Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger

Book Title: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
Author: Paula Danziger
Audiobook Narrator: Alica Witt
Book Series: Amber Brown series
Reading Level: early middle-grade (3rd through 4th grade)
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Content Rating: G

I've seen the Amber Brown books around since my days of working in the Children's Department of my local library (that was 1999, by the way). I never thought to pick them up. At 18, they were not high on my interest-level list. 

But I'm a mom now, and I have a 3rd grader. So I read a lot of middle-grade and YA. A friend gave me 3 bins of old books a year or so ago, and two Amber Brown books were inside! So I gave them a try (actually I did audio for time purposes). Well I loved the books! The first 3, at least (that's all I've listened to).

Amber Brown is in 3rd grade with her best friend Justin Daniels. Aside from her parents' recent separation (and her dad's job moving him to Paris for a year), life is pretty good. Amber and Justin help each other with school, hang out at recess, and save chewed gum to their joint chewed gumball. But Justin's dad has taken a new job in Alabama, and now their house has sold. Nothing will ever be the same again. 

So I'm actually grateful I never picked this up before now. Because I'd have probably forgotten all about it if I'd read it years ago. But this is perfect for my daughter right now. We currently live in Alabama, but we're moving to a new state soon. My husband, in fact, has gone ahead to start his new job, much like Justin's dad in the story. I'm hoping this book might help my daughter not feel quite so alone in this big move. 

Anyway, cute and fun and quick early middle-grade about growing up and learning that life changes. And the audio was well done too! Also recommend You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown and Amber Brown Goes Fourth.

The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

Book: The Dark Hills Divide
Author: Patrick Carman
Series: The Land of Elyon
Reading Level: Middle-grade (I'd recommend for 5th to 7th)
My Rating: 3/5 stars
Content Rating: PG

Alexa is 12 years old when she travels with her father to Bridewell. She's lived her whole life behind the walls that protect the major cities from the mysterious and dangerous things in the Dark Hills. She's curious, though, about what lies beyond those walls. So when a chance presents itself to find out, she takes it. She learns about some sinister plots and a traitor in the city.  Soon she isn't sure who to trust. 

Well. I'm torn. I had really high hopes for this one. And while it doesn't have bad language or any obviously inappropriate content, there were things that really bug me about it. And I'm hesitant to give the go-ahead to my 8 year old at this point. For one thing, Alexa, the main character, does a lot of lying. She's very sneaky, and while this is practically required to further the story, it bugs me. I also found one of the characters very creepy. And yeah, he's supposed to be her nemesis, so he's written to be that way, but I felt uncomfortable with an adult character whose interactions with a child were what they are in the book, at least initially. The character's name doesn't do him any favors either. 

For me as a reader, the book also felt really unbelievable. I can let that go, though, as I'm obviously not the target audience. That said, I think there are many middle-grade reads that are well-developed and believable (even in the fantasy genre) even for adult readers. 

I did like the author's message about the walls we build and whether or not we should. 

In the end, I have decided we'll keep the book on our shelves and give it a couple years. This is strictly my feelings for my kids, and others may feel differently. 

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

 

Book Title: The Last House on the Street
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Audiobook Performer: Susan Bennett
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: R (mature themes, racial injustice, violence, murder, language)

This was my first Diane Chamberlain book, and it did not disappoint! I went into this one mostly blind, which I don't typically do. But it was audio, so I didn't have a book jacket handy to read a run-down. I knew it had an eerie/creepy aspect to it, but not too scary. But beyond that, I really didn't know what to expect. 

This book is written in dual timeline (1965 and 2010), which is a format I really enjoy. We begin by meeting Kayla in 2010, an architect whose husband died after falling from a ladder while helping build their dream home. After a mysterious visit from a woman who advises Kayla not to move into the house at the end of the street, Kayla is understandably shaken.

Then we meet Ellie, a well-to-do white twenty year old who joins civil rights activists one summer in North Carolina, much to the chagrin of her family and friends.

