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More Forgotten Treasures

Sep16

My favorite meme from BBAW this year is the Forgotten Treasures meme from Thursday (yesterday) in which we all named favorite books that we feel have been neglected or forgotten or under-appreciated. Here are some of the titles I found at other bloggers’ sites that I either agreed should be read by all discerning readers or that I was inspired to read myself because I’ve been one of those who missed out on that particular treasure.

I agree; it’s a treasure!
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards. Recommended at 5 Minutes for Books. I wrote about Mandy and some other secret hiding place books for children here.
Gautami Tripathy is right: All of the more than 90 books by P.G. Wodehouse are deserving of a wide audience. In fact, Wodehouse is a better cure for depression than drugs or counseling. Cheaper, too.
Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza. Recommended at A Buckeye Girl Reads. I read this nonfiction memoir from the Rwandan holocaust, and I agree that the story is haunting and inspiring.
The GIver by Lois Lowry. Recommended at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read. I like this classic dystopian novel, too.
Countdown by Deborah Wiles. Recommended at Erin Reads. I read this middle grade fiction title set in 1962 and wrote about it here.
Half Magic by Edward Eager. Recommended at A Tapestry of Words. I love Edward Eager! I love Edward Eager. And I think Half Magic is my favorite of his books.

I want to discover these treasures!
A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True by Brigid Pasulka. Recommended by The Lost Entwife. Poland. WW II. Family intrigue and history. I’m hooked.
Eli the Good by Silas House. Recommended by SuziQOregon at Whimpulsive. YA fiction.
My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay. Recommended at Books, Movies and Chinese Food. This YA fiction book tells the story of a fateful mission trip to Indonesia and the teens who survived. The description reminds me of this book, also set in Indonesia and one I found quite compelling.
The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins. Recommended at Take Me Away. A coming of age story about a gypsy boy and his father in Ireland. My fascination with becoming immersed in the details of a completely foreign culture is definitely triggered.
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman. Recommended at Love YA Lit. Wow! How did I miss this one? A young man, Shawn, is stuck inside a non-functioning body, unable to communicate. And he’s afraid his father might want to let him/make him die because dad believes Shawn has the mind of an infant an a life of unbearable suffering. I’ve got to read this book.
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson. Recommended at Aelia Reads. Fairy tale re-telling. Check.
Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelley. Recommended by Pixie at Page Turners. New book about a girl with Asperger’s who learns to make friends in a new town. Pixie, you should nominate this one for the Cybils when nominations open on October 1st.
The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor. Recommended by My Friend Amy. Ditto above. This one looks as if it could be a worthy Cybils nominee, too.
The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. About outcasts and life (and death?) on the margins. I’ve ot to read this one. Recommended by My Friend Amy.
Gabriel’s Story by David Anthony Durham. Recommended by Natasha at Maw Books. A Western? Yeah, this one sounds too good to miss.
War Child by Emmanuel Jal. Also recommended by Natasha at Maw Books. And here’s another book for my Africa project.
Stone’s Fall by Iain Pear. Recommended by Alyce, at home with books. At 600+ pages, I’m not sure when I’ll get around to this one. But it might be worth the time.
The Valley of Song by Elizabeth Goudge. Recommended at Charlotte’s Library. A “dizzying pastiche of mythology, folklore, and Christianity.” A secret, magical valley. I can’t resist.
True Confections by Kathryn Weber. Recommended by The Literary Omnivore. Enter into the world of candy-making. And the main character can’t stand Roald Dahl. Me, too.
Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson. Recommended by Melissa at Book Nut.
The WInthrop Woman by Anya Seton. Recommended by Suey at It’s All About the Book. I’ve been reading about the Pilgrims and the Puritans, so this novel is quite timely for me. Also, I liked Seton’s Katharine, about Katharine Swynford, very much when I read it a couple of years ago.
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Recommended at Genre Reviews. YA Christian fantasy.
The World Inside by Robert Silverburg. Recommended at Opinions of a Wolf. Dystopian fiction about an overpopulated world.
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. Recommended by Leeswammes. More dystopian fiction, this time from the 950’s, but according to the reviewer still relevant.

