What We Read Last Week - June 15th

I read a lot last week (a one-hour commute on the TTC will do that), but these two especially stand out as of interest to teen readers:

Dust by Arthur Slade--a great Canadian young adult sci-fi novel (with some horror elements) set in small-town Saskatchewan during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Opens with the disappearance of the protagonist's younger brother and becomes increasingly strange as other children begin to vanish, not only physically, but from the memories of the town's citizens.  Reminded me very strongly of Ray Bradbury (especially Something Wicked This Way Comes), a favourite author of mine when I was a teen.

Second was a graphic novel, Derek McCulloch and Shepherd Hendrix's Stagger Lee.  Hard to describe this one!  It's partly a historical crime story and partly a graphic novel essay on the hundred-year history of one of the most famous American songs ever, covered in one form or another by a huge range of musicians in different genres from the late 19th century to the present day (I'm embedding one of the classic versions below).  Great graphic novel!  Never read anything quite like it.

This is also a good song to use in debates about violent and criminal themes in music being a recent development.  It's got gambling, drinking fighting and murder (and much worse in some versions), and it's over a hundred years old. :)

Alan H is a web librarian at Toronto Public Library.  He reads all over the place.

What have you read recently?  Let us know by commenting!

Comments

[Susan K.]

I read John Green's Paper Towns recently and it overwhelmed me with its jokes and suspense and incredibly realistic characters. Maybe you've read John Green's other books, Looking for Alaska or An Abundance of Katherines. And maybe you thought they were good. Paper Towns is better!

The main character is Quentin, a guy in his last year of high school. He spends a riotous night pulling insane practical jokes with Margo, his neighbour and the object of his unrequited love. After their night of pranks, Q thinks he and Margo will start to hang out and maybe more. But Margo disappears. Margo is not a regular girl. She has disappeared before, and this time she has left intriguing clues for Q to follow. Of course, he follows.

It's suspenseful reading as Q searches for Margo, but the best part of the book is the realistic and hilarious banter between Q and his two good friends. They seem exactly like real guys shooting the breeze together.

Paper Towns is definitely on my top five list of books I've read so far this year. Read it!

[Anusan R.]

I have read Takeshi Konomi's Prince of Tennis Vol.20 and 21 recently. Its a graphic novel series about high school tennis.

Volumes 20 and 21 are about the semifinal matches between two schools, Seigaku and Rokkaku. The schools have to win three out of the five matches they play to move on. The matches get intense as Kaoru Kaidou and Rokkaku's captain Aoi Kentaro face off.

I really enjoyed that match because Kentaro puts pressure on himself by losing four games in a row. He expects himself to catch and win.

If you want to read a graphic novel about sports, then look no further than The Prince of Tennis.

[Alan H.]

Anusan: When I used to read a lot more manga than I do now the sheer range and number of sport manga always blew my mind. I never did find out if there were any for polo or golf, though (these were the two sports me and my friends came up with as least likely to have manga series about them).

I haven't read Prince of Tennis in several years but I remember it being a really fun series.

[Sivani]

I am currently once again in my fantasy phase...reading all sorts of vampire, werewolf, magic books... Which means I'm rereading Harry Potter.

[Steven]

It's not unusual for anyone to reread Harry Potter series. The novel is just too good and the use of literacy skills by J.K Rowling is great also. For me im starting to read Dune which my friend says is a good book. But hey i think Dan Brown's Angels and Demons is the best book I've read this year.

[Mary]

I've read alot, nameing them off i've read Chritine Feehan Dark Magic, the graphic novel Dark Hinger, Dark Melody, and Dark Desire. And they were all very good. I also read Spirited though i just can't remember who the author was. I also read J.R Ward's Lover Unvieled and her insider guide to the whole series. All were great books packed with either romance or some action and just a bit of mistery

[Mary]

Prince of tennis was a great manga i just wished i remembered what volume i left of so that i can have a chance to finish it propery, becuase i really hate having to reread volumes

[Mary]

Alan: oddly same here i've gotten back into my supernatural state of reading barley ever reading anything with a vamp or a wolf in it to make it exciting. but i think i'll try and get in touch with my normal side hoepfully soon. so i don't run out of supernatural books to read

[Adesuwa]

though i do love to read romance books, it is also fun to watch animes. One of my favourites so far is Prince of Tennis and Skip beat. Didn't read the manga versions and don't plan on reading them because i find it more interesting to listen to their voices and watch the expressions that goes with it

[Mary]

though i love reading my other kinds of book, i've been wanting for awhile now to get back into reading some good teen books. so i'm really glad this program is here, so now i'm able to get this chance to check out some teen books i would otherwise have never known about. so i hope more and more people post about their favorite books so others can get a chance to also enjoy a good read

