recent reads

[Written last April]
Since I gave you a peek at Mike's side of the bed in the last post, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of my side - stacks of book. I've been busy reading young adult fiction still. Guess that's what comes from being involved in a few book groups for kids.

My nightstand still looks like this, except there are a few more papers sticking out all over the place. Well, my recent reads in April are not so recent anymore. I read Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ririe Brink, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, and The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler for bookgroups with the kids. I've also a few other young adult books such as The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George, The Princess of the Midnight Ball also by Jessica Day George, and First Test, Page and Squire by Tamora Pierce. The Tamora Pierce ones started out good with a strong female character working hard and overcoming her fears and obstacles, but as she aged I did not like the moral tone of the books. With so many other good books out there, I would not recommend them to youth.

I've been working the CD player in the van to it full potential (it isn't always reliable) by listening to other books on CD with the kids. They don't get the full story, just pieces here and there as I ferry them around. But I do. I've listened to Heartbeat, Ruby Hollow and Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, Water Street and Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff.

In my escape with mindless clean romantic novels I've read a few Siri Mitchell books - The Cubicle Next Door and Moon over Tokyo.

Right now I'm reading 360 Degrees Longitude by John Higham. It's fabulous. But I may be a bit biased. It's written by a friends from church. It is a humorous and eye-opening story about their family's journey around the world. They start by bicycling from London to Istanbul, but need to travel other ways after their daughter broke her leg in the Alps. I'm really enjoying it. A great summer read - easy to pick up and put down, lets you travel the world from wherever you happen to be.