What We Read Last Week - July 27

Last week I read Canadian author William Bell's The Blue Helmet, a short novel (166 pages) with deep themes (madness, youth violence, dealing with the death of a parent).  Loved it!  A fast read that will get you thinking.

On a more general note, one of the reasons I still enjoy reading young adult fiction is it's one of the places where lots of short novels are still published (as opposed to 800 page tomes... though I read those too).

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

What did you read last week?  Let us know by commenting!

Comments

[Shel]

Sounds like a great book and definitely something I'd like to read. By the way, I love William Bell's "Just Some Stuff I Wrote"; it's a quirky book of short stories.

[Tasfia]

i read "faith of the fallen" by Terry Goodkind...
cant wait for "Pillars of Creation"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[K]

I just read The Tsarina's Daughter. It's about the Romanov family that was murdered after being forced to give up their throne (you've probably heard of Anastasia and the search to find her bones, right?).
The book is written simply, like a children's book, but it introduces some very deep concepts. I thought the author protrayed the irresponsibility of the Tsar very well, as well as the situation involving Rasputin. Just be warned, the book is sad and very realistic.

[Ruby]

I wanna read this cause I need to learn to be happy with what i've got! And it does sound like a unique and fantastic book!

[Oshin]

I just finished reading 'The Kite Runner' today, and all I have to say is that it is one of those few books(from all I've read so far) that is so vividly written that it just doesn't leave you even you close the book. I think that there is a movie made on the book too, which I really want to watch. I highly, HIGHLY reccommend this book.

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

i just finished reading sweet sixteen...it is awesome!!!!!!!!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

boooks r so cool!!!!!!!!!!1

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

read the last drop...really goooooood!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

yay...i got the book "never to be told" from my gramma and can't wait to read it...its sooo awesome!!!!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

im at the library and i signed out a book called....the kite runner...
my grade 5 teacher already read it to us but i thought...why not bring the memories back..so im reading it and so far tears.....oh the luv of grade 5!!!!
hope i stop crying!!!!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

omg...the book perfect princess is so my type...action packed with a little brat like girl.....how truly amazing!!!!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

hey..i did read the book kite runner as suggested and..wow...mind blasting!!!
its so incredible...the fact that the boyz cheated on the contest and still won!!!!
i wish i were them..because even if they cheated they still worked hard to earn the tools neede for the cheating part!!!!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

whom ever made books is incredible.....frankenstine is incredibly scary and sad at the same time.....poor frank got accused for things he wasn't ment to do.....
well....

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

the book THE DEEP...is really

The third spellbinding story about Sapphy and Conor's adventures in the powerful and dangerous underwater world of Ingo.

A devastating flood has torn through the worlds of Air and Ingo, and now, deep in the ocean, a monster is stirring. Mer legend says that only those with dual blood - half Mer, half human - can overcome the Kraken. Sapphy must return to the Deep, with the help of her friend the whale, and face this terrifying creature - and her brother Conor and Mer friend Faro will not let her go without them...
i really recomend this book to kids who like mystery...and sadness!!!!! really interesting!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

i also read FLUSH!!!
Flush is everything a long-time Carl Hiaasen reader would expect, perfectly toned-down for a younger audience. It has all the mystery, suspense, and subterfuge of Hiaasen’s other novels, with a little more of what teens might like.

The protagonist, Noah Underwood, is a young teenager living with his family in the Florida Keys. Although the novel focuses on that area, there are many references to Miami throughout, like when Noah’s parents meet at the Dade county courthouse and marry 6 weeks later. Noah’s father, Paine Underwood, is an adamant environmentalist with impulse-control problems. When he suspects a casino boat is pouring sewage directly into the pristine local waters, Paine sneaks in and sinks the vessel. He is taken to jail, leaving Noah, and his sister Abbey, to try and prove that the casino boat owner is the one polluting beaches and killing wildlife.

As usual, there are some shady characters, like Lice Peeking, so named because of his aversion to showers. He turns out to be a pretty good guy, helping the kids get on the boat and get information with the help of his bartender girlfriend Shelly.

There is also the casino boat muscle, a scar-faced man named Luno, who attempts repeatedly to kidnap Noah and Abbey, and a bully, Jasper Jr. Jasper’s dad owns The Coral Queen casino boat and he has a personal grudge against Noah after it sinks. He ambushes and beats on Noah every chance he gets. Although he has personal reasons for beating on Noah, Jasper Jr. represents what many teens face, and readers will be able to identify with Noah’s situation and his reactions.

Hiassen frequently showcases South Florida wildlife, as in scenes where Noah saves a scum-covered sea turtle, or bumps straight into a manatee. He fishes constantly throughout the book and the reader hears about snapper, tarpon, needlefish, blue crab, and many others which, of course, he usually throws back.

Young readers will quickly come to like Noah and his spunky sister Abbey. The two deal with bullying, school, and the possibility of their parents’ divorce, all while solving an important mystery. This is a clever, well-written young adult novel that will encourage a new generation of Florida environmentalists.

really kool!!!!!

[Iffat]

I am reading the Three Day Road right now. It is by Joseph Boyden. I just started reading it. It won a lot of prizes.

[Theevijah]

This is really cool. I love the selections

[Devi]

Last week I read the book 'Boy Toy' by Barry Lyga and it was totally thirlling. This book has twisty turns. Older teens will find this book fascinating, distressing, ad worthy of their attention.
In this book a boy nameed Josh Mendel hass a secret. But unfortunately, everyone knows what it is.

[Itanbi]

last week I read "Bad Girls don't Die" by Katie Alender...It's her first novel but it was really awesome. Its a horror book with a little bit of romance, friendship and family relationships in it. I felt like watching a horror movie in TV instead of sitting down and leafing pages from book. i just don't have words to describe it. you have to read it yourself to know it...so if you like story about souls with little bit of romance...go for it..

[Devi]

I have 'Bad girls Dont die' on Hold.
Can't wait to read it!!!

[princess]

I read The Kite Runner a while ago and it was a good book, not something I would usually pick up but I did like it. However, sometimes I feel as though some people rave about a book because everyone else said it was so great.

[yay]

To princess,
I really agree with you that some people rave about a book just because everyone says it's great. One good example is Twilight. Frankly, I think it's actually not the type of book that I'll read.

[Ruby]

I wonder how the cover looks like!

[Ruby]

I want to read this book too!

[Shahla Smith a.k.a Shahla L.]

hi.........i read the book kite runner as suggested...it was so cool......but i don't get why he cheated ot the contest!!!!
scary but sad!!!