Reading Abounds

Title: Colin Fischer Authors: Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 74916 Description: A youthful Sherlock Holmes whose Asperger's syndrome makes social interaction difficult, young Colin investigates a crime where he must uncover the greatest mystery of all -- what other people are thinking and feeling. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It! Why I Read It: Interesting Cover.  I loved the little faces all over showing different emotions. Lori's Notes: I loved this book.   I’ve had it in my reading pile for a while and it finally made it to the top of the list.   I finished it in a couple of days.   With more time I probably would have finished it in one sitting.   Colin Fischer has Asperger’s syndrome and sensory integration disorder.   He doesn’t like loud noises and he definitely doesn’t like to be touched.   This is going to make his first year in high school more than a little challenging.   He doesn’t even make it to homeroom on the firs

Title: How to Lead a Life of Crime Author: Kirsten Miller Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 79256 Description:  A teenaged pickpocket, haunted by the ghost of his brother killed by his father, is recruited for Mandel Academy, a school for criminals where only one student survives each semester. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It. Why I Read It: Great title but the cover and size of this book did nothing to entice me to read it.  I picked it up as a book to take with me to the cottage and I figured I wouldn't need to take any others with a book this size.  Turns out, I should have brought a couple of extras. Lori's Notes:   I picked this book up a couple of times but put it down again because of the length.  Glad I took the time to read it!  The book has good writing, an interesting plot, and moments that made me laugh out loud.  The plot was well devised and executed.  Flick is living on the streets after running away from military school.  He wants to rescue his little bro

Title: Delirium Series: Delirium Trilogy Author: Lauren Oliver Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 48617 Description: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love. Rubric Rating: Level 2: Like It. Why I Read it: I've been reading a lot of dystopian trilogies and this one fit that category.  This cover didn't appeal to me at all. Lori's Notes:  I've read so many dystopian novels now that I've had to categorize them based on theme.  This particular novel I would classify as a "romance dystopian".  The theory is that all unhealthy behaviour and feelings are caused by love and if we can just cure society of this "disease" we can all live happy, healthy and productive lives.  Love is blamed for depression, eating disorders, suicide and the theory for th

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before Author: Jenny Han Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 80429 Description: Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out-of-control when someone finds her cache of secret love letters and mails them to the boys to whom they are addressed. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: Interesting title and write up.  (Cover didn't appeal to me at all) Lori's Notes: I have to admit this is not really a genre that attracts me.  I don't tend to read a lot of romance fiction.  The write up sounded interesting but I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in the execution.  Lara Jean writes letters to the boy's she's in love with.  They're not love letters, they're leaving letters.  She writes them to get over her crush.  She's never actually had a real boyfriend.  However, when the letters are sent out to these five boys - including her sister's ex-boyfriend (Josh), and the first boy who ever kissed

Title: Freaks Like Us Author: Susan Vaught Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 79417 Desription:   A mentally ill teenager who rides the "short bus" to school investigates the sudden disappearance of his best friend. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: I must admit it was the title and cover that made me pick up this book.  (A short bus flipped upside-down) Lori's Notes:   Freak hears voices.  He has since he was eight-years-old.  He calls his voices Bastard, Whiner, and the No-Names.  They ramble continually in his head.  Now that he's in high school he's in a special class with Drip, who has ADHD, and Sunshine, who has selective-mutism.  Freak has schizophrenia.  They've grown accustomed to their lives as "alphabets" as they call themselves.  But when Sunshine disappears all eyes turn toward Freak and Drip.  But no one ever listens to the alphabets and when the FBI is called in even Freak isn't sure that he didn't hurt Sunshi

Title: Death Cloud Series: Sherlock Holmes - The Legend Begins Volume 1 Author: Andrew Lane Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 49369 Description: In 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes stays with his eccentric relatives where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read it: I like Sherlock Holmes mysteries and this one sounded interesting. Lori's Notes: This is a story about a young Sherlock Holmes and how he gets his start in sleuthing. With his father off to war, his brother Mycroft living in London and his mother unwell, Sherlock is sent to live with his stodgy Aunt and Uncle during the school holidays.  While there, his brother acquires a tutor for Sherlock, Amyus Crowe.  Sherlock, along with Amyus' daughter Virginia and a homeless youth named Matty Arnatt become friends and with a fair amount of intrigue and a