Oh, my. Did I really just add 19 more books to my already unmanageable TBR list? Yes, I did. And now I am stepping away from the computer. No more Forgotten Treasures, or I may drown in this embarrassment of riches.

Sunday Salon: Books Read in June, 2010

Jul4

Adult Fiction:
The Laws of Harmony by Judith Hendricks.

Very Good, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse.

So Much For That by Lionel Shriver. Ms. Shriver rants about health care, and tells a pretty good story. Semicolon review here.

Mandala by Pearl S. Buck. Set in India, not China.

Children’s and YA Fiction:
Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John. Semicolon review here.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Semicolon review here.

The GIrl Who Saw Lions by Berlie Doherty.

Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong. Laotian refugees escape to Thailand, then to America. Semicolon review here.

Exposure by Mal Peet. Soccer and celebrity in South America. Semicolon review here.

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Would you like to be able to hear anything anyone said about you, anywhere in the world? Semicolon review here.

For the Win by Cory Doctorow. Computer games and organized labor? Semicolon review here.

The Long Way Home by Andrew Klavan. Sequel to The Last Thing I Remember. Semicolon review here.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles. Where were you in 1962? Semicolon review here.

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George.

Beautiful by Cindy Martinuson-Coloma. Finalist for the 2010 Christy Award for Young Adult Fiction. Semicolon review here.

Nonfiction:
Get Me Out of Here by Rachel Reiland. Memoir of a woman diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Too Freudian for me, but it seemed to work for the author.

Disrupting Grace: A Story of Relinquishment and Healing by Kristin RIchburg. Another memoir, this time about a failed adoption. The adoptee in the story seemed, in my amateur judgement, to have a juvenile version of BPD, but in children it’s called “attachment disorder.” Semicolon review here.

Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream by Adam Shepard. Semicolon review here.

52 Ways to Celebrate Independence Day

Jul1

1. O Beautiful for spacious skies . . .
Sing a patriotic song.

2. The Battle Hymn of the Republic

3. Some picture books for July 4th:
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Paul Revere’s Ride.Illustrated by Ted Rand. Dutton, 1990.
Dalgliesh, Alice.The 4th of July Story. Alladin, 1995. (reprint edition)
Spier, Peter. The Star-Spangled Banner. Dragonfly Books, 1992.
Bates, Katharine Lee. America the Beautiful. Illustrated by Neil Waldman. Atheneum, 1993.
Devlin, Wende. Cranberry Summer.
St. George, Judith. The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence.
Osornio, Catherine. The Declaration of Independence from A to Z.
More picture books for Independence Day.

4. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born July 4, 1804. Advice from Nathaniel Hawthorne on Blogging.

5. Stephen Foster was born on July 4, 1826. The PBS series American Experience has an episode on the life of Stephen Foster, author of songs such as Beautiful Dreamer and Oh! Susanna.

6. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, July 4, 1826, fifty years after adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Adams’ last words were: “Thomas Jefferson still survives.”
Jefferson’s last words: “Is it the fourth?”
I highly recommend both David McCullough’s biography of John Adams and the PBS minseries based on McCullough’s book.

7. Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872. He is supposed to have said, “If you don’t say anything, you won’t be called on to repeat it,” and “I have never been hurt by anything I didn’t say.”
Also, “we do not need more intellectual power, we need more spiritual power. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen.”
Amen to that.
More on Calvin Coolidge and the Fourth of July from A Gracious Home.

8. You could make your own fireworks for the Fourth of July. Engineer Husband really used to do this when he was a young adolescent, and I can’t believe his parents let him. He tried to make nitroglycerine once, but he got scared and made his father take it outside and dispose of it! Maybe you should just read about how fireworks are made and then imagine making your own.