As the two stories unfold, these two women will find themselves connected in unexpected ways. 

While I was able to figure out some of what was coming, there were a few extra twists I wasn't expecting. And the story itself was very compelling. I think the narrator did an excellent job, which is a big deal for me with fiction, it turns out. 

Definitely a good read, though it makes me sad to contemplate that these kinds of things really happened. Hate is so destructive. 

Content warnings: some language, racial injustice, murder

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

 

Book Title: Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Author: Beverly Cleary
Book Series: Ramona Quimby series
Reading Level: middle-grade (3rd through 5th grade)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G
Tidbit: Eight-year old Ramona Quimby is just trying to survive 3rd grade and do as well as she possibly can at the job she's been assigned in her family.

Third grade isn't for wimps! Just ask Ramona Quimby. When Ramona's father decides to quit his job and go back to school, some things in the Quimby household have to change. Ramona's biggest responsibility is getting along with 4 year old Willa Jean, the granddaughter of the woman who watches Ramona and her sister after school. It's not a job Ramona enjoys. She also doesn't enjoy the cheaper meat her mom prepares for meals; nor her new classmate, whom she refers to as Yard Ape. When Ramona overhears something her teacher says after an egg-fad gone wrong, Ramona is sure this will be the worst year ever. She'll soon learn, however, that there are bright spots on even the cloudy days. 

So I loved this book! I dont think I ever read it when I was young. But I'm glad my daughter did! There were a few parts that made me chuckle out loud. I loved seeing things from an 8 year old's perspective. True, I was 8 once. But that was a very long time ago, and I don't remember how things felt. It was good to be reminded that the things that are hard for my daughter right now may not be hard for me, but they ARE hard for her! I also could identify so well with Ramona's parents, now that I'm of that general age.

My daughter loved this book. She is continuing the series (though I know now that this is book 6... oops).

Washington: a Life by Ron Chernow

 

Book Title: Washington: A Life
Author: Ron Chernow
Audiobook Performer: Scott Brick
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Quote: "Never a perfect man, [Washington] had always had a normal quota of human frailty,... But over the years, this man of deep emotions and strong opinions had learned to subordinate his personal dreams and aspirations to the service of a larger cause, evolving into a statesman with a prodigious mastery of political skills and an unwavering sense of America's future greatness. In the things that mattered most for his country, he had shown himself capable of constant growth and self-improvement... For a quarter century, he had stuck to an undeviating path that led straight to the creation of an independent republic, the enactment of the Constitution, and the formation of the federal government. History records few examples of a leader who so earnestly wanted to do the right thing, not just for himself but for his country."

At 42 hours on audio, I can attest to the fact that this book was very thorough. While there were a few times I found my mind wandering more than I wanted it to, overall, I was engaged and I learned so much! (I definitely recommend speeding it up to at least 1.4x).

From birth to death, this is George Washington's life story. The book is very well-done, and it makes me excited that I have two more books by Chernow on my shelf to read. 

I can't possibly share everything I learned while listening, and I'm sure I did miss some awesome stuff (or have already forgotten it). But here are a few things that I didn't know before that really stood out: 

George Washington's father died when he was very young, and his mother didn't re-marry. 

Washington's relationship with his mother was never good, and, at least publicly, she was not proud of his accomplishments (and was very loyal to the King of England).

Washington never fathered any children and it is believed he may have been sterile. 

Martha had four children with her first husband, who passed away, and she outlived them all. 

This is ignorant of me, but I didn't realize The French Revolution took place so closely (time-wise) to the American Revolution. 

I also didn't realize Alexander Hamilton worked so closely with Washington. 

In the course of his life, Washington suffered  from dysentery, malaria, smallpox, and was terrified of dying from tuberculosis, as his brother died of that. 

Washington outlived all his siblings. 

Washington created The Purple Heart honor. 

