The Glass Castle

Jeanette Walles' memoir about growing up in a family with two very unique parents. She shares her stories of spending most of their time traveling from one rundown, remote rental house to another in order to avoid bill collectors and other conspiracies. But surprisingly she seems to enjoy the memories of living out in the desert, her artistic mother, and slightly unstable, alcoholic father who always had great stories to tell. This author now lives in the Culpeper area and speak at high schools. I'm in the midst of reading it myself, but am really enjoying it and can understand why it comes highly reccommended.

Susan McCorkindale

Article in the Freelance Star today on local (transplant) auther Susan McCorkindale. She will be having a book signing in Fredericksburg on Saturday, March 7 at the Griffin Bookshop & Coffeebar. Her book, "Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl" was developed from her emails and blog about the 'farm life'.

Tournament of Books

For the 5th year, The Morning News is hosting the Tournament of Books, which takes 16 of the most acclaimed novels of the year and pits them against each other, March Madness Style, in a bracketed, judged tournament to determine a winner (sort of tongue-in-cheek complete with their own T-Shirt {pictured here}). Past winners include:

Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

The Accidental - Ali Smith

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

The Brief Wondorous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

A bracket sheet in pdf is available so you can 'track' your favorite book as it advances through the rounds.

In the Sweet 16 this year are:

2666 - Roberto Bolano

Steer Toward Rock - Fae Myenne Ng

Netherland - Joseph O'Neil

A Partisan's Daughter - Louis De Bernieres

The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga

Harry, Revised - Mark Sarvas

Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri

City of Refuge - Tom Piazza

Shadow Country - Peter Matthiessen

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E Lockhart

The Northern Clemency - Philip Hensher

The Lazarus Project - Aleksandar Hemon

A Mercy - Toni Morrison

The Dart League King - Keith Lee Morris

Home - Marilynne Robinson

My Revolutions - Hari Kunzru

For more information visit either Omnivoracious or The Morning News.

Dr. Seuss

In honor of Read Across America - and Dr. Seuss' birthday (March 2), the Cetral Rappahannock Regional Library will be hosting some childrens activities at various branches on Saturday and Monday. You may visit thier website for more information (website).

Be sure to pick up and read one of your favorites of Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSig, or Rosetta Stone. You can also view some of his lesser known work - political cartoons at Dr. Seuss Went to War .

At the Movies

Before they became movies - many of these top Hollywood hits were books. A short list, which I will try and update, follows:

Slumdog Millionaire - Q & A by Vikas Swarup (Author Website)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Twilight - Stephanie Myer (Author Website)

The Reader - Bernhard Schlink

Marley & Me - John Grogan (Author Website)

The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd (Author Website)

Frost/Nixon - David Frost

The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory

Prince Caspian - C.S. Lewis

Nights in Rodanthe - Nicholas Sparks (Author Website)

The Ruins - Scott Smith (Author Website)

2009 Coretta Scott King Awards

The Coretta Scott King Awards for 2009 were announced (Jan 26, 2009) on the ALA website and in the 17 Feb 2009 issue of the Freelance Star Family Section. The following is a list of winners:
We Are The Ship. The Story of Negro League Baseball - Kadir Nelson
Keeping the Night Watch - Hope Anita Smith
The Blacker the Berry - Joyce Carol Thomas
Becoming Billie Holiday - Carole Boston Weatherford
The Moon Over Star - Jerry Pinkney
Before John was a Jazz Giant - Sean Qualls
Bird - Shadra Strickland

2009 Alex Awards

The Alex Awards are given to 10 books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults as well. The 2009 Alex Awards are:
City of Thieves - David Denioff
The Dragons of Babel - Michael Swanwick
Finding Nouf - Zoe Farraris
The Good Thief - Hannah Tinti
Just After Sunset, Stories - Steven King
Mudbound - Hillary Jordan
Over and Under - Todd Tucker
The Oxford Project - Stephen G. Bloom
Sharp Teeth - Toby Barlow
Three Girls and Their Brothers - Theresa Rebeck

For more information - please visit the ALA Website

Neal Shusterman

For more information on Unwind and Neal Shusterman, visit his website: click here

Unwind

Life is sacred until the age of 13. Between years 13 and 18 children can be sent to the Happy Jack Harvest Camp to be unwound. Conner is a troublemaker, Risa is an orphan and Lev is tithed because he is the 10th child in his family. Follow their adventures as they try to escape their fate.

Freedom Writers

For those of you who read/view the movie Freedom Writers, I have located a nice teaching packet that can be used for both the book and the movie.

Freedom Writers: Express Yourself Discussion Guide

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a story of Hitler's Germany. It is told through the voice of 9 year old Bruno whose father is the Commandant at Out-With (Auschwitz). We follow Bruno in his move from Berlin to Out-With, where his father, an important man to the Fury (Fuhrer), takes over command of the facilities. We follow him as he experiences the dinner with the Fury, his move, finding a friend, and his final 'exploration'.

The book is an easy read, suitable for middle and high school students in both English and History classes.

Random House Children's Books: Resource

Liberty Reading Blog

This Blog will be used to share information about books we have read and would like to share with others, books we use in the classroom and activities that go along with those books, and other materials we can use to get kids (and adults) reading.