9. On July 4, 1970 Casey Kasem hosted “American Top 40” on radio for the first time. I cannot tell a lie; in high school I spent every Sunday afternoon listening to Casey Kasem count down the Top 40 hits of the week. Why not make up your own TOp 40 All-American Hits List and play it on the fourth for your family?

10. Via Ivy’s Coloring Page Search Engine, I found this page of free coloring sheets for the 4th of July. We liked the fireworks page.

11. Fly your American flag.

12. Read a poem to your children about Leetla Giorgio Washeenton. Or read this biography of George Washington.

13. Read about another president you admire.

14. Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen. Subtitled “The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787,” this book is the one that gave me the story of the US constitution. It’s suitable for older readers, at least middle school age, but it’s historical writing at its best. I loved reading about Luther Martin of Maryland, whom Henry Adams described as “the notorious reprobate genius.” Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts who was”always satisfied to shoot an arrow without caring about the wound he caused.” (Both Gerry and Martin refused to sign the final version of the Constitution.) Of course, there were Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution, George Washington, who presided over the convention in which all present knew that they were creating a presidency for him to fill, and Ben Franklin, the old man and elder statesman who had to be carried to the convention in a sedan chair. Ms. Bowen’s book brings all these characters and more to life and gives the details of the deliberations of the constitutional convention in readable and interesting format.

15. Watch a movie.
Getttysburg is a tragedy within the tragedy that was the Civil War, but it’s also patriotic and inspiring.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington has Jimmy Stewart demonstrating what’s wrong and what’s right about American government and politics.
I like 1776, the musical version of the making of the Declaration Of Independence.
Other patriotic movies. And a few more.

16. Have yourself some BarBQ.

17. Play a game.

18. Organize a bike parade.

19. Host a (cup)cake decorating contest.

20. Download a free Independence Day wallpaper for your computer.

21. Photograph some fireworks. Check out some fireworks photographs.

22. Listen to The Midnight Ride from Focus on the Family’s series, Adventures in Odyssey, to be broadcast on Monday July 5th.

23. Read aloud the Declaration of Independence.

24. Download some free marches by John Philip Sousa, performed by the U.S. Marine Band. I played two of these, not very well, on my flute when I was in Homer Anderson’s Bobcat Band: King Cotton and The Invincible Eagle.

25. Enjoy A Capitol Fourth, broadcast live on PBS from Washington, D.C.

26. Send an e-card to someone you love.

27. Pledge allegiance with Red Skelton.

28. Bake and decorate a flag cake.

29. When Life sends you an Independence Day, make lemonade.

30. July is National Hot Dog Month and National Baked Bean Month.

31. Fourth of July Crafts and Treats: cupcakes, windsocks, stars, hats, and more.

32. A patriotic pedicure?

33. More Fourth of July crafts.

34. Patriotic parfait.

35. Start an all-American read aloud, such as:
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes.
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott.
Guns for General Washington by Seymour Reit.
Tolliver’s Secret by Esther Woods Brady.

36. Independence Day printables from Crayola. And more coloring pages from Moms Who Think.

37. SIng the U.S. national anthem, Oh, Say Can You See?, all the way through. Memorize at least the first verse.

38. More Fourth of July recipes.

39. We always attend the Fourth of July parade in Friendswood, Texas, except this year when we’ll be traveling. Anyway, find a parade and take the kids or grandkids or neighbor kids. A Fourth of July parade is a celebration of American patriotism in a capsule.

40. Free patriotic U.S.A. calendars.

41. Fourth of July art projects for preschoolers and the young at heart.

42. Read a version of Patrick Henry’s great Give Me Liberty speech.

43. Check out A Book of Americans by Rosemary and Stephen Vincent Benet. It’s a great book of poems about various famous Americans, and I think lots of kids would enjoy hearing it read aloud, maybe a poem a day in July.

44. Make a pinwheel or other printable craft. Or print some games.

45. Spend some time praying for our nation’s leaders: President Barack Obama, your senators, your representatives, the governor of your state, your state representatives, and others.

