The Perfect Plane Read - He's Just Not That Into You

The movie has probably been one of the most disagreed-upon feature films between the sexes that has come along in a long time. Most of guy friends, though curious about the movie, flat out hated it upon watching. For my female friends, I would have to say that about half my female friends also hated it, but the other half felt that they had found the answer to their relationship woes.

Where do I fit in? *guilty look* Okay moving on...

And that's exactly what writers Greg and Liz want you to do--take a good look at yourself, your experiences, your expectations, put them all in perspective, and then MOVE ON from the ideas and the ideals that just don't make any sense. Because honestly? It's not a big deal if he's just not that into you, his loss anyway!

You want to know the truth? This book made me cry, by like, page 3. Because taking an honest look back on yourself and your relationships, it's hard! But there's something nice about reading in a book the stuff that you've been feeling forever, and realizing that you aren't alone in all this. So if you've heard negative things about the book, I'm telling you that they probably didn't read it. Because even if there are certain ideas the Greg and Liz put forth that you don't necessarily agree with, their overall message is indisputable--that you DESERVE the best. Read it on the plane, it's short enough to get through by the time you touch down in your destination. (And if you start crying like me, it's enough time to dry your tears too.)

Book Review: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Kinsella, Sophie. The Undomestic Goddess. New York: The Dial Press, 2005. 384 pages.

Although I haven't read through her "Shopaholic" series yet, I've thoroughly enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's other romantic fiction. In "The Undomestic Goddess" think Amelia Badelia for grown ups--heroine Samantha Sweeting has done and achieved everything that a young modern woman is expected to do: studied well, graduate from a fabulous law school, work in the most prestigious firm in London, become the youngest partner of said firm--well, ALMOST everything. Just on the cusp of Samantha being named partner of Carter Spink law firm, disaster strikes when Samantha makes a multi-million dollar mistake.

Samantha finds herself on the first train out of the city and at the doorstop of Trish and Eddie Geiger's beautiful mansion. Imagine Samantha's surprise when she is mistaken for being an applicant as the Geigers' maid! Severely dehydrated, disoriented, and in desperate need of some sleep, Samantha decides to keep up the charade until she could find a way home. But upon hearing of her reputation being completely shattered in London, Samantha sees no harm in laying low at the Geigers' for a while. Clean house, cook food, chill out for a while, should be a piece of cake right? Except Samantha doesn't exactly know how to do any of that, which should make the whole experience a tad more complicated, especially since the Geigers' adorable gardener Nathaniel isn't as gullible as their employers. Can Samantha hide in the countryside forever?

In an easy light read style, Kinsella does a wonderful job making her characters likeable and relatable. You can't help but care for what's going to happen to Samantha, even if you're a little skeptical of how easily the Geigers are fooled. The Undomestic Goddess is a great read beach- or pool-side, and for any woman, young or old, who's in need of a little grown up fairytale.

Book Review: The Miles Between by Mary Pearson

Pearson, Mary E. The Miles Between. New York: Henry Holt, 2009. 272 pages.

I first came across Mary Pearson’s novel The Miles Between on a library’s webpage listing the Best New Books for Teens. I recognized Mary Pearson’s name from reading Scribbler of Dreams in middle school and remembered loving the manner in which she developed her stories, using figurative language and imagery with characters that were heartbreakingly beautiful. I was a little worried that this next book would not be as amazing, but The Miles Between definitely delivered, transplanting the reader to a world that is believable but still extraordinary. It tells a story that I think high school students at Brown Summer High School would enjoy—a little bit of mystery, a little bit of angst, a lot about friendship and the connection you make or choose to make with the people that come through your life.

Seventeen-year-old Destiny Faraday has been shipped from boarding school to boarding school since she was seven years old, so she has learned to keep people at a distance and not to make friends. Her entire outlook on life is slightly skewed to the fact that her relationship with her family has been virtually nonexistent since she was put into boarding school. For much of the beginning of the novel the reader is perplexed over why there is a rift between her and her family. The novel’s first person narration from Destiny’s perspective doesn’t make it much easier; but Pearson writes in such a way that the reader is hooked with curiosity and to be extra perceptive to details when Destiny does reveal things about her life.

