Word Out! 2009

Fiction of the Week for August 24: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I received this book as a gift from a friend who loves reading YA novels.  She knew I liked stories that take place in a post-apocalyptic world and she also knew about my reality show obsession, and of course that is what the Hunger Games is all about. 

Fiction of the Week for August 17: Jerk, California

Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen

I run for a number of reasons: fitness, health, the fresh air in High Park and beside the lake. It also helps to clear my mind, and to put focus in my life. Sam Carrier also runs for a variety of reasons: to avoid his abusive stepfather, to manage his anger, but most of all he does it to feel like he's in control of his body. Why? You'd probably do something similar if you were called Twitch, Freak, or Jerk by most of your peers.

Fiction of the Week for August 10: The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1 to 19

Okay, here's a book you don't want to miss. The Mitochondrial Curiosities will not only knock your socks off, it'll teach you how to make a "forgiving sock creature" named Marcel in the process...

Dree has trouble with biology (and other subjects), her family, and Edmonton in general. She’s dying to move to Toronto, where she belongs, where the Renegade Craft Fair is taking place, and where, finally, her crafts will be appreciated. Escape is eminent: on her fifteenth birthday, she will get the special fund her father promised and she’ll take take off. But instead, her father has a fatal heart attack, and all she finds are clues leading to the ominous Alberta Psychiatric Hospital where her parents once worked. As Dree tries to unearth a mystery, and still pass science, she keeps searching for the money, and for a way to grieve her father.

Fiction of the Week for August 3: Wake (Surprise Author Visit!)

Wow... Are you guys in for a special treat or what? The Word Out Team managed to have the author of Wake participate in this week's blog! :) Wake won the Battle of the Book back in early July!!!

I was definitely honoured to be the one who got to chat with Lisa a bit. I feel so lucky! 

Without delaying another second, here is what Lisa has to say:

Fiction of the Week for August 3: Wake

Wake by Lisa McMann is our featured Fiction this week.  We had some interesting things happen around it last week already (and  rumour has it there may be a little more to come along those lines), and selector Margaret here to tell us more about the winner of our BATTLE OF THE BOOKS...

Poor Janie Hannagan.  All she wants is to get through high school as normally as possible, but she can't.  She has a very special ability.  Janie can see other people's dreams, every wonderful, embarrassing, weird or just plain scary moment.  Janie is not too happy about her power as it complicates her life big time, especially her growing relationship with mysterious Caleb, but in the end it comes in handy...

Fiction of the Week for July 27: The Juvie Three

Our featured Fiction book this week is Gordon Korman's The Juvie Three, and selector Little n. shares her thoughts with us.

The Juvie three is a great read about second chances, calamity and best-case scenarios. If you like Gordon Korman, then you’ll like this book - it’s a classic Korman story. Let me first introduce you to the players; born to be bad Terence, get-away driver Gecko, friendly giant Arjay, and fearless leader Douglas Healy. Terrence, Gecko, and Arjay are young boys who found themselves in bad situations on the streets and in juvenile hall as a result. These boys had little chance of living a normal life until they meet Douglas Healy. Healy is an adult who’s seen the inside of juvenile hall and has struggled with the system to give these three boys a second chance at a normal life.

Fiction of the Week for July 20: The Devil's Breath

The Devil's Breath by David Gilman

The urban dictionary defines "devil's breath" as: "a noxious or toxic smell".

In terms of this novel by David Gilman it refers to the fact that our hero has uncovered an environmental polluter who is ruining the waters in Africa by dumping drugs and pharmaceuticals. But let's backtrack on this a little bit - how did our hero Max get from England to Africa?

Fiction of the Week for July 13: Pieces of Me (Part 2)

Continuing from our conversation on Monday with Susan Ouriou, translator of Charlotte Gingras' Pieces of Me...

Elsa (E): What other books have you translated?

Fiction of the Week for July 13: Pieces of Me

I am thrilled to have a chance to have a chat with the translator of the book, Pieces of Me, Susan Ouriou. Susan has done an awesome job translating this emotionally-charged book.

Mirabelle is almost 15 and she is friendless. By chance, she meets Catherine, who is carefree, confident, and also a boy-magnet. With Catherine's encouragement, Mirabelle tries to come out of her shell and to fight against dark thoughts which surround her. But she finds that this new-found confidence is something more than she can handle.

Fiction of the Week for July 6: Last Dance at the Frosty Queen

This week's featured fiction book is Richard Uhlig's Last Dance at the Frosty Queen.  Selector Helena has given us her personal For / Against for the title below..