Title: Annexed Author: Sharon Dogar Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 45764 Description: The incredible story of Anne Frank told through the eyes of Peter, the teenage boy who was locked in the Annex with her. Rubric Rating:  Level 1 - Leave It Why I Read It: I like reading literature based around the WWII time period.  I've read Anne Frank's diary and I've visited the annex so this title really appealed to me. Lori's Notes:  I did not like this book.  I had such a hard time slogging through this novel.  I loved the concept - the story of being annexed with Anne Frank by Peter Van Pels but I hated that the author was attributing thoughts and feelings to a real person.  I felt that this denies who that person really was.  I would have liked the book a lot better if written by the table (many conversations and actions happen in the kitchen) or by the cat (it can follow characters room to room) and we can't ascribe any feelings/values to them.  I also found the l

Title: Cardturner Author: Louis Sachar Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 43908 Description: When his wealthy uncle, a champion bridge player who has lost his vision, asks seventeen-year-old Alton to be a cardturner for him, Alton has no idea how much he will ultimately learn from his eccentric relative.  Includes appendix by Syd Fox with information about bridge. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: I really enjoyed the novel Holes and this book is by the same author. Lori's Notes: Alton's rich uncle, a champion bridge player, is blind and needs a cardturner for him to play.  A fantastic story about families and relationships, it weaves together the storylines of Alton and his uncle and first loves.  It does delve a little into the paranormal/ghostly but it wasn't distracting to the overall sense of the novel.  It also touches on the idea of how relationships change and change us.  I'm not a bridge player at all and had no idea how the game was played an

Title: This World We Live In Series: The Last Survivors Series Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 41614 Description:  When the moon's gravitational pull increases, causing massive natural disasters on earth, Miranda and her family struggle to survive in a world without cities or sunlight, and wonder if anyone else is still alive. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: I enjoyed the first two books in the series and am continuing on with the third instalment.  I love the image of the moon on each of the covers of the books.  It is so immense and overwhelming. Lori's Notes: This World We Live In takes place a year after the moon crash has happened.  Miranda and her family are surprised when an unexpected knock at their door turns out to be Miranda's father, his new wife, their new baby, as well as Alex and his sister Julie.  The families are still struggling to survive and want to find a way to the government city.  Miranda and Alex f

Title: The Bite of the Mango Author: Mariatu Kamara ***Canadian*** Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 34938 Description: A courageous biography by a woman from Sierra Leone who at 12 was tortured and lost her hands to child soldiers, her subsequent life in refugee camps, begging in Freetown and her eventual arrival in Toronto where she began to pull her life back together. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: This book was recommended to me by several teachers as a novel suitable for curriculum study. Lori's Notes: This is a difficult read in terms of subject matter, but a compelling story written in easy language.  Mariatu's journey from a tortured 12-year-old girl in Sierra Leone who has her hands chopped off by child soldiers, through her recovery, and eventual move to Canada borders on the unbelievable.  I am amazed at the strength Mariatu shows both in surviving her physical attacks but also with the mental fortitude to survive these atrocities.  I though

Title: The Scar Boys Author:  Len Vlahos Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 80705 Description: In a college admission essay, eighteen-year-old Harry Jones recounts a childhood defined by the hideous scars he hid behind, and how forming a band brought self-confidence, friendship, and his first kiss. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love it! Why I Read It: A great title and an interesting write up. Lori's Notes: This book had me captivated in the first couple of pages.  The first page consists of a college admissions essay question.  The following pages and in fact the rest of the book is Harbinger "Harry" Jones' answer to that question.  Each chapter starts with a song title and performer.  The story begins with the critical event that caused Harry's disfiguring scars.  I must say this for me was a graphic scene.  I was brought to tears and laughed out loud within the first 15 pages of the novel.  Harry must endure a painful recovery that has him addicted to methadone

