What We Read Last Week - August 10

Last week I read Kathe Koja's Buddha Boy, a sparsely-written novel about high school bullying and cliques.  Don't let the short length fool you, there's more ideas packed in this novel than in books five times the size.  Great read, highly recommended.

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

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

hey guyz!!!!!!1
i read..kiss my book!!!!
really good!!!
and sad how the main girl got from riches to dump....she was so popular!!!!!

Ruby Crane is a rising literacy star. At fifteen she sold her first book, got a movie deal, scored the hottest guy in school, and became the most popular student at Frasier High. Now, as a soon-to-be junior and published author, she's ready to make waves in New York's literary world. She's about to become famous. But every star falls back to earth one day. And in Ruby's case it's quick, public, and extremely painful. She's accused of plagiarism - on national television. And the worst part is that the proof of her literary lies seems indisputable.

Ruby's skidded straight past famous and landed smack dab in the middle of infamous before she even got to a second printing!

Her friends won't return her phone calls. Her boyfriend's gone AWOL. The media vultures are flying low, and they want answers. So what happens now? Will anyone ever trust Ruby again? Is her life really over? Ruby does what any self-respecting headline would do. She disappears. And that's when her story really begins.

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

After she breaks a haunted piata on her 18th birthday, versions of Grace Kwon at ages 6, 29, and 70 appear and become a part of he high school life. But it just may be the dark secret shes kept hidden about her younger sister, Lily, that stands between Grace and her past, present, and future. Young adult.

What would you do if versions of yourself at 6,29 and 70 became a part of your already awkward high school life? Grace Kwon is about to find out the hard way after she breaks a haunted pinata on her 18th birthday and her "other selves" appear. But it just may be the dark secret she's kept hidden about her younger sister, Lily, that stands between Grace and her past, present, and future.

its really good...the book.....good as lily

[Tasfia]

i've just finished "Pillars of Creation" by Terry Goodkind... it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

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

Hoot
Carl Hiaasen
Various Editions Available

This is a story about a boy, Roy, who has just moved to Florida. His first day at school he gets called ‘Tex’ and the nickname sticks and the harassment begins. Yet life is never as simple as being the new kid in school, trying to hang low and trying to just get by.

He meets many interesting characters in Florida:
Dana Matherson - The School Bully
Mullet Fingers – A Kid who lives in the forest
Beatrice Leep – Captain of the Soccer Team,
And Mullet’s Stepsister
But Mullet is on a mission. He is trying to save burrowing owls from being wiped out by the Mother Paula’s Pancake House, which is supposed to be building a new restaurant.

Mullet uses guerilla tactics: alligators in the port-a-potties, snakes all over the job site, and many, many more. Roy tries to go a different route: checking out building out permits, getting classmates to come and speak and raise their voice at the groundbreaking.

Can a few young kids save an endangered bird? Will Mullet, Roy and Beatrice succeed? Pick up the book and read it. There is also a movie coming out this summer that should be a hit with children and adults alike.

"hoot" is really good toooooooooo!!!!

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

bookkkkz r so awesome!!!

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

hoot is another book i really like...

Hoot
Carl Hiaasen
This is a story about a boy, Roy, who has just moved to Florida. His first day at school he gets called ‘Tex’ and the nickname sticks and the harassment begins. Yet life is never as simple as being the new kid in school, trying to hang low and trying to just get by.

He meets many interesting characters in Florida:
Dana Matherson - The School Bully
Mullet Fingers – A Kid who lives in the forest
Beatrice Leep – Captain of the Soccer Team,
And Mullet’s Stepsister
But Mullet is on a mission. He is trying to save burrowing owls from being wiped out by the Mother Paula’s Pancake House, which is supposed to be building a new restaurant.

Mullet uses guerilla tactics: alligators in the port-a-potties, snakes all over the job site, and many, many more. Roy tries to go a different route: checking out building out permits, getting classmates to come and speak and raise their voice at the groundbreaking.

Can a few young kids save an endangered bird? Will Mullet, Roy and Beatrice succeed? Pick up the book and read it. There is also a movie coming out this summer that should be a hit with children and adults alike.

[Nare]

If you like mystery books you might like:

High Heels & Homicide
High Heels & Holiday

Both By: Kasey Micheals

Happy Reading

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

wow.... i read the book,,,,evil star...so gooooooood

Matt thought his troubles were over when he closed Raven's Gate . . . but in fact they were just beginning. His fate -- and the fate of the world -- is tied to four other kids across the globe. The second is a street kid in Peru. He and Matt have never met; they don't even speak the same language. But destiny is going to throw them together as the evil threat of the Old Ones grows . . . and another Gate suddenly comes into play. Another masterful thriller from supernaturally suspenseful Anthony Horowitz.
i would recomend it alot...
i wrote the details from the back of the book becuz it really gives the magic!!!!