46. Wear red, white, and blue. Or put red and blue streaks in your hair. When I was in junior high, flag pins and ponchos were in style. I had a flag pin and a red, white, and blue poncho, both of which I wore together. I was stylin’!

47. On July 4, 1845, Henry David Thoreau went to live near Walden Pond. Thoreau and Sherry on Clothing.

48. Any of the following nonfiction book for children would make a good Fourth of July history lesson:
The Story of the Boston Tea Party by R. Conrad Stein
The Story of Lexington and Concord by R. Conrad Stein
The Signers: The 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence by Dennis Brindell Fradin
The Story of the Declaration of Independence by Norman Richards
The American Revolution (Landmark Books) by Bruce Jr Bliven
The War for Independence: The Story of the American Revolution by Albert Marrin
The Story of Valley Forge by R. Conrad Stein
Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz
The Story of the Battle of Yorktown by Anderson
Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen.
The Story of the Constitution by Marilyn Prolman
In Defense of Liberty: The Story of America’s Bill of Rights by Russell Freedman
An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy
George Washington and the Founding of a Nation by Albert Marrin
The Story of Old Glory by Mayer

49. Host a block party or potluck dinner.

50. Take a picnic to the park.

51. Read 1776 by David McCullough. I’ve been intending to read this historical tome for several years. Maybe this year is the year.

52. Go to church. SInce Independence Day falls on a Sunday this year, it’s a good day to go to church and thank the God who made and preserves this nation and all nations and to ask His continued mercy and grace upon all of us. God bless America.

More Cures for a Slow Summer

Jun4

My posts about things to do for those who need a cure for summer boredom continue to be quite popular and bring lots of hits to this blog. You can look at some of these ideas in the following posts:

June: Celebrations, Links, and Birthdays
Bored –Nothing to Do: 100 Ideas to Cure Boredom
100 More Things to Do When You’re Bored: Summer Edition
Summer Reading 2010: 52 Picks for the Hol(idays)

And here are a few fresh ideas and links:

The Village Church: Family Summer Activity Booklet
Rebecca’s Pocket: 2010 Summer Reading Lists
Summer Craft Projects at About.com

Sunday Salon: Books Read in May, 2010

May30

Children and YA Fiction:
To Come and Go Like Magic by Katie Pickard Fawcett. Semicolon review here.
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone. Magical miniature rooms in a Chicago museum. Semicolon review here.
The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork (the same author who wrote Marcelo in the Real World). Semicolon review here.
The Batboy by Mike Lupica.
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Semicolon review here.
Akimbo and the Elephants by Alexander McCall Smith.
The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John.

Adult Fiction:
Greenmantle by John Buchan. Lots of rather obscure historical references and geographical details and early twentieth century slang, but it’s still a thrilling ride worth persisting.
Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute. Semicolon review here. Shute also wrote A Town Called Alice and On the Beach.
The Pact by Jodi Piccoult. I decided to give Ms. Piccoult another try, and although this one was much better than the one I read a few months ago, it still had some issues. Piccoult writes problem novels, and in this one the problem is teen suicide. Interspersed thorughout are details about various characters’ sex lives that were vivid and gratuitous. At least, I thought they were gratuitous since I could see no reason that we needed to know. I’m kind of old-fashioned that way: I think sex, even fictional sex, should be private unless it serves some purpose to advance the plot or theme or characterizations in the novel. The book itself was a page turner, and I read to the end to see what would happen. Pay your money and you’ll take your chances.
The Far Country by Nevil Shute. Not as good as Trustee or the other two mentioned above, but it does have some lovely descriptive passages extolling the beauty of the Australian countryside.

Nonfiction:
National Geographic Mysteries of History by Robert Stewart. Basic stuff: Stonehenge, King Arthur, The Hindenburg, etc.
Plan B by Pete Wilson.
Disrupting Grace: A Story of Relinquishment and Healing by Kristen Richburg.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett.