Xenocide by Orson Scott Card

Book Title: Xenocide
Author: Orson Scott Card
Book Series: Ender's Saga (book 3 of 9 total works)
Reading Level: Young Adult (YA) (but it felt like an adult book to me)
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13 for some language and mature themes
Tidbit: When humans feel threatened by the happenings on the faraway planet of Lusitania, they send a device to destroy the whole planet and all species on it.  Andrew "Ender Wiggins" and others on Lusitania must find a way to prevent this xenocide.

On the planet of Lusitania, a human colony has begun to build. They discovered a sentient species there, one with whom they also eventually discovered they could communicate and come to understand. This species is called the pequeninos, because they are small pig-like animals. The survival of the pequenino species depends on a virus the humans call the descolada. While it is vital for the pequeninos to live and reproduce, it's detrimental to humans. The only way the humans have survived being infected by the virus is by consuming food with antivirals in it daily. But the virus is smart and adapts quickly. It's only a matter of time before the virus can mutate faster than the humans can create a new antidote. As such, the humans in the Starways Congress have decided to destroy Lusitania to protect the rest of humanity from the descolada. A fleet has been dispatched with a device that will wipe out the planet and every living creature on it. Now those on Lusitania, humans and pequeninos alike with some help from the Buggers, the species which Ender almost annihilated 3000 years previously, must race against time to find a way to destroy the descolada without destroying the pequeninos AND prove that the Starways Congress has been responsible for it all.

This book is very philosophical. Which I should have known after reading book 2. That's not a bad thing. It just requires more thought than I was ready to give it. So many things to think about regarding relationships and science, and I think there are a lot of religious overtones as well. The author has a gift for creating a very complex story. The details are phenomenal. And there's some convoluted kind of stuff. Like I couldn't even begin to describe it all here because it's kind of crazy.

Now to decide if I should read the 4th in the series (according to publication date)... if I do, it won't be any time soon. My brain is tired.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

 

Book Title: Mr. Popper's Penguins
Authors: Richard and Florence Atwater
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (all middle-grade)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns)
Tidbit: When house-painter Mr. Popper receives a package from Australia containing a penguin, hilarious antics ensue!

Mr. Popper makes a living by painting houses and wall-papering walls. But his real dream has always been to travel, especially to Antarctica. Since that isn't a possibility, he instead immerses himself in books and radio shows about penguins, the Antarctic, and the explorations there of Admiral Drake. One day, Mr. Popper gets the surprise of his life when he opens a large box shipped to him from Antarctica, and life gets kind of crazy in the Popper house!

I thought this story was cute, though definitely unrealistic. But my 8 1/2 year old LOVED it.  She kept laughing while reading, and when I would tell her what part I was in, she would say,  "isn't that hilarious!?!" That alone endears the book to me a bit more. And I think it would make a super-fun family read-aloud!

There was a movie made of this book in the 2010s, I believe.  It stars Jim Carrey.  I checked it out from the library and planned to have an enjoyable movie night with my kids.  Well, we lasted about 15 minutes.  My kids weren't all that interested, and honestly, they changed the details of the book almost from the word go; with Mr. Popper being a saavy and somewhat conceited sales-man in the movie. I was bummed we couldn't enjoy it, but it may be fun for others!

Look for my Mom and Me Book Club post coming soon for this book!  (I'm just slacking a bit on it.)

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

 

Book Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Book Series: Tales From Alcatraz (Book 1 of 4)
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (I'd recommend for upper)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit:  Twelve-year old Moose Flanagan's family has just moved to Alcatraz Island where his dad is now a prison guard and electrician.  Moose will have to come to terms with all the growing up which will come along with the move.

"Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don't make sense to anyone else."

The Flanagan family has moved to Alcatraz Island, home (though not by choice) of the infamous Al Capone who is a resident of the prison. Moose Flanagan, whose father has taken on employment as a prison guard, is 12. He misses his old home and his old friends, and nothing about this new situation seems ideal. But it's 1935, good jobs are scarce, and Moose's parents are desperate to get his older sister Natalie (who loves lemon cake and counting things) into the Esther P. Marinoff school in San Francisco, a school that specializes in children with special needs. Though none of this is what Moose wants, he will learn that he can make new friends (even if one of them is the warden's daughter Piper, with whom Moose has a confusing relationship), and he'll learn a lot about love and what you might do for those you love. 