Title: Mockingjay Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy Author: Suzanne Collins Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 44898 Description: Katniss' survival in her second Hunger Games has angered the Capitol and all those she loves are in danger. Rubric Rating: Level 4: Love it! Why I Read It: As the last book in the Hunger Games Trilogy I had to see how it all ended. Lori's Notes:  The Capitol has made a fatal error by creating a symbol of rebellion in Katniss.  She has escaped to District 13 - a district that is beyond the Capitol's control.  The districts are rising up to gain power against the Capitol but those wishing to wrest control may be no better than those in power now. Katniss struggles with her feelings for both Gale and Peeta, but her love for Prim is unwavering.  In the end, Katniss becomes the instrument she feared she would become.  I enjoyed this read whole-heartedly.  The series ended how I preferred and I felt that the consequences of the actions and decisio

Title: The Dead and the Gone Series: The Last Survivors Series Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 25844 Description: After a meteor hits the moon and sets off a series of horrific climate changes, seventeen-year-old Alex Morales must take care of his sisters in the chaos of New York City. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: I enjoyed the first book in this series so much I had to read the next book. Lori's Notes: The Dead and the Gone focuses on Alex and his sisters Julie and Bri in New York City during the same time period as Miranda and her family in Life as we Knew It.  Being parallel novels, either book can be read first but I recommend reading this one second.  We meet Alex and his sisters at the time of the moon crash.  We never meet his mother or father and the kids are left to fend for themselves in their apartment in the city. Food, clothing, and heat quickly become issues and they must break into apartments and steal from the d

Title: As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth Author: Lynne Rae Perkins Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 44333 Description: A teenaged boy encounters one comedic calamity after another when his train strands him in the middle of nowhere, and everything comes down to luck. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: Looking for a fun read that would be good for a boy. Lori's Notes: A series of comedic events lead to the isolation of Ry from his family.  Trying to phone his grandfather Ry gets off his train and left behind in Montana, his parents are sailing in the Caribbean and his grandfather isn't answering the phone.  The dogs (who receive their own chapters in graphic novel format) are trying to make their way back to their old home and no one seems to be able to find each other.  There were moments that had me giggling but I have to admit that throughout the novel I was waiting for "something bad to happen" and while bad things do happen they'r

Title: The Uninvited Author:  Tim Wynne-Jones ***Canadian Author*** Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 34459 Description: Mimi arrives at her father's vacation cottage and is surprised to find someone living there. She's even more surprised when the someone accuses her of leaving strange and threatening tokens inside. Now she must figure out who's responsible and, more importantly, what they want? Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: I had already read a couple of titles by Wynne-Jones and picked this up as part of an author study. Lori's Notes: This book was not what I was expecting from the cover.  I was expecting more of a supernatural story, perhaps a haunted house, but this novel was nothing like that at all.  After a bad break up, Mimi travels to Canada to spend time at her estranged father's cabin but finds someone else living there.  Turns out she isn't an only child and has a stepbrother. They are plagued by break-ins and strange messag

Title: Across the Universe Series: Across the Universe (Vol. 1) Author: Beth Revis Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 49097 Description: Seventeen-year-old Amy awakes from frozen animation to find herself hundreds of years in the future and racing to save herself and the inhabitants of the spaceship Godspeed. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: I have been reading a lot of dystopian titles and was looking for something a little different. Lori's Notes: Amy is cryogenically frozen, along with her parents and a few hundred scientists and technicians, to travel to Centauri-Earth to start a colonization project.  A trip that should take 300 years. But something has gone wrong - someone is unplugging and killing people.  Amy survives and meets Elder, the next leader of the ship GodSpeed.  Elder is being taught by Eldest to lead the now monoethnic inhabitants of the ship. But who is the strange man who looks so much like Elder and who is unplugging the frozen people fro

Title: 882 1/2 Amazing Answers to your Questions about the Titanic Author: Hugh Brewster and Laurie Coulter                Painting by Ken Marschall Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 87033 Description: Here is the book with all the answers to your questions about the Titanic.  From the building of the ocean liner to its tragic sinking and its discovery on the ocean floor.  Illustrated with paintings, diagrams and photographs. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love it Why I Read It: I read this in 2012 to do research on the 100th anniversary of the sinking. Lori's Notes: A non-fiction question and answer format book about the Titanic.  A really interesting read.  Gives enough information to be interesting but not so much as to be overwhelming.  Some good Canadian content about some of the Canadians on board and who perished.  The type of book that makes you want to read more! Recommended Readers: Grade 4 and Up.  A great book for boys and anyone interesting in the Tita

