Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Book Jacket

What if you had only one day to live?  What would you do?  Who would you kiss?  And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High--from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot.  Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance.  Seven chances, in fact.  Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of living.

Review

This book has a Groundhog's Day premise, and for the first third of the book, I just wasn't sold.  Sam is the popular mean girl of high school, and the first couple days she experiences her death were just painful.  She is a horrible girl, really, treating her family, friends, and especially the less popular kids at school, like dirt.

But.  After a the third or so time experiencing her last day, Sam starts to understand and love those same people that she previously took for granted.  Watching her realize that her actions have consequences was fantastic and eye-opening when I think about my own life.  The "innocent" insults she and her friends fling around have repercussions, both small and large.

I was impressed that reliving the same day seven times never got dull.  Sometimes she stays home from school, sometimes she uses her do-over as an excuse to let loose, and sometimes she tries to stop the cycling by doing as much as she can correctly (whether it ends up good or not is another matter).

Before reading Before I Fall, I would never have thought I would sympathize with the stereotypical mean girl.  But Oliver shows the genuine friendships between Sam and her friends, as well as slowly reveals the insecurities that cause them to be mean.  The mysteries surrounding Sam's death (what exactly caused the car crash?  was she the only one who died?) are solved as Sam tries to live in last day in various ways.

It took a while, but I am now completely sold on this book.  I can't get it out of my head, which is a sure sign of a great story.

Four out of five dreams of falling.

Release Date:  March 2010
Reading Level:  Grade 9+
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  YPL OLI

Don't believe me?  Check out these reviews of Before I Fall:

My Books.  My Life. 

Wondrous Reads

Happyface by Stephen Emond

Book Jacket

Yes, I'm the cool guy.  The big shot.  The one girls geek out to.  That's me.  Happyface.

Cute girls dig him.  He has his own fan club.

But he wasn't always this awesome.  He used to be Mr. Comic Book, a resident of Lonelyland.  So when he switched schools, he slapped on a grin and went from big nerd to big shot.

Has he achieved permanent coolness?  Or will his inner dork return?

Meet Happyface.  This is his journal.

Review

I guess you could say this is the grownup version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, if by "grownup" you mean "aweome, and far superior."  The brilliance of having the protagonist's name always remain Happyface, combined with the fact that all of his self-portraits are of a simple happy face, allows the reader to put themselves in his shoes.  By making himself a nobody, he can be anybody.

I happen to be a fan of books written as journals (if they do it well).  And Happyface takes this style to a whole different level.  Normally it is very hard to pull off story twists or surprises, since the person writing the book is letting you into their head.  But Happyface manages to pull off not one, but two huge plot twists, simply because Happyface didn't deign to tell us about it.  So good.

The cartoons and sketches that litter each page add extra depth and emotion to his story.  And what a story it is--parents fighting, sibling jealousy, girl confusion, identity crises--poor Happyface made me laugh and nearly cry.  And that is the mark of a truly excellent book, according to me.

Five out of five cartoon caricatures.

Release Date:  March 2010
Reading Level:  Grade 7+
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  YPL EDM


Don't believe me?  Check out these reviews of Happyface:

The Literary Wife
The Brain Lair

Physik by Angie Sage

Book Jacket

When Silas Heap unSeals a forgotten room in the Palace, he releases the ghost of a Queen who live five hundred years earlier.  Queen Etheldredda is as awful in death as she was in life, and she's still up to no good.  Her diabolical plan to give herself everlasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus's disappearance, and the talents of her son, Marcellus Pye, a famous Alchemist and Physician.  And if Queen Etheldredda's plot involves Jenna and Septimus, then it will surely involve Nicko, Alther Mella, Marcia Overstrand, Beetle, Stanley, Sarah, Silas, Spit Fyre, Aunt Zelda, and all of the other wacky, wonderful characters that made Magyk and Flyte so memorable.

With heart-stopping action and a dash of humor, Angie Sage continues the fantastical journey of Septimus Heap.

Review

Sage just gets better and better with each new Septimus Heap book.  Or maybe it's the fact that, like television shows, I've gotten to know and love the characters as time has gone by.  Seriously, I actually think "Yay, it's Wolf Boy!" when he appears on the page, or "Alther!  I've missed you."  If there is one thing Sage does best, I think it is developing a huge cast of supporting characters who have individual personalities and their own little side stories.

Physik is a simple story, really.  A Queen from the past does everything she can to achieve eternal life, and Septimus and Jenna must stop her.  But along the way, there is so much awesome!  Time travel, alchemy, dragon antics, ghostly taverns, and so much more.

The world of Castle and the Ramblings is one in which I would gladly set up home.  It's enchanting and delightful as ever.  Such a great series.

Four out of five named silver bullets.

Release Date:  March 2007
Reading Level:  Grade 4+
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  YPL SAG

Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli

Book Jacket

I guess I’m not a very good Christian . . . Do you feel like: I don’t pray enough I don’t read my Bible enough I don’t share my faith enough I don’t love God enough I’m not committed enough I’m not spiritual enough. Then this book is for you. Messy Spirituality was written for the silent majority of us who have been convinced that we just don’t do Christianity right. We spend most of our lives worried about what we don’t do instead of what we have done, focused on our imperfections instead of God’s fondness for the imperfect. Why? Because we’ve been bombarded with books, tapes, talks, seminars, and movies convincing us that real Christianity is all about perfection. Michael Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, infiniteness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy, erratic, lopsided . . . and gloriously liberating.