I love this book. I first read it when I was in library school, and the ending just gave me all the warm fuzzies. It's a beautiful coming-of-age story about a boy who comes to terms with being the younger brother of an autistic sister (though at the time the story is set, there was no term or diagnosis for Natalie's behaviors). 

We read this as a family read-aloud. My kids really enjoyed it, and I love that it gave us opportunities to talk about autism and how important it is for us to be loving and kind when others act differently. And the ending gave me just as many warm fuzzies this time as it did 15 years ago. 

That said, there are some mature themes in the book, which also led to some important conversations (like protecting our bodies and recognizing if someone is doing something wrong and what to do). And some puberty-related aspects of boyhood. I would definitely recommend parents be aware of the themes. And I would recommend for solo reading for 12+. I personally did some censoring while reading aloud to my 4 kids.

This is book 1 of the series of 4. I've read them all, but this one is my favorite.

Lightning Down by Tom Clavin

 

Book Title: Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival
Author: Tom Clavin
Audiobook Performer: George Newbern
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for concentration camp related descriptions
Tidbit: When Joe Moser's P-38 Lightning goes down behind enemy lines, he finds himself a prisoner of war and resident of Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

Joe Moser was the pilot of a P-38 Lightning, one of the best American fighting aircraft of World War 2. While flying a mission over occupied France, his plane went down. He survived by was captured by the Nazis and, though it was completely against the Geneva Convention's terms, was taken to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, rather than Prisoner of War camp as he expected. This is his story of surviving some of the most harrowing treatment of human beings during this war. 

I listened to this on audio, and for the majority of it, I was pretty committed to a 3.5 star rating. Not sure if it was just listening to it on audio that made it more "ok" to me than other WW2 books, or what. I struggled a lot on focusing with this one, but I also had trouble following when I was focused. I feel like the author brought in far too much "extra," which, while informative, I felt it detracted from Joe's story and so I felt less connected to him. For example, there was A LOT of mechanical/technical talk about the different jets being constructed for the war and by which companies at the beginning of the book. While somewhat interesting, I just didn't feel it added to Joe's story. The author also gave a lot of history about other captives in Buchenwald, such as how they got to be there. Again, interesting (and often very sad), but it took the focus away from Joe Moser's story for me. 

There was a lot I learned from this book, though. And what ultimately pushed my rating up was the end of the book. Tears came to my eyes several times hearing the descriptions of certain things. As a mother, I ached to think of what it must be like to rejoice that your son is in a POW camp because the alternative is that he is dead or missing. It broke my heart to hear that many Americans, because the concentration camps weren't widely known about, didn't believe the stories of those Allied airmen who endured Buchenwald. How upsetting that would be to one who endured such horrors. 

Despite the hard parts of the book, the end was wonderful.  I definitely think it's worth a read (or a listen!) if you are inclined toward WW2 reading.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

 

Book: Frindle
Author: Andrew Clements
Reading Level: Middle Grade (3rd through 5th grade would be most interested)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

Fifth grader Nick Allen is a good student. At the same time, he is known for his streak of mischief. He's gifted at getting teachers side-tracked, thereby getting he and his classmates out of work. But the 5th grade Language Arts teacher has a reputation too: she knows all the tricks students try to pull, and there is no nonsense in her classroom. Nick has other plans, however, and after a class lesson about words, he decides to invent a new one and see how his teacher likes it. Then things go a little further then he had intended. 

Definitely a cute story! I chuckled out loud a couple times. A very fun premise, too!  Word origins have actually intrigued me, and I think it's funny that we have seen the creation of new words in our lifetimes, like texting and Instagram and Facebook!

