The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Newbery Medal (2015) on the front cover of this hardbound book caught my eye in the "Little Library" box down the street. When I first opened it, I was a little put off because it's written in verse. I wondered how a plot or characters could effectively unfold in free form poetry. I shouldn't have worried, though, because the characters really DO come alive, and the plot is excellent!

Twin boy basketball players tell their story and it's surprisingly moving to read. It's also a very quick page-turner because there's so much white space on each page. Despite that, though, the characters are real, and the writing is very clever and descriptive. I liked it enough that I'm giving it to Melissa and Gabe to share...they will love the basketball lingo and plays as well as the family drama that unfolds. I think the author did a particularly great job describing what happens to a young teen who discovers girls for the first time. Very enjoyable read!

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

The goldfish jumping out of the bowl on the blue cover of this book caught my imagination in the "Little Library" box down the street. It's quite a good story with some rather predictable characters. Melody is a fifth grader with cerebral palsy and a brilliant mind. This story traces her development as she figures out how to speak via computer and unleash her thinking and learning on the world. It's a good story in that it graphically illustrates how children in Special Ed are treated. The safety of the Special Ed room is well-described, as well as the challenge of "inclusion" and the social issues associated with that. That part is very well-done. The conversation of the fifth graders is a little dated, as is the technology, but it's still relevant. I especially liked the family life descriptions because the challenge of raising such a child is clearly described. I think it would be good for a class read because the ensuing discussion of differently abled children is important. Is it a great book? No... Worthwhile? Yes. The characters a little predictable? Yes... A little superficial? Yes. A good message? Definitely!

Stuart Little by E. B. White

I found this paperback in the free "Little Library" box down the street. It's a classic, so I thought I would read it and consider giving it to John and Henry afterwards. The illustrations are by Garth Williams and are quite delightful. They have just the right touch of humor that is evident in the story. Stuart Little is a tiny mouse born into a human family in New York and he has marvelous little adventures. They are interesting because Stuart has challenges because he's a mouse trying to make it in a human world. He has tiny little clothes and furniture show White's creativity. The story is charming, but I'm not sure it would hold the interest of my grandsons... I will probably offer it to them because it's a sweet story, but I won't be surprised if it's too tame to pique their interest. They are into Harry Potter now, so this may be too down to (literally) earth!

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

I asked my friend (and my daughter's mother-in-law) what books she especially liked... She mentioned this one. Sylvia and I have a lot in common, so I hoped I'd like what she likes in reading. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this book was a disappointment. When I found it used in a bookstore, I thought, "Oh, this cover looks like a Romance novel." Not a good thing, in my book. Too vapid, too one-dimensional, shallow characters and luster-less writing. But, I thought, Sylvia really likes it! So I took it home and dove in.

The writing was better than the cover promised. Descriptive and entertaining. The characters were interesting, and not one-dimensional. But the plot didn't move along, it really sauntered and took some meaningless tangents. I didn't look forward to reading it; it didn't call me like a good book does at the end of the day. The plot felt ponderous. I didn't care a lot about the characters. The plot was mildly intriguing...a daughter sets out to find out about her mother's life before she had children. The plot went back and forth between the mother's past, set in World War II and the London blitz, and the present. The backdrop of the blitz and the attendant problems was interesting but not new.

All in all, blah. With a big surprise turn at the end, but that didn't even excite me much. I may give it to Sierra and see if she likes it better. If nothing else, maybe it will give us something to talk to Sylvia about! Plus, there may be more than one book with this title, and I need to verify that this is even the right one...

Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray

The title and the colorful cover of this book caught my eye in the used bookstore here in Bismarck. The lively shades of blue, so typical of the south of France, made the cover arresting. It turned out to be quite an enjoyable read. The plot was a bit silly and unrealistic, but made a good story. Like many books I seem to be reading lately, the time went back and forth between the present and the past. By the end of the book, the two stories came together. A modern young woman searches out her grandmother's past and in the process discovers a lot about her grandmother's life as a chef and as a cook for the real life Picasso. While the story is true fiction, the character of Picasso and most of the paintings described are based in history. Because I love Picasso's art, this was fascinating. The story is somewhat titillating and erotic as the young woman is seduced by Picasso, but it's rather tastefully done. Not X rated, but certainly a strong R!

Picasso's male chauvenism is illustrated through his conversations and actions. His wives and lovers make a few appearances, and his obsession with his art (if true) shows how selfish and unfeeling he could be. Ondine (the grandmother) and Celine (the granddaughter) are interesting characters and the writing is better than average. A great book? No. Enjoyable? Yes.

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank

This book, with the girl in tall rubber boots on the cover, had attracted me when it first came out. When I found it in the "Little Library" for free, I snatched it up. I was totally enjoying the beginning of the book, where the 14-year old narrator describes her summer, when the story ended. It's actually a collection of short stories where some of the characters reappear. The author has a very wry sense of humor and her descriptions are insightful and funny.

It's been awhile since I finished it, but I recall thinking that I would like to read it again. The humor is often self-effacing and really elucidates the thinking of a 14-year old. If I take it up again, I'll write more. I'm not remembering enough to really describe my reactions right now...