[Mary]

Adesuwa: It's true sometimes watching the anime can be better, but with manga's the author is able to go beyond boundries to do amazing things with the art. So making the story more exciting to read so i say you should give reading the manga a chance sometimes they're so much more expressive and exciting to read i should know i've read many and loved almost all of them

[Mary]

I think it's not unusual at all for people to reread any books. There are so many books out there that are so great that sometimes i even read some of my favorites again again just becuase i liked the story so much. But I usually wait a few months so the story get's dulled in my mind so that when i reread it the story seems a bit newer and less fresh in my mind. that way i can enjoy it some more

[Mary]

Adesuwa: Cool i also love to read romance books my favorite authors are Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine Feehan, J.R Ward, and Lynsay Sands. I suggest for anyone who's into supernatural romance to check these authors out they're really great authors who can make their books come to life. all their books are real page turners and very exciting

[Vaishu]

Well Harry Potter the 6th is coming out soon so I am planning to read that one again so I can be furious at the film makers again for leaving important parts of the book out. I love to read the book prior to the movie so that the story is fresh in my head before I go watch the movie.

[Sarah]

I read some new books this week, including Ask Me No Questions, the tale of a girl who's life as a Muslim in the United States completely changes after the 9/11 attacks.

I also read the Naked Mole-Rat letters a book from the point of view of a young girl whose life as a Straight A student and obedient daughter changes after she finds out that her widower dad is dating someone he met during a conference. She communicates with the stranger "ratlady" and evolves into someone more ? .

[Mary]

It's odd though i like the movies of harry potter, i've never read the book. Never even tocuhed it though i know the book is good i can't seem to read a book enjoy it, then watch a movie and engoy as well. Same thing happen with twilight i read the book way before it ever became popular but when the movie came out i didn't like the movie at all, actually i never even wanted to watch it.

[Shazia]

What your saying is so true Mary, because when you read a book, you know that watching the movie will totally kill the book. But if you havent read the book and watched the movie instead you cant seem to bring yourself to read the book. Like Harry Potter, i have watched all the movies but i just cant bring myself to read the books, although i want to and i know they will be good. There is actually a book called The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory this book is truly amazing and is definetly a page-turner. They also made a movie based on this book. What I love about this book is the fact that its based on a true story. I firmly recommend all of you guys here to read this book and let me know how you like it!

[Shazia]

For those of you out there who are interested in suspense novels, I suggest you try out The Straw Men by Michael Marshall. I handed my copy of this book out to as many people as i could including my English teacher at school and they absolutely loved it! I have to say that out of all the books that i recommended to my friends and family this book quickly became a favourite. The Straw Men is actually my personal favourites as well!

[Gowseca]

Shazia: What is The Straw Men about?

[Shazia]

Well, The Straw Men is about three seemingly unrelated events. It is mostly about murders that supposedly occur with no real reason. For example (and i'm quoting this from the book)On the Promenade of Santa Monica, California a teenage girl gives sight-seeing tips to a distinguished English tourist. She wont be going home tonight.
There are more events that happen throughout the book that really catches your interest, but you have to read for yourself, for I am not very good at explaining books too well.
Although i do not describe books too well, i can tell you now that i do know when a book is really good!
So i firmly recommend that you read it for yourself and i promise that you will not be disappointed.

[Krista]

I read Natalie Babbit's Tuck Everlasing a couple of days ago. I REALLY liked the movie, that's why i read the book. I find that its better to watch the movie first and read the book after (if you intend on watching the movie at all), since there's a lot left out of the movie, it makes the book seem like a new story.
Anyways, its a great story about the Tuck family who have found the spring (water) of everlasting life, and what happens when their secret is in danger of getting discovered. i loved the book and i suggest everyone reads it.

[Yna]

I read this book called "The Dark Garden" by margaret buffie. It's pretty old, but very interesting. The author is also canadian. It was about this girl named Thea, lost her memories during an accident but when she came back to her house, she start to get memories, but not her memories but from another girl, who is dead already...

[Gunjan]

I read Dust last year. It was awesome. It was a very intriguing book and very suspenseful. The description of the protagonist is great!

[Gowseca]

Yna: Wow!
Sounds cool. It kind of reminds me of that movie "The Sixth Sense". I'll put that book on hold. It seems interesting!

[Gowseca]

Mary: I totally agree with, it's just sometimes when you watch it on screen and then when it comes to reading, it's kind of...like laziness?? I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I had that same thing when I was reading this book called Harriet the Spy or something. I watched it in like grade 4, but to this day I still haven't read it. haha... I'll read it someday, though.