InvestiGATORS Take the Plunge

 

Book: InvestiGATORS Take the Plunge
Series: InvestiGATORS (book 2 of 5 currently published + 1 announced)
Author: John Patrick Green
Reading Level: Middle-Grade
Genre: Graphick Novel
My Rating: 5/5 Stars!
Content Rating: G (potty humor present)
Tidbit: Mango and Brash are the InvestiGATORS, and they may or may not be responsible for some of the chaos in the city they've now been tasked with fixing.

I LOVE THIS SERIES! It makes me laugh! And I love all the allusions to other things that I'm certain go right over kids' heads, but hit their parents (like me) right on the target (Aisle of Dr. Morrow). And I love the way the end of each book leads you right into the next one. I'm so glad I have numbers 3 and 4 on my shelf already, and number 5 was just published! I need to get that one!

In this fun story, Mango and Brash inadvertently cause catastrophic Combinotron chaos. While being tasked with finding their nemesis Crackerdile in the sewers (using their cool plumber V.E.S.T.s), they will also have to figure out how to uncombine all the strange combinations which are cropping up following a city-wide flood!

Prior to picking up this series, I was totally not a fan of graphic novels. Kudos to Mr. Green for making a believer out of me!

If potty humor bugs you, be aware there is some of that in here.

The Hundred Dresses -- Eleanor Estes

 

Book Title: The Hundred Dresses
Author: Eleanor Estes
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (Content warning: bullying)
Tidbit: After a girl who was teased by the kids in class moves away, Maddie contemplates her own actions and what she could have done differently.

Wanda is different.  Her last name is foreign, and she always wears the exact same blue dress.  When Wanda claims to have a hundred dresses in her closet at home, the other girls in class know it's a lie.  So Peggy begins to tease Wanda every day about those hundred dresses.  Maddie, not wanting the teasing turned on her, doesn't intervene.  So when Wanda stops coming to class, Maddie begins thinking about her own actions and contemplating what she could have done differently.  And when the drawing contest winners are announced, a new discovery is made about Wanda.

This short book is a must-read for every kid!  But especially for girls heading into their tween years.  It's a book about not being afraid to stand up for what's right, even if we stand alone.  It's a story of regret.  It's a book about choosing kindness and not fearing what is different.  Though the story is set in a completely different time period (1930s, maybe?), the story itself is timeless.  It's also a very quick read.  I think this will be a perfect read-aloud for my kids, so I'm adding it to my list to read aloud as a family, even though my 8 year old has now read it for our Mom and Me book club.

I really loved that the author's daughter included a little note to the reader at the beginning of the book.  This adds so much perspective to the story and I think is a great way to talk with kids about the choices we make and how we treat others.  This is another Newbery Award Book, and I think it's a wonderful one!

 

Title: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Author: Angela Duckworth
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit: Dr. Duckworth examines the importance of grit on success and debunks the idea that all success is talent-driven.

According to this book, I'm about 30% gritty. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Thankfully, Dr. Duckworth believes, and aims to prove, grit can be learned and is not fixed. 

As with most "self-help" books I've read (though I'll admit this may not entirely fit that category), there were things I agreed with and things I didn't. But at the end of it all, I do feel like I learned some stuff to benefit my life, and hopefully help me develop more grit (because, honestly, I've felt lacking in this area most of my life). I added this book to my tbr back in 2016 or 2017 after it was featured in the Costco Connection (anyone else find books this way?). 

I also feel like this helped change my perspective on things for parenting, and gave me ideas for how to help my children develop grit. 

Things I liked:

- the nod to Steve Young and his life that got me excited to read his memoir that is sitting on my shelf

- that I didn't feel completely lacking in grit (in fact, one thing she mentioned I have accomplished, but never thought of it as gritty, so that was nice to see it that way)

- it was a hopeful book 

Things I didn't enjoy so much:

- sometimes it felt long-winded 

Overall a worthwhile read with some good insights.

