Earlier this week the ALA announced the winners of the 2013 Caldecott Award and Honors. As soon as the winners were announced I buzzed over to local the library to snatch the books up before lengthy hold lists interfered. With a little luck and a couple of the books already in my home library, we’ve […]
Archives for January 2013
I just finished A Memory of Light…
A review of A Memory of Light (Wheel of Time) is forthcoming. First, I’ve got to get my head back in reality, just a bit.
Review | Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Auggie has always been home-schooled, but his mom thinks it’s time for him to go to a ‘real’ school. Which would be fine, except that Auggie was born with severe facial deformities. Auggie is used to people looking away from him, whispering about, or staring at him when he’s not looking, but he’s just not […]
Review | Lost in Shangri-la by Mitchell Zuckoff
In the closing months of World War II, twenty-four serviceman and WACs climbed aboard a military transport plane for a day of sightseeing over a recently discovered “hidden valley” deep in the interior of Dutch New Guinea. Surrounded by high, jungle covered mountains and far from civilization, the valley was home to natives undiscovered by […]
Review | Legend by Marie Lu
Description from Goodreads: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors, the Colonies. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into […]
Review | Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan Collier
Description: This book contains a brief history of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life from boyhood to his assassination; including quotations of some of the most powerful and famous words he said. Story: Rappaport does a great job of quickly telling the story of Dr. King’s life and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.I […]
Review | The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart
When the Maharaja of Brindor suddenly dies, his daughter, the Princess Alexandrina is left virtually penniless. Thankfully, Queen Victoria grants her a grace-and-favor home in Hampton Court Palace. Shortly after her arrival to Hampton Court Palace she is invited to a picnic with her new neighbors and is given the assignment of bringing a pigeon pie. […]
Review | The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Newbery committee did a wonderful job in choosing this book to be their winner in 2009. The committee does not often choose fantasy/paranormal books for it’s award. But The Graveyard Book was fantastic, and definitely deserved the Newbery. Gaiman creates a world so out of the box and yet so completely believable and acceptable […]