Even though she strives to be unattached to those around her, Destiny notices that being at Hedgebrook Academy has brought about a change how she interacts with those around her, and again she reflects upon her failed relationship with her family. These thoughts are amplified because of the date of this specific day, October 19th, the anniversary of the day that her life changed, and Destiny wishes that she could have “just one fair day”. A series of strange events, such as finding a car with the engine running, enable Destiny and three of her classmates Seth, Mira, and Aidan to set off on an “unauthorized field trip” in search of the “one fair day” where the good guys win and good things happen to good people. With Seth at the wheel of the “borrowed” car, Destiny discreetly directs their trip in the direction of Langdon, a two-hour drive from Hedgebrook, but more importantly, the town of her parents’ home which she hadn’t seen since she first left for boarding school. On the way, the four not-quite-friends bond over the serendipitous events that cross their paths, their friendship growing rapidly as they share their secrets, even Destiny is inspired to confess at least part of her greatest secret.

Using this book in a classroom could foster really meaningful discussions among students about how people interact with one another. The major themes in The Miles Between include not only friendship, family, and relationships, but the conflict between public and private identity, a conflict that so many teenagers are going through during this time. Going along with this would be the theme of confidentiality, such as what information about oneself should be disclosed or what should be kept a secret—that could be somewhat sensitive to a group of teenagers, but a very universal topic that could elicit great insight from them. Something that I thought could be a fun activity with some academic potential is for students to create their own “fair day” and what that would entail. As mentioned before Pearson writes in such a way that the figurative language add so much to the setting as well as the development of the characters as well as their relationships with one another.

The Miles Between will bring readers on a journey of convoluted connections with a little bit of magic. The writing flows well, and is easy to read in that sense, but the nature of the content being so ambiguous at times offers readers the chance to attempt to piece together the complete picture. At the end of the novel, the readers will be thrown for a big twist, and the pieces will not only make sense, but readers will appreciate the profoundness with which Pearson crafted this story and the depth of the characters and the plot. This novel has the potential to appeal to many different kinds of teenagers, even though the narrator is female, it is definitely not a female-specific book. The twist in the book really is a big surprise, and may be very emotional for those who have lost loved ones before and had to deal with coping afterwards, so a teacher planning to use this book in class should be aware if any of his/her students has had to deal with these kind of issues as they are central to the book. Otherwise, I confidently recommend this book for BSHS because of its vibrant characters, its ability to relate to high school readers, and the major issues of identity, relationships, and loss that are addressed in the novel.

Revised Reading List

Here's my reading list as of now:

The Giver
30 Guys in 30 Days
The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
When You Reach Me
Along for the Ride
Howl's Moving Castle
Castle in the Air
House of Many Ways

**still on the lookout for a potential Brown Summer High School book though...

Book Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Dessen, Sarah. 2009. Along for the Ride. New York: Viking. 382 pages.

I will be the first to admit that even to this day, I still buy Sarah Dessen books from the bookstore for my own personal reading. Whenever I need a good dose of real life that just happens to work out in the end with some romance and drama thrown into the mix, something labeled with the name Sarah Dessen always holds the answer. In Along for the Ride we meet Auden, an overachiever and highly motivated student to the core, with two impressive scholar/authors as parents. Auden is also an insomniac, a habit built up from long late-night drives she would take that began when her parents started arguing behind closed doors, eventually splitting up. So Auden's world became more and more immersed in schoolwork and less and less in the world of people and friends. But no matter, as she graduates at almost the top of her high school class and is ready to move on to one of the most highly selective colleges in the area. But in a flash of spontaneity, Auden gets frustrated with her mother's attempts to rewind back into single-hood and Auden finds herself heading to the beach town where her father, new stepmom Heidi, and new baby stepsister live for a summer unlike any she would have foreseen.

