book, and a movie version of this book is currently in production.  Next, if you are a user of the Pottermore website, big changes are on the way.  Rowling is moving away from the Hogwarts/house format, and releasing a newly redesigned website soon.  Make sure to login, read as much of the newly published stories on the site as you can before they are taken down (Remus Lupin's back story is my personal favorite), and earn points for your house (go Ravenclaw!).  The muggle city of London will soon play host to yet another Harry Potter attraction.  "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is a play based on a J.K. Rowling story that will premiering next summer on a West End stage.

Finally, if all of these new HP items aren't enough, there is one more exciting event happening on October 6.  Scholastic and Bloomsbury will be releasing a fully illustrated version of the Sorcerer's Stone!  They have been slowly releasing some of the Jim Kay illustrations in the last couple of weeks, and it looks like it is going to be beautiful.  I have pre-ordered a copy for the library and I am excited to share it with all of you when it arrives.  Here is a little preview:

Happy reading!
-Mrs. MacVicar

El Deafo and Brown Girl Dreaming

If you enjoyed Smile by Raina Telgemeier, then you are also going to like Cece Bell's El Deafo, one of the two 2015 Newbery Honor Books.  Bell uses a graphic novel format to tell about her difficult time growing up with hearing loss.  I loved the Bell's artwork, and she masterfully weaves together humor and serious moments that leave you wanting to learn more about her life.  Enjoy this great book!

From the Publisher:

A 2015 Newbery Honor Book Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful--and very awkward--hearing aid.
The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear--sometimes things she shouldn't--but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become "El Deafo, Listener for All." And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she's longed for.

Brown Girl Dreaming is the second Newbery honor book this year, and the winner of the National Book Award.  The author Jaqueline Woodson has written a number of books about based her experiences growing up in South Carolina in the 1960s and 1970s, but this book of poems might be the most powerful she has ever written.  Woodson uses her poems to tell of her struggle to learn how to read, and find her place in a nation where there were still Jim Crow laws.  This is a powerful book that will leave you thinking about it long after the story is done.  

Booklist starred August 2014 (Vol. 110, No. 22)

Grades 5-8. What is this book about? In an appended author’s note, Woodson says it best: “my past, my people, my memories, my story.” The resulting memoir in verse is a marvel, as it turns deeply felt remembrances of Woodson’s preadolescent life into art, through memories of her homes in Ohio, South Carolina, and, finally, New York City, and of her friends and family. Small things—ice cream from the candy store, her grandfather’s garden, fireflies in jelly jars—become large as she recalls them and translates them into words. She gives context to her life as she writes about racial discrimination, the civil rights movement, and, later, Black Power. But her focus is always on her family. Her earliest years are spent in Ohio, but after her parents separate, her mother moves her children to South Carolina to live with Woodson’s beloved grandparents, and then to New York City, a place, Woodson recalls, “of gray rock, cold and treeless as a bad dream.” But in time it, too, becomes home; she makes a best friend, Maria, and begins to dream of becoming a writer when she gets her first composition notebook and then discovers she has a talent for telling stories. Her mother cautions her not to write about her family, but, happily, many years later she has—and the result is both elegant and eloquent, a haunting book about memory that is itself altogether memorable.