Title: Between Shades of Gray Author: Ruta Sepetys Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 49070 Description: In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina and her family are sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp, and she vows to honor her family and others by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It Why I Read It: A debut novel by this author. Lori's Notes: This is Ruta Sepetys' debut novel and it is amazing.  The story is based on the Russian occupation and Stalin's deportation of groups of Lithuanians, Estonians, and Latvians to Siberia during WWII.  Lina's life in Lithuania is suddenly thrown into chaos when the Russian NKVD (the precursor to the KGB) arrives at their home telling them they have 20 minutes to pack.  Lina's 10-year-old brother Jonas and their mother Elena hastily pack up some of their belongings and are immediately taken to the train station and loaded into cattle cars.  Their journey take

Title: A Tale Dark and Grimm Series:  The Grimm Series Author: Adam Gidwitz Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 51063 Description: Follows Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into eight more tales, encountering such wicked creatures as witches, along with kindly strangers and other helpful folk. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: A fantastic title and a love for all things Grimm! Lori's Notes: A re-writing of a few fairy tales to include Hansel and Gretel (including their own). These two children run away from home, have adventures including a rescue, a trip to hell, and outwitting a murderer.  Some of the stories are dark - just as the Grimm stories were - and bloody.  The narrator who interjects throughout the stories is funny and sarcastic.  I really enjoyed this book and having read many of the original Grimm tales I liked the return of the more grisly parts! Recommended Readers: This book would be a great read aloud for a slightly olde

Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock Author: Matthew Quick Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 70518 Description:   A day in the life of a suicidal teen boy saying good-bye to the four people who matter most to him. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read it:  An interesting title and cover piqued my interest. Lori's Notes:  The title seems to indicate that this book is Leonard's suicide note.  The story becomes an explanation of what happened to Leonard that leads to his decision to kill himself and he is asking the reader to forgive him.  The writing is fairly fast-paced but I did find many of the footnotes on the pages rather distracting and long.  I couldn't help but draw comparisons between this book and 13 Reasons Why . Leonard seems to be counting down the list of people in his life and the events that have led to his decision to kill Asher (a call out to the author Jay Asher of 13 Reasons Why ?) and then kill himself. Not everyone in his life is bad, some have

Title:  Memory Boy Author: Will Weaver Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 194696 Description: Sixteen-year-old Miles and his family must flee their Minneapolis home and begin a new life in the wilderness after a chain of cataclysmic volcanic explosions creates dangerous conditions in their city. Rubric Rating: Level 3: Laud It Why I Read It: This book was a recommended read from a co-worker. Lori's Notes:  Miles has absolutely no interest in completing his oral history project, he prefers to work with his hands, to tinker and build.  But when he gets paired with the cantankerous and elderly Hans, who has a keen knack for telling a story, Miles finds himself engaged in his stories of wilderness survival.  A series of volcanic eruptions has thrown the environment into chaos, Miles must use his tinkering skills to help move his family from a Minneapolis that is becoming more and more dangerous, to his family's summer cabin.  However, when they arrive, instead of finding safety

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why Author: Jay Asher Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 40739 Description:   When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It : A friend recommended I add this book to my reading list.  I finished it in one sitting. Lori's Notes: Thirteen Reasons Why is an emotionally charged novel regarding the suicide of Hannah Baker.  The novel opens with Clay Jenkins holding a box.  The box contains 13 tapes recorded by Hannah Baker who we learn has recently committed suicide.  (It was not lost on me that this is a Baker's dozen).  Hannah records her 13 reasons with instructions to forward the tapes on to the next person on the list along with the threat that

Title: Tuck Everlasting Author: Natalie Babbit Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 307191 Description: The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover that a ten-year-old girl and a malicious stranger now share their secret about a spring whose water prevents one from ever growing any older. Rubric Rating: Level 4: Love It!  This is one of my all-time favourite books. Why I Read It: I first read this book when I was about 10 or 11 years old and I loved it.  I re-read it every now and again. Lori's Notes: I really enjoy this book and it's one of those stories that I can read again and again.  I am fascinated by the Tuck family and the idea of immortality.  Who hasn't wanted to live forever?  Not only are the Tuck's immortal but they are also ever youthful, never growing older and never changing. Jesse Tuck is stuck at 17 wandering the world with his parents and brother.  That is until he meets lonely Winnie Foster.  An only child, Winnie b