A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz

    I've gotten really picky about books lately.  If the opening line or the opening chapter doesn't hook me,  I might put the book aside until I feel like I have more time and energy to invest in a book.  The opening line of A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama had me engaged.  The opening chapter had me thrilled.

    Laura Amy Schlitz begins her early twentieth century novel, "On the morning of the best day of her life, Maud Flynn was locked in the outhouse, singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic." This is where the Hawthorne sisters find Maud, a spirited, outspoken orphan.  The sisters adopt her from the asylum, shower her with new clothes and other life necessities that she had lived without in her previous life.

    While Maud finds it a little strange that her new guardians wish to keep her hidden in their home, she behaves and hides in order to win their affections.  Eventually, Maud learns that she is to be part of a scheme to trick wealthy, bereaved clients in mock seances.

   Throughout the book,  I found myself rooting for Maud.  She is a lonely child, desperate for the love and affection of those around her.  Her friendship with a deaf serving lady, Muffet, gives me hope.  Her relationship with Hyacinth Hawthorne, finds me rooting against this consummate villain. 

   If you are looking for a great historical fiction, this could be your book.

    

Heroes and Villains of the Bible

Heroes and Villains of the Bible by Thomas Nelson

I selected Heroes and Villians of the Bible because I was hoping for a book that I might be able to use in my public school classroom.  As students are engaged in learning about Gods and Goddesses from varying cultures, I often find myself reflecting on Biblical stories.  I hope for a book that retells the stories in a literary style that is engaging for children and adults alike.

Each chapter of the book features text taken directly from the International Children's Bible.  This text takes the majority of the chapter.  Then, there is a paragraph or two following the Biblical story explaining the lesson that can be taken from that particular story.  This would be the type of book that parents might want to share with their child as a starting point for discussions.  The actual selections demonstrate the heroes and villains. It is not an example of a literary piece of work.

My favorite part of the book was the illustrations to go with each section.  While not necessarily historically accurate, the illustrations are pretty engaging for kids.  I wish there were more of them throughout the book.  I also wish that I could give a more favorable review, but this book is not the best selection if you are looking for something engaging for your children.

Please note: Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Facing the Lion: Growing up Maasai on the African Savanna

by Joseph Lekuton

     I am working to find some great nonfiction reads for my third and fourth grade Virtual Reading Classroom students.  I ran across this memoir/autobiography of Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and thought  I would give it a try.  I found the book to be fascinating, engaging and thought provoking.

    Joseph Lekuton tells the story of his childhood, of what it was like to grow up as a Maasai in Africa.  Not only does the reader hear amusing anecdotes of Lekuton's defining childhood moments, his story also clearly demonstrates the social implications of his family's position in Kenya.  Lekuton writes of the cattle his family reveres and his family's willingness to sell those cattle in order to provide him with an education that they don't understand.  Slowly, Lekuton realizes the change that education has made in his way of thinking. He struggles to keep his ties to his African family as he moves on to achieve a college education in the United States.  

    This book was published in 2003, and I am quite surprised that I hadn't run across it until now.  It is a good read.

Cliques, Hicks and Ugly Sticks: Confessions of April Grace  by K.D. McCrite

Everything is changing for April Grace Reilly. She is just starting middle school, where friends from elementary school have changed into people whom she barely seems to know.  At home, her family has taken in Mr. and Mrs. St. James until their house can be repaired.  As if that's not enough to worry about,  April's Mama just doesn't seem like herself. It's no wonder that April is just plain worried.  April slowly realizes that there are some things that she can fix and other things that are simply out of her hands.

April Grace Reilly is my kind of girl.  She loves with all of her heart.  She is true to those whom she loves and she is learning why tolerance and patience are necessary virtues. In Cliques, Hicks and Ugly Sticks: Confessions of April Grace, author K.D. McCrite writes with an authentic voice.  April Grace's story is told with honesty.  Her story is one that will help tween girls dealing with growing up in today's world.

Please note: Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Around the World in 100 Days by Gary Blackwood

The year is 1891. Harry Fogg, precocious son of the infamous Phileas Fogg, is trying to find his way in the world.  Harry is a dreamer, an inventor and a free-spirit.  Harry's father seems to have forgotten his own free-spirited adventures and he expects something a little more grounded from his own son.  

Harry has different plans.

In the true impulsive nature of a dreamer, Harry wagers that his newfangled, self-propelled automobile can travel around the world in 100 days.  Harry makes a wager with some men, makes a deal with his father and finds himself racing to keep his own ideas about his life. 

In a strange turn of events Harry and his best friend Johnny end up being accompanied by a duo anxious to watch the entire journey, Charles and Elizabeth. 

Will Harry make it around the world?  Will he live up to his father's expectations?  Will he decide his place in the world?

With so many twists and turns in the novel, the one sure thing to say is that readers should expect the unexpected.  

I hope that you read and enjoy Around the World in 100 Days by Gary Blackwood!

Some side notes about Around the World in 100 Days by Gary Blackwood:

I'm always a little dubious when I consider a book that has been written as a companion piece to a classic novel. I decided to give this book a try for a couple reasons. 1. I am a huge fan of Gary Blackwood's Shakespeare Stealer 2. Around the World in 100 Days also comes as a Junior Library Guild book selection. I was pleasantly surprised and engaged in the book. With a lexile level of 870, this book is a slightly easier read than the Jules Verne Classic, Around the World in 80 Days.  I was not disappointed.  This book is a great story!