What if genuine faith begins with admitting we will never have our act completely together? Maybe messy disciples are exactly the kind of imperfect people Jesus came to earth for and whose company he actually enjoyed--and still enjoys. If you want to find Jesus today, look for him in the midst of burned-out believers, moral misfits, religious incompetents . . . men and women whose lives are, well, messy.

Messy Spirituality is a strong antidote for the spiritual perfectionism in us all. Here are truths that can cut you loose from the tyranny of ought-to’s and open your eyes to the deep spirituality of being loved, shortcomings and all, by the God who meets you and transforms you in the midst of a messy and unpredictable life.

Review

This book turns typical evangelical thought on its head in the most beautiful way.  A lot of evangelicals can tend to sound a little Pharisaical--if you aren't following all the rules exactly, then God doesn't want anything to do with you.  Thank goodness there are people like Yaconelli who remind us that God has always chosen and worked with people who are messy and imperfect.

I find it very encouraging to be reminded that my faith and devotion to Jesus is a lifelong growing experience.  God doesn't expect me to have my life figured out--we're working on that together.  It's the journey, with both the high points and especially the low, that bring me closer to Jesus and teach me to be more like him.

It took me awhile to get used to Yaconelli's writing style.  He tends to say things once and then repeat it in different ways over and over.  He likes to be repetitive.  The repetition gets his point across more clearly.  You see what I mean?  But the message is well worth reading important points five times.

Four out of five missteps.

Release Date:  March 2002

Reading Level:  Grade 8+

Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  Not yet part of Dunlap's collection.

Interrupting Chicken by Devin Ezra Stein

Book Jacket

It's bedtime for the little red chicken, and Papa is going to read her a story.

"You're not going to interrupt the story tonight, are you?" asks Papa.

"Oh no, Papa.  I'll be good," says the little red chicken.

But she just can't help herself!  Whether it's Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, or Chicken Little, as soon as the story gets going...out jumps the little red chicken--right into the story--saving the characters from danger and ending the story early.

Will that chicken ever get to sleep?

Review

If I could have any superpower, it would be the ability to jump into media (TV, movies, books) and participate.  The little red chicken certainly uses this power for good!  She cracked me up with her abrupt story endings.  "Out jumped a little red chicken, and she said, 'Don't panic!  It was just an acorn.'  So Chicken Little didn't.  THE END!"  So much less drama than the original version.

I also really liked that this story is about a little girl and her dad, even if they are chickens.  There are too few father/daughter stories, and this one is an excellent start to righting that balance.

Four out of five reinvented fairy tales.

Release Date:  August 2010

Reading Level:  All Ages

Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  MONARCH

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Book Jacket

When Grace's teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides to be the first.  And she immediately starts off her political career as a candidate in the school's mock election.  But soon she realizes that she has entered a tough race.  Her popular opponent claims to be the "best man for the job"--and seems to have captured all the male votes.  So Grace decides the only thing to do is to concentrate on being the best person.

In this timely story, author Kelly DiPucchio not only gives readers a fun introduction to the American electoral system but also teaches them the value of hard work, courage, and independent thought--and offers an inspiring example of how to choose our leaders.

Review

The second paragraph of the book jacket pretty much says what I wanted to say.  This book is completely charming, with fantastic pictures highlighting the events the book describes.  Grace is a fantastic girl who I would totally vote into presidency.  When she promises to address the bullying problem, she joins the school safety squad.  When she promises no more fish stick tacos, she volunteers to work in the cafeteria. 

The happy outcome of the school's mock election supports the idea that voting someone into office means more than just voting for the more popular contestant; it means voting for someone who will get the job done. 

I also loved how DiPucchio included historical and political facts.  The students vote after being assigned a state to represent, thereby explaining the electoral college in action.  The deciding vote goes to Wyoming, which I assume is a nod to the fact that it was the first state to allow women to vote. 

This book is all around awesome, right down to the perfect hopeful last picture.

Five out of five future female presidents.

Release Date:  February 2008

Reading Level:  All Ages
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  MONARCH

Flight of the Blue Serpent by Tony Abbott

Book Jacket

Eric and his friends are headed to Droon's far north, a forbidding wasteland of ice and snow.  There they seek the truth about a mysterious treasure--a snowflake with magical powers that fell to the earth from a strange, flying blue serpent.

The kids' journey is filled with danger, for Ko will stop at nothing to get the treasure.  And every step north brings them closer to fulfilling a terrifying prophecy that could change the future of Droon forever...

Review

This is the book that was chosen for our March book club for 3-5 graders.  I haven't read any of the other Secrets of Droon series, which was a huge disadvantage while reading Flight of the Blue Serpent.  Despite the confusion that inevitably occurs when plopping into the middle of a series, the 33rd set of adventures were plenty entertaining.

I only got to read about a the northern part of Droon, but it was enough to convince me that Abbott has an awesome imagination!  The frozen wasteland actually made me want more snow (I know, I know, please don't hate me).  But really, if we could all bundle into furs and travel by motorized sleds, wouldn't a snowland be totally awesome?  The answer is yes.

The villians Eric and his friends face are Nesh warriors, skeletal monsters made of icicles.  They break off their various parts and throw them at people!  So cool.  And terrifying, I'm sure. 

I didn't understand all the background and mythology, but if there's one thing I've learned from reading fantasy, it is this:  Don't ignore prophecies!  They always come true, and usually in the least expected way.  Galen stopped worrying too soon, and now I might never know what happens to Eric...unless I pick up the next book.  Which honestly, I probably won't.  Maybe someone at the book club can tell me how the series ends.

A great book (and I'm assuming, series) for younger readers, but not exactly a world in which I'm willing to invest more time.

Three out of five blue snowflakes.

Release Date:  October 2008

Reading Level:  Grade 3+
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  J ABB