The Books I Would Like to See at BEA–If I Were There

May27

Children’s and YA Fiction:
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-Made Catastrophes by Lenore Look (Schwartz & Wade, September 2010).
The Three Little Dassies by Jan Brett. (Putnam Juvenile, September, 2010)
Betsy Red Hoodie by Gail Carson Levine. (HarperCollins, September, 2010)
Hero by Mike Lupica (Philomel). A 14-year-old boy develops superpowers in Lupica’s latest, a departure from his sports-themed books.
Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypackerllus. by Marla Frazee. A great week for Clementine takes a turn for the worse. (Hyperion, July 2010)
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park (Clarion) weaves together stories of a Sudanese girl in 2008 and a “lost boy” in 1985.
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown) is a mystery involving four children and a candy contest.
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins. (Charlesbridge)
Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson (Atheneum)
Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart (EgmontUSA, August, 2010)

Adult Fiction:
The Confession by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 26, 2010)
The Singer’s Gun by Emily St. John Mandel. (Unbridled Books)

Nonfiction:
A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty by Joni Eareckson Tada (David C Cook, September 30, 2010)
What Good Is God by Philip Yancey (FaithWords/Hatchette Book Group)
Book Lust to Go by Nancy Pearl (Sasquatch Books)
Rage Against God by Peter Hitchens (Zondervan)

Summer Reading: 52 Picks for the Hols

May24

I used to love to read the British slang in books by C.S. Lewis, E. Nesbit, P.G. Wodehouse, and others. It took me a long time to figure out that those kids weren’t carrying actual torches in their pockets (how?), but rather normal old flashlights. And “hols” were holidays, any break from school.

Some of the books on the following list are old, some are new. Some I’ve read and loved, and others I plan to enjoy this summer. So, whether you’re taking a break from school for next few months/weeks or just easing into a different routine for the summer, here are some summer-y suggestions for your reading pleasure:

Picture Books: (Preschool/Kindergarten)
1. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey.
2. The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow. About a summer thunderstorm.
3. Roxaboxen by Alice McLarren. A group of children in Arizona or New Mexico, somewhere dry and desert-y, make a play town out of old woden crates, rocks, cacti and desert glass. The illustrations are by Barbara Cooney. This book reminds me of the story Engineer Husband tells of making towns in the dirt in his backyard and then flooding them with the garden hose. Except I don’t think Roxaboxen ever suffered any floods.
4. Nothing To Do by Russell Hoban. I love this book. Unfortunately, it’s out of print. Walter Possum, a Frances-like character but related only by author, is bored and can find nothing to do. When he complains his father gives him a “magic stone”at will give him ideas if he will only rub it and think really hard and wait for the ideas to come. This one is just as good as the Frances books.
5. Harry by the Sea by Gene Zion. Harry, a white dog with black spots, tries to find a way to cool off at the seashore.
6. Cranberry Summer by Wende Devlin.
7. Hot Air Henry by Mary Calhoun. Henry the cat takes an accidental trip in a hot air balloon.
8. The Summer Noisy Book by Margaret Wise Brown.
9. On A Summer Day by Lois Lenski. Out of print and hard to find. Try your library. Isn’t the cover delightful?
10. A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle.

Younger Readers: (Ages 5-9)
11. Because of Winn-DIxie by Kate DiCamillo.
12. Betsy’s Busy Summer by Carolyn Haywood. Ms. Haywood’s books are delightfully old-fashioned and fairly easy to read. I may read this one with Z-baby.
13. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.
14. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor.
15. Many Moons by James Thurber. THere’s a newer version of this classic about a princess who wanted the moon with illustrator Marc Simont. It’s OK, but I like Slobodkin’s watercolors.
16. Moxy Maxwell Does NOT Love Stuart Little by Peggy GIfford.
17. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look.
18. Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by Cynthia Rylant. (very easy)
19. Summersaults by Douglas Florian. Kid poetry for summer.
20. The Littles and the Big Storm by John Peterson.