The beach town creates the setting for Auden's unlikely mission--to go back and make up for all the things she missed as a kid--girl friends, hanging out, sleepovers, and riding a bike. Life at her dad's also isn't quite what she expected: her stepmom is stressed out of her mind, her dad completely oblivious and out of the picture--it's a pattern Auden's seen with her dad before. So Auden keeps some of her old habits, driving through the streets in the dead of night in order to find another haunt, but no luck for a while until she meets Eli, another night owl and a mysterious once-famous biker star that the townspeople say hasn't touched a bike since his best friend died in a car accident. And together Eli and Auden develop a connection or late nights and long talks over good coffee and fabulous pie, creating a friendship somewhat secret from the rest of their friends. What will Auden make of Eli? A friend closer than she had had for many years, and she cannot help but be drawn to his mysterious nature. But circumstances arise that compel Auden to close herself up again, but now she is clearly changed. But is she too late to go back?

How do the people in our lives make an impact upon our way of thinking, our way of interacting, our way of being? Any readers who like Sarah Dessen will thoroughly enjoy this novel, as well as readers who like Mary Pearson and similar authors. Readers will find themeselves surprised at the depth of content, amused by the vibrancy of well-formed characters and settings, and unable to pull away for even a second until they find out what happens between Auden and Eli. In this story Dessen crafts a real and alluring tale of Auden's summer of letting go, simply being, and for once enjoying life as the present and not as the future.

Book Review: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Pullman, Philip. The Golden Compass. New York: Random House, 1995. 399 pages.

The first installment in Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass introduces us to the adventures in store for eleven year old Lyra Belacqua. Lyra is an orphan under the care of the scholars of Jordan College in Oxford, England, but one quite different from our world. The people in Lyra’s world all possess daemons, animals that embody a certain part of the nature their human companion. Lyra lives a carefree and happy life playing on the streets of Oxford with the town’s children, and only has one living relative, Uncle Asriel, a man of great power and influence, but who is constantly away on explorations to solve important questions that Lyra doesn’t quite understand yet. At the beginning of the novel, we are immediately introduced to Lyra’s precocious nature as we find Lyra hiding in a cupboard in the office of the Master of Jordan College where she overhears a plot to poison Uncle Asriel. Lyra is able to intercede and prevent the death of her uncle, but a mysterious series of events follows. We follow Lyra’s adventures as she tries to sift through the layers of deception of the church, the pervading fear of The Gobblers, and the mysteries of the alethiometer.

This book brings readers on a journey that is so compelling that they will eagerly keep turning pages to find the answers to their questions, but even the end brings up only more questions. I’ve heard many times that this book and this series have been on lists of banned books, very likely because of the negative portrayal of the church. For me, it’s a little difficult to designate a specific age group for this novel. Lyra is 11 at the beginning of the novel, and this may be a misconception left over from believing some other myths about reading, but I’m hesitant to believe that Pullman really intended this book for teenagers, especially older teenagers like 16 or 17 year olds because the main character is only 11. An 11 year old character simply markets as being an accessible book for younger adolescents. But as I was reading I found that the language style is really quite sophisticated, and readers really need to be on point and aware while they are reading. At times even I felt a little confused, but I think that’s part of the draw of the book—it keeps you wondering, thinking, and postulating until the end, and even after.

In addition to the higher complexity of language, this story is essentially a coming-of-age tale and the battle between being a carefree child to a person of immense power. It also portrays grown ups in a less-than-perfect, at many times negative way (another reason why it may be banned for some), and Lyra and the readers come to the realization that grown ups are clearly not infallible. Some of the questions I thought of while reading included: How does destiny play a role in someone’s life? What makes someone special? What would life be for us if each person possessed a daemon like in Lyra’s world? All in all, I completely understood why this has come to be such a popular book for children and young adults. An attention-grabbing introduction to a trilogy, The Golden Compass paints a beautifully troubled world, and definitely one in which readers will definitely want to get lost.

Book Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Jones, Diana Wynne. Howl's Moving Castle. New York: HarperCollins, 1986. 336 pages.

Now one of my favorite books, Howl's Moving Castle was given to me by a very good friend while we were in high school. At first I was skeptical, how could a fantasy book be so compelling post Harry Potter? Well since it was a gift, I decided to give it a chance, and I loved it. The story was light, but empowering as it regaled the tale of Sophie Hatter. Growing up in the land of Ingary, Sophie believed that she was never destined for greatness because she was the oldest of three sisters. Sophie wasn't the most beautiful like middle sister Lettie, nor was she given good fortune like her youngest sister Martha. Sophie didn't even have an evil stepmother to brag about since Fannie her stepmother was perfectly cordial. When Mr. Hatter died, Fannie even made arrangements for each of the daughters to be taken care of in some way--Martha became the apprentice of a witch, Lettie began work in a bakery, and Sophie stayed in the shop to learn the hat trade and eventually inherit the shop.