 

Audrey-Saurus by Sarah Allison

 

I have the opportunity to be a part of Sarah Allison's launch team for her darling book "Audrey-saurus," and I wanted to share it here with you!  Our family has been so excited to participate in this exciting event for a new author!

Audrey knows it's not just boys who like dinosaurs, because she LOVES them! She also enjoys wearing her sunglasses upside down, eating waffles frozen, and splashing in rain puddles! Every day is full of adventure for Audrey, and she's ready to embrace it all by being herself!

This darling book by @author.sarah.allison has already been enjoyed multiple times in our home. My 4 year old snatched it up almost as soon as I'd opened it and started looking at all the colorful, bright illustrations by @lauramocelinart ! My 2 year old  enjoys pointing to all the dinosaurs on each page. The cute story of Audrey has engaged them and made them giggle, and my 8 year old's favorite part is Audrey heading to the freezer (via pterodactyl) for waffles! 

This fun book will be available in March, so be on the lookout, especially if you have any young dino-loving girls in your life (or ANY dino-lovers, for that matter!!).

What Stands in a Storm -- Kim Cross

In April 2011, many states experienced some of the worst storms ever recorded. That month, Alabama was hit with several major tornadoes which killed hundreds and wounded thousands. In some cases, entire towns were demolished. This is the story of some of the worst storms that hit on April 27, 2011, particularly the large tornado which destroyed much of the city of Tuscaloosa where the University of Alabama is located. Damaged though many cities were, example after example was found of people working together to help each other and recover from these devastating storms.


***This book was terrifying, intense, and absolutely eye-opening. I read it, because I lived in Tuscaloosa and attended graduate school at UA from 2006-2008. When the tornado went through, it was shocking. Thankfully, none of my dear friends there were hurt. Reading this book gave me a whole new appreciation for tornadoes and the power they have and the damage they can inflict. It has made me want to be better prepared to help others with first aid in the event of a major natural disaster where I live, because this book painted a picture of how difficult it can be for emergency services to reach people after such an event, and how we all need to lean on each other. I could not put the book down and would recommend it. It was very detailed and vivid, though, so it may be hard to read for some.

The Invisible Wall -- Harry Bernstein

In a small mill town in England before World War I began, an invisible wall divided the Jewish families from the Christian families who lived on the same street. They were neighbors, and yet they were far removed from one another as a result of their differences in religion. Nothing was feared more than possible fraternization between their young people, particularly the young women and young men. There were severe repercussions for those who ignored the unofficial status quo and began relationships with the "other" half.

Harry Bernstein was a young boy then. He saw the invisible wall, but he didn't always understand it. He also saw his mother struggle to make ends meet for their family in spite of an abusive and neglectful husband. And, in time, he saw his oldest sister Lily fall in love with one of "them" -- the Christians. Though he knew what his religion required and what his mother believed, he didn't know if he could feel the same. After all, what if true love could crumble the invisible wall?


***I really enjoyed this memoir. I learned some interesting things about the Jewish faith. My heart was touched by many of the stories shared by Harry.

Deenie -- Judy Blume

Middle school is an awkward time for most teenage girls. But Deenie isn't a typical teenage girl. She is gorgeous. In fact, her mom wants her to be a model and fully believes Deenie has the face to make it happen. These things make Deenie very sure of superiority when it comes to physical attributes, and Deenie isn't particularly kind to her peers who are different. She steers clear of a classmate with what she calls the "creeping crud" and avoids her neighbor who is handicapped. She knows she'd just die if she was like them.

...Until she discovers that she has scoliosis. And that the only way to help her spine is to wear a brace. Mortified, Deenie tries to find a way to escape the hideousness of it all. But there is no other way. And so Deenie must look inside herself to find strength, and look into the hearts of others to find their true beauty. And she may just end up not being a model after all...


***This was on my to-read list because it's one of those well-known pre-teen/teen novels, but I'd never read it. I can totally see the appeal to a 5th to 8th grade girl. Some of the things written are things I can imagine having written in my journal at that age. It was a tolerable read for me as an adult, too, although there were some aspects of the novel with which I don't agree.