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

another book that is good....
the withces by roal dahl....it;s realy cool...roal dahl is a really good writer!!!!

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

the return of the king...from the series of lord of the king...was really action packed...and so awesomely cool!!!!alot of violence but not bad.....
i would highly remcommend it!!!! to ppl who like/love action!!!! and a bit of violence!!!!

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

the two towers is also good...from the lord of the rings....

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

the shadow theevev is also a really good book!!!
i like it becuz it gives u susspence!!!!

[Shel]

Nowadays, there are so many books based on bullying and clicks in the YA genre. Buddha Boy sounds like a good read for those who are into that genre.

[David]

I have never read anything by this author before but this book sounds pretty good. A really good book about a teen drug dealer is Street Pharm. It is definetly recommended.

[Malisha]

I totally agree with you Shel.I am really into these type of genre

[Jenny Chau]

I rad a lot of the Chicken Soup books and they are really intresting to read. I also read so many books that i cant decide on which author to choose from

[Edmee]

This week, I finished "Emilie" by Arlette Cousture (translated from French by Kathe Roth), which was pretty good. It follows Emilie Bordeleau's life in the late 1800's through the turn of the century as she becomes a school teacher (at only 16 years old!), and how she falls in love and later marries a young alcoholic. It's all quite dramatic, actually.

I also enjoyed "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen, the author who also wrote "Hoot". :D

[Violet]

I started this book back in July, but after procrastinating and reading several other stuff at the same time, I've finally finished Song of Solomon (by Toni Morrison)!

At first I thought racism would be the focus of this book because of how an English teacher commented on the theme in the story. But it focused more on family, and the idea of one that is dysfunctional with each member being quite different. One of the biggest reasons why I loved reading this book was because of the storytelling, which I thought was reallyyy captivating. It's a great rite of passage story, and now I understand why the book is so famous :D

[Marzia. R.]

last week i read alot of books.

one of the books i read was "Dead is the new Black" by Marlene something. it was about a girl named Daisy whos entire family is psychic, except Daisy(and her dad who is missing). but when theres mysterious murder happens and daisy's mother asks her sisters to help by using their psychic abbilites, daisy decides she's gonna help wheter her says so or not. with the help of an old child hood friend, Ryan (who turns in to something more) daisy must find out who the killers are. when all clues point to a soul-sucking vampire daisy's suspicion goes directly to Samantha "Divine" Devreaux, the most popular girl at school who came back supporting a new "dead" look. accompanying finding out who the vampire is daisy also uncovers the powers she always doubted she had. this book was awesome! a total 5/5.

another book i read was "Dracula" by Bram Stroker. i know people have read it b4, it's not a new book for me either-it's actually a favorite classic. it's pretty much how cliche vampires started-with Johanathan Harker visting Romania and discovering a vapire "Vlad the Implaer"
dracula is an awesome book if u love classic books another 5/5

[Iffat]

I read "the scandal in the bohemia" by Arthur Conan Doyle. It's simply awsome!!!
Mystery lovers, read it.

[Devi]

I r3ad soo many good books lately.
First of all I read 'Blue bloods' by Melissa De La Cruz. A vampire novel. :P I went to lib. today and got the sequel to Blue Bloods-Masqerades- YAY!

[Devi]

Then I read Prom Anonymus. And it was just good. It was all about the three old friends getting togeather. Convincing their friend to go-who doesnt have a dat and s they find a guy for her-they dont know eachother;Blind date-two good thing happen and it all ends well. It was gooddd....

[Devi]

I read Prom. It was all about how a teacher steals prom money and they end up in their gym for it. One intresiting story that was.

[Oshin]

"the White Darkness" is a book that I've recently read(sat reading it up till 3:00am!!It was that good!). Not gonna give away much, its mostly set in the desolate, unforgivable but beautiful Antarctica. Strangely enough, despite the nightmarish story of a teen girl surviving in the Antarctic region, I actually wanted to go there. In fact, with the imagery, I felt I WAS there. Masterpiece. Highly recommend it.

[Oshin]

I also read the first book in the series of the "Morganville Vampires" recommended by a librarian. Though at first, I didn't want to get too wrapped up in its story, fearing it might be one of those "Twilght" wannabes, but I guess, it proved me wrong. Its hard to put down, and I suggest these series to anyone who's in love with reading about vampires with dash of romance and the regular teen angst(lol).