Sophie soon becomes bored with the routine and loneliness the accompanied working in the back rooms of the shop. Her life was looking bleaker and bleaker until one day Sophie's life is turned upside down when she gets on the bad side of the wicked Witch of the Waste, who subsequently places Sophie under a spell that ages her about 60 years. Needless to say being cursed wasn't exactly what Sophie was looking for, but it became her excuse to leave home and seek out the help of the Wizard Howl. As an old lady, Sophie finds it easier to speak her mind and not care so much about what other people think--and so she cons her way into staying at Howl's home (a moving castle with a magical door that opens to multiple portals) under the guise of being the hired cleaning lady. The novel chronicles Sophie, the Wizard Howl, his apprentice Michael, and the fire demon Calcifer and their adventures as a dysfunctional magical family. Will any of them ever break free from their mysterious curses?

Jones writes in such a way that transplants the reader to a different land that the reader will never want to leave. Filled with action, magic and complexity, readers will find something to love about the larger-than-life characters, with personalities so varied and vibrant that readers won't know what to expect next. Something fun to do would be to read the book before watching the movie, and readers will have a great time picking out differences and analyzing why the directors chose to change certain details. This book would be enjoyed by both girls and boys, and I would imagine anyone from ages 10-17 would be able to enjoy it, especially those who enjoy books with magic such as The Golden Compass .

Book Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. New York: Wendy Lamb, 2009. 208 pages.

Twelve-year-old Miranda has had an okay life in New York City. She’s learned some street smarts, how to live in the big city, avoid trouble and troubled people like the laughing man who frequents the corner outside her apartment building. Miranda’s single mom, a paralegal in a small law office, always has the means to provide Miranda with food, shelter, and nice things every once in a while. Miranda has become increasingly more self-conscious about their modest living situations however, as she begins building friendships with her 6th grade classmates Annemarie and Colin after a falling out with her best friend Sal. Since the afternoon that Sal was beaten up by a boy in the neighborhood, Sal refuses to talk about it with Miranda, or anything else for that matter, and begins avoiding Miranda for reasons unknown to her. Soon after, she begins to receive a cryptic note from mysterious someone desperately in need of Miranda’s help. Despite trying to ignore the note, other unusual things begin happening in her life and she can’t help but notice that the mysterious note-writer has an uncanny sense about the events unfolding before her, and more notes with the same pleading tone make their way to her hands. What’s more unsettling are the messages in the note, “I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.”

Rebecca Stead’s writing style is smart, telling a familiar type of story, but in such a way that keeps the reader engaged and eager for the rest of the story to unfurl. The main character Miranda shows incredible insight for her age, and young adolescents will be exposed to a variety of themes ranging from class, race, friendship, growing up, and much more. This book would greatly appeal to readers ages 10-14, especially those who would also like A Wrinkle in Time or similar books, but honestly this book transcends typical labels, showing elements of science, realistic, even historical fiction (it does take place in the late 1970s). The only issue with this book is whether it is more of under the category of children's vs. young adult literature, but the book's complexities are so compelling that both younger and older readers will definitely enjoy. When You Reach Me is a clever mix of adventure, mystery, and suspence and is rightly appreciated as a recipient of the Newbery Medal (2010), An ALA Best Book for Young Adults for Top Ten (2010), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2009, and Parents' Choice Gold Award (2009).

**EDIT**

This book has gotten so many wonderful reviews I feel like I haven't done it justice. Here's a longer review by a librarian
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/760043876.html.

random thought as reading articles for learning log #4

I just had to say...reading these articles and reading books for class and reading books for my list has made remember why I love reading, and that's probably one of the best gifts I've ever gotten out of a class :)

Book Review: 30 Guys in 30 Days by Micol Ostow

Ostow, Micol. 30 Guys in 30 Days. New York: Simon Pulse, 2005. 304 pages.