Middle Grade Readers: (Ages 9-13)
21. Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder. Four children find a wall that can transport them through time and space. Semicolon review here.
22. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall.
23. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis. The Dawn Treader movie is supposed to come out in December, so this summer would be a good time to read the book if you haven’t already done so. It has one of the best opening lines in literature, and Eustace’s redemption is a beautiful story. “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.”
24. Henry Reed, Inc. by Keith Robertson. A great old-fashioned book about a boy who spends the summer in a small town with his uncle and aunt. Exciting things happen whenever Henry is around!
25. SIx Innings by James Preller. Baseball and summer just go together. Semicolon review here.
26. Leepike RIdge by N.D. Wilson. Semicolon review here.
27. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mich Cochrane. Semicolon review here.
28. Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff.
29. Spiderweb for Two: A Melendy Maze by Elizabeth Enright. It doesn’t take place in the summer, but I thought it did. It would make a great summer adventure.
30. Galveston’s Summer of the Storm by Julie Lake. Very lazy Texas summer with Texas foods and hot weather and front porches and grandmother’s house. Then disaster!

Young Adult:
31. The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork. Brought to my attention by Mitali at Mitali’s Fire Escape. Semicolon review here.
32. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle. One of my favorites. I think it’s time for a re-read.
33. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene. A 12 year old Jewish girl from Arkansas meets a German prisoner of war and helps him to escape. As her family life deteriorates, her emotional involvement with her German friend grows.
34. Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins. Semicolon review here.
35. Heist Society by Ally Carter. I haven’t read this one yet, but I want to.
36. They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney. Another one the I want to read. Here’s Jen’s review.
37. The Chosen by Chaim Potok.
38. Watership Down by Richard Adams. Hey, LOST (TV) isn’t really over, is it, until we’ve read all the books that LOST references? Watership Down was one of Sawyer’s reads, and even Boone said that he’d read it in Australia. If you haven’t, you should. It’s about bunny rabbits.
39. Ask Me Anything by J. Budziszewski. Professor Theophilus gives provocative answers to college students’ questions. The book is written by a professor of government and philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin.
40. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. The final book in the Hunger Games trilogy will be out AUgust 24th. Still summer, but barely.

Adult Fiction and Nonfiction
41. The Summer of the Great-Grandmother by Madeleine L’Engle.
42. Bring Me a Unicorn: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1922-1928. Before she was married to famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, Anne Morrow, daughter of the American ambassador to Mexico, kept a journal and wrote a plethora of letters. This book is the first of five volumes of collected letters and journal entries of Anne Morrow soon-to-be Lindbergh. The others are called: Hour of Gold Hour of Lead, Locked Rooms Open Doors, The Flower and the Nettle, and War Within and Without.
43. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. It’s been a long time since I read this classic, but I remember it as a very summery book. Sad and summery.
44. Miracle in Philadelphia by Caroline Drinker Bowen. Read about that hot summer in Philadelphia 1787, and and celebrate the miracle that is the U.S. Constitution.
45. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. June selection for the Semicolon Book Club.
46. Mrs. Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson. July selection for Semicolon Book Club. I just read my first book by D.E. Stevenson, and I’m looking forward to another.
47. 1776 by David McCullough. Another summertime American history book.
48. Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. Just read it. It’s wonderful.
49. Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins. Every summer should include travel and adventure.
50. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees. Reviewed by Florinda at the 3 R’s.
51. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. Everyone recommends this one. This summer I’m going to read it.

52. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. I guess this one is really a YA fiction title, but I ran out of room on that list, and it’s just as good for adults. Marcelo’s summer job at his father law office teaches him about the real world, but his co-workers learn a few things, too, from the wonderfully honest and autistic Marcelo. Semicolon review here.

I case that’s not enough, here a few more lists:

Death in Summer: Mysteries for Hot Days
Summer Reading: 2006

This post is linked to Armchair BEA because these are the books I’d be talking about, and in some cases looking for, if I were there. Come back tomorrow for an interview with a very special and stunningly beautiful blogger and Armchair BEA participant. And Thursday I’ll give you a list of all the books I’d like to snag see if I were at BookExpo America this week. Those of you who are ther: enjoy!

