Monday, June 22, 2015

Looking for Alaska by John Green

99561I just finished reading Looking for Alaska by John Green.  I really liked the book but not as much as Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  I've heard from many people that Paper Towns is most people's favourite.  I've got a few other things to read but I will get around to Paper Towns eventually.

For me Looking for Alaska got me talking with those around me about what is appropriate for students to be reading.  It's an issue that I constantly am thinking about in my job as an elementary school library technician.  In the past I have leaned on the conservative side.  A big reason being that I wouldn't want to be challenged for letting a student read a book that is inappropriate.  I spoke with a teacher about Looking for Alaska this morning and she told me look at the curriculum.  Is there anything in the book that we haven't taught?  Good advice.  By grade 7 and 8 students have been taught sex, drugs, alcohol and more - all very common in Looking for Alaska.

I had many discussions with adults and teenagers about this book.  Everyone seemed to think grade 7 was not unreasonable.  I think it comes down to how it is all portrayed.  In Looking for Alaska the sex, drinking and smoking seem common and acceptable.  For that reason I don't feel like it's appropriate.  It makes it seem acceptable behaviour.

The other issue is I can't read everything before I put it on the shelves.  When purchasing most of the Young Adult books I just have to read reviews and age recommendations and trust their opinions.  I think I spend more time pondering the books that I have read myself.

Have you read Looking for Alaska?  How old do you think you should be to read it?

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

The Daylight Marriage by Heidi Pitlor

22859568It’s a well known fact that married couples should never go to bed angry.  But Hannah and Lovell broke that rule.  He comes home late from work.  Again.  She forgot to pay a bill.  Again.  Hurtful words are flung back and forth and Lovell loses his cool.  Hannah heads off to sleep with their son, Ethan, and Lovell spends a sleepless night working.  After an icy goodbye the next morning they head their separate ways.  But Hannah doesn't feel like going to work just yet so she makes a detour for a walk on the beach.  And then she's gone.  Vanished.  

Lovell now has to step up and take care of their two kids.  The kids, 15 year old Janine and 9 year old Ethan, know that last fight was the worst one yet.  Did Hannah leave Lovell and desert her kids?  Did she have an accident?  Or has someone hurt her?  All eyes are on Lovell has he reflects on their last moments together and tries to cope without Hannah.  He’s doing his best to be a good dad but Janine is not making things easy.  Everyone’s got an opinion on what Lovell should be doing and expectations on how he should be acting.  But just because he’s got his own way of coping, does that make him even more suspicious?  

The Daylight Marriage is a very suspenseful read.  The whereabouts of Hannah remain a mystery right up until the end.  The author, Heidi Pitlor, is a talented storyteller that continuously engages readers.  The Daylight Marriage is Pitlor’s second novel.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

20170404Every year I look forward to the Waterloo Region One Book One Community (OBOC) selection announced in April.  This is where a book is selected by a committee that will hopefully appeal to a wide audience.  Generally the book should create a lot of discussion.  Always the author pays a visit to the Region in the fall and there is opportunities to meet with the author.  Check out their website for more information.

This year Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is the selection for all of Waterloo Region to read in 2015.  A really great selection as I believe it will appeal to wide audience and it can certainly create some conversation.  

Station Eleven begins with the death of famous actor Arthur Leander dying during a performance of King Lear.  The theatre is in Toronto and if you've ever been to Toronto the setting will be familiar.  Arthur's death is shocking.  His ex-wife, son and best friend arrange to fly to Toronto for the funeral.  But suddenly the world is struck by the Georgia Flu and everyone is dying.  Few survive. 

But what does the world look like with only a small percentage of the world still alive?  How do they function?  What was once a prized position, may soon feel meaningless.  What if the most exciting thing just happened and you couldn't tweet about it?  Would it still be exciting?

This was a book that really gets you thinking.  I would encourage everyone to read Station Eleven and try and go out for an event in the fall.