Jane Eyre -- Charlotte Bronte

Orphaned at a young age, Jane Eyre found herself the charge of an unloving aunt-in-law who despised her and eventually sent young Jane away to a school for orphans. Finding there a kind teacher and headmistress, Jane is able to blossom and eventually become a teacher at the school. But Jane is not content to stay put. Eventually she desires to expand her horizons, so she advertises her services in a newspaper and is soon hired on as a governess in a wealthy home. There she meets Edward Rochester, the owner of the home. Though at first he is off-putting in his sternness, he and Jane eventually fall in love and plan to be married.

But life has other plans. A long-held secret is revealed on Jane and Edward's wedding day, causing Jane to flee Thornfield Hall. She finds herself a pauper and happens to beg at the right home in a little town. There, the local parson and his sisters take her in and nurse her back to health. Given a chance to begin afresh, Jane proves her strength as a woman and eventually comes into her own.

***I think I simply don't like the style of writing of some of these 19th-century English novels... They are so wordy that I take forever to get into them. I am a lover of language, but these just seem superfluous. That said, once I got into the story, I was excited to continue reading. There were unanticipated twists that Bronte added to the story expertly. I found myself wondering what decisions Jane would make as the story drew to a close and was almost certain, for a while, I would be disgusted with her choice. I was pleasantly surprised at the end, though. All in all a good read. Just wish there was a little less (what I consider) unnecessary description.

The Atlantis Code -- Charles Brokaw

Thomas Lourds is a linguistics professor who finds himself in Alexandria as a guest on a British TV show. Lured there by the hopes that he might find something intriguing in Alexandria, instead he unwittingly finds himself embroiled in the hunt for the lost city of Atlantis and the secrets held there. He and several others find themselves traipsing across Europe and Africa following a trail of instruments engraved with a language not even he has seen before. But they are matching wits with a ruthless cardinal who seeks the power hidden in Atlantis. A man who will stop at nothing, even murder, to fulfill his egotistical dreams.

***I had a really hard time getting into this book. It eventually picked up, but never really was "can't put it down" good. And I don't agree with some of the review on the cover... There were a lot of things I found to be fake about this book, and I felt that the author included a lot of superfluous details (like the food they ate -- and I'm a foodie, so that's saying something that I thought it was rather pointless to include). This was another of those books I put on my to-read list when I worked in a library and came across it during work. Years later, I finally crossed it off my list. And it's definitely one I'd have stopped reading if I was smart enough to stop reading books that don't grab my interest... ;).

The Whistling Season -- Ivan Doig

Paul Milliron is a 13 year old genius in early 20th-Century Montana where his father is striving to homestead and farm in one of the driest areas of the country. He attends school in a one-room school house with his younger brothers Damon and Toby and shares school-day adventures with the other local students of Marias Coulee from 1st to 8th grade. Life is pretty constant for the Milliron family: Father can't cook, so the boys haven't had much of a decent meal since their mother passed away the previous year; Sunday means one good square meal at the neighbors' (and mother's cousin's) house -- which the boys relish, except for Aunt Eunice; Aunt Eunice will always complain that she may not make it another day; and school will be a dirge with Miss Adelaide Trent up front as teacher.

But that's before Rose Llewelyn enters the picture. When Father responds to her house-keeper ad in a paper from Minneapolis, she arrives with her brother Morrie in tow and turn the lives of all the Milliron males upside down! As she whistles while she works their house back into shape, Rose also wiggles her way into the lives of the boys. With her can-do attitude and never-ending work ethic, she changes her life -- and the lives of those she touches -- in one grand whistling season.


***This was a charming book. It took me a bit to get into, but the characters are so real, you feel as though you know them. I loved the language of the book -- the vocabulary and the way Doig writes. I definitely chuckled several times while reading, particularly with situations involving Aunt Eunice. Definitely a happy-ending good read!