Sunday Salon: Books Read in April, 2010

May2

Nonfiction:
Apparent Danger: The Pastor of America’s First Megachurch and the Texas Murder Trial of the Decade in the 1920’s by David Stokes. Semicolon review here.

Plan B by Pete Wilson.

The Whole Five Feet: What the Great Books Taught Me About Life, Death, and Pretty Much Everything Else by Christopher R. Beha.

A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith. Semicolon review here.

Adult Fiction:
An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson. Semicolon review here.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Semicolon review here.

Vittoria Cottage by D.E. Stevenson. Semicolon review here.

Daniel Isn’t Talking by Marti Leimbach. Recommended at Polishing Mudballs.

Children’s/YA Fiction:
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart.

For the Love of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli. Semicolon review here.

Willow by Julia Hoban. Semicolon review here.

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell. Semicolon review here.

Best Fiction for the month: The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Best Nonfiction: (hard call–all four were good) A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith.

I also started a couple of books, but didn’t finish them: Bone by Bone by Carol O’Connell and The Ever-breath by Julianna Baggot were just not my cuppa. And I dipped into Joan Didion’s book of essays, Slouching Toward Bethelehem. I’ll probably keep reading the essays even though several of the ones I read seem a bit obscure or esoteric in subject.

Christy Awards for Christian Fiction

Apr29

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The Christy Advisory Board is pleased to announce nominees in nine categories for the 2010 Christy Awards honoring Christian fiction. The Christy Awards will be conferred in advance of the International Christian Retailing Show at a ceremony at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel, Sat., June 26, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. Author and entrepreneur Lisa Samson, a two-time Christy Award winner and seven-time nominee, will present the keynote address.

Tickets to the event are $30. For more information about the awards reception and to make reservations (beginning Apr. 30), visit the Christy Award website.

The 2010 Christy Award nominees are:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills • Tyndale House Publishers

How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus • Barbour Publishing

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson • Thomas Nelson

The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth • Zondervan

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
June Bug by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson

Veiled Freedom by Jeanette Windle • Tyndale House Publishers

FIRST NOVEL
The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry • Moody Publishers

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent • Tyndale House Publishers

Scared by Tom Davis • David C. Cook

HISTORICAL
A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey • Revell Books: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

HISTORICAL ROMANCE†
Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander • Thomas Nelson

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

SUSPENSE
Intervention by Terri Blackstock • Zondervan

Lost Mission by Athol Dickson • Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster

The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

VISIONARY
By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson • Marcher Lord Press

The Enclave by Karen Hancock • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

Valley of the Shadow by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers

YOUNG ADULT
Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma • Thomas Nelson

The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason • David C. Cook

North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Sunday Salon: Top 100 Children’s Novels

Apr18

Betsy at Fuse #8 has been counting down the Top 100 Children’s Novels from the survey she took back in January. Then, Teacher Ninja turned the list into a meme: which of the Top 100 Children’s Novels have you read? I put the ones I’ve read in bold, and the ones I’ve tasted in italics.