With its lime green cover and a title that was a little too absurd to pass up, 30 Guys in 30 Days tells the story of Claudia B. Clarkson as she begins her freshman year at Woodman College outside Boston. Starting in a new place also has Claudia starting a new life as a single girl for the first time in four years, having broken up with her high school boyfriend Drew. Very quickly Claudia realizes that she’s been out of the dating game for so long that flirting and approaching boys have become foreign to her. Thus her southern belle roommate Charlie suggests a sort of a challenge for Claudia, to meet one new boy every day for thirty days. Fondly nicknamed “target practice,” Claudia definitely misses the mark often at the beginning—throwing up on a boy, embarrassing herself in front of her professor, unknowingly flirting with the sorority queen’s boyfriend, among many other mishaps—but she definitely gets points for trying. Besides target practice, Claudia’s adventures in her classes and while writing some articles for the newspaper have got her pretty busy as she tries to make her way through her first semester and find her place in this new environment.

Clearly intended for teenage girls, the story gives insight to a different kind of love life that the modern young woman experiences. It also offers a message for any girl that is looking for a revival in her love life by challenging readers to take a chance and step out of one’s comfort zone, and that life is a series of making some silly mistakes but to have faith that it’ll be worth it in the end.

A Review of The Giver by Lois Lowry

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993. 192 pages.

Jonas lives in a world very different from our own. In the Community, everything is controlled and managed, and the people live by explicit rules and guidelines to ensure sameness. Everything is shared from thoughts to food, and the peaceful world is devoid of any sort of pain or desire. Everyone contributes to the Community through his or her assigned duty designated at the Ceremony of the Twelve, which signifies a child’s Coming of Age and start of training for his or her assigned duty. At Jonas’s Ceremony of the Twelve, he receives the great honor of becoming the next Receiver of Memories and begins training with the current Receiver, who asks that Jonas call him The Giver. The Giver informs Jonas that his training will consist of receiving the memories passed down from each of the past Receivers, memories of how the world used to be before the time of sameness. Very quickly Jonas learns of all the feelings and ideas that have been lost in the Community—color, animals, weather, as well as pain and true love. Being exposed to these things causes Jonas to become aware of all that is missing in the Community, as he and The Giver begin questioning whether keeping these memories contained in one person is truly beneficial for everyone.

In this story, Lois Lowry writes in a simple and honest style that allows us to Jonas’s world in the way he sees it despite being from a third-person point of view. As he learns and discovers more about the world outside the Community, we feel his building internal struggle and increasing burden to hide what he has learned from his friends and family. The Giver is a wonderful coming-of-age story that prompts readers of any age, but especially young people, to question the world around them and to appreciate the good and the bad as offering the gift of infinite possibilities.

Reading List aka What I'll Be Doing Instead of Reading for My Other Classes

The Giver by Lois Lowry - I already finished reading it and really enjoyed it. I always wanted to read it when I was younger, but it came to a point when I thought I was too old to go back to it. Thank goodness I had the chance to go back now :)

30 Guys in 30 Days by Micol Olstow - Okay, so I was originally only going to read this "for fun" but isn't integrating fun reading and school reading what this class is about?

Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones - I was obsessed with Howl in Howl's Moving Castle during high school, so I want to venture out and see if any of her other books are as amazing and vivid.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster - I'm intrigued, plain and simple.

Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman - A recommendation from my friends that know that I love historical fiction.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman - One of my good friends has the same name as the protagonist of this series, so this one's dedicated to her :)

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - Same as the giver, always wanted to read it but thought that it was too late to go back.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli - One of my friends in our class is reading it for her list and kept insisting that I read it too, so why not?

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen - Sarah Dessen's books somehow always end up coming home with me from the bookstore even though I try my best to skim through it in the bookstore. Her books are the type that I'm still reading today, and part of the reason why I feel like my reading tastes are so elementary...but I can't help it, there's something about her books.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead - I found this randomly though book review websites, the story jumped out at me so I had to request it from the library. It's also the newest one out of my list. There are 47 holds on 49 copies, so it might be a while until I actually get this book, so I guess I should put this one as a maybe, but I hope it gets here in time.