100. The Egypt Game – Snyder (1967)
99. The Indian in the Cupboard – Banks (1980)
98. Children of Green Knowe – Boston (1954)
97. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – DiCamillo (2006)
96. The Witches – Dahl (1983)
95. Pippi Longstocking – Lindgren (1950)
94. Swallows and Amazons – Ransome (1930)
93. Caddie Woodlawn – Brink (1935)
92. Ella Enchanted – Levine (1997)
91. Sideways Stories from Wayside School – Sachar (1978)
90. Sarah, Plain and Tall – MacLachlan (1985)
89. Ramona and Her Father – Cleary (1977)
88. The High King – Alexander (1968)
87. The View from Saturday – Konigsburg (1996)
86. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – Rowling (1999)
85. On the Banks of Plum Creek – Wilder (1937)
84. The Little White Horse – Goudge (1946)
83. The Thief – Turner (1997)
82. The Book of Three – Alexander (1964)
81. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon – Lin (2009)
80. The Graveyard Book – Gaiman (2008)
79. All-of-a-Kind-Family – Taylor (1951)
78. Johnny Tremain – Forbes (1943)
77. The City of Ember – DuPrau (2003)
76. Out of the Dust – Hesse (1997)
75. Love That Dog – Creech (2001)
74. The Borrowers – Norton (1953)
73. My Side of the Mountain – George (1959)
72. My Father’s Dragon – Gannett (1948)
71. The Bad Beginning – Snicket (1999)
70. Betsy-Tacy – Lovelace (1940)
69. The Mysterious Benedict Society – Stewart (2007)
68. Walk Two Moons – Creech (1994)
67. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher – Coville (1991)
66. Henry Huggins – Cleary (1950)
65. Ballet Shoes – Streatfield (1936)
64. A Long Way from Chicago – Peck (1998)
63. Gone-Away Lake – Enright (1957)
62. The Secret of the Old Clock – Keene (1959)
61. Stargirl – Spinelli (2000)
60. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle – Avi (1990)
59. Inkheart – Funke (2003)
58. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Aiken (1962)
57. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 – Cleary (1981)
56. Number the Stars – Lowry (1989)
55. The Great Gilly Hopkins – Paterson (1978)
54. The BFG – Dahl (1982)
53. Wind in the Willows – Grahame (1908)
52. The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007)
51. The Saturdays – Enright (1941)
50. Island of the Blue Dolphins – O’Dell (1960)
49. Frindle – Clements (1996)
48. The Penderwicks – Birdsall (2005)
47. Bud, Not Buddy – Curtis (1999)
46. Where the Red Fern Grows – Rawls (1961)
45. The Golden Compass – Pullman (1995)
44. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing – Blume (1972)
43. Ramona the Pest – Cleary (1968)
42. Little House on the Prairie – Wilder (1935)
41. The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Speare (1958)
40. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Baum (1900)
39. When You Reach Me – Stead (2009)
38. HP and the Order of the Phoenix – Rowling (2003)
37. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Taylor (1976)
36. Are You there, God? It’s Me, Margaret – Blume (1970)
35. HP and the Goblet of Fire – Rowling (2000)
34. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – Curtis (1995)
33. James and the Giant Peach – Dahl (1961)
32. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH – O’Brian (1971)
31. Half Magic – Eager (1954)
30. Winnie-the-Pooh – Milne (1926)
29. The Dark Is Rising – Cooper (1973)
28. A Little Princess – Burnett (1905)
27. Alice I and II – Carroll (1865/72)
26. Hatchet – Paulsen (1989)
25. Little Women – Alcott (1868/9)
24. HP and the Deathly Hallows – Rowling (2007)
23. Little House in the Big Woods – Wilder (1932)
22. The Tale of Despereaux – DiCamillo (2003)
21. The Lightening Thief – Riordan (2005)
20. Tuck Everlasting – Babbitt (1975)
19. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Dahl (1964)
18. Matilda – Dahl (1988)
17. Maniac Magee – Spinelli (1990)
16. Harriet the Spy – Fitzhugh (1964)
15. Because of Winn-Dixie – DiCamillo (2000)
14. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Rowling (1999)
13. Bridge to Terabithia – Paterson (1977)
12. The Hobbit – Tolkien (1938)
11. The Westing Game – Raskin (1978)
10. The Phantom Tollbooth – Juster (1961)
9. Anne of Green Gables – Montgomery (1908)
8. The Secret Garden – Burnett (1911)
7. The Giver -Lowry (1993)
6. Holes – Sachar (1998)
5. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – Koningsburg (1967)
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Lewis (1950)
3. Harry Potter #1 – Rowling (1997)
2. A Wrinkle in Time – L’Engle (1962)
1. Charlotte’s Web – White (1952)

Betsy-Bee says she’s read or listened to 40 out of the 100. I count 68 for me. I’m handicapped by my refusal to read HP and by my distaste for Dahl. It’s my pretense to being rebellious.