Code Talker

Code Talker
By Joseph Bruchac
Dial Books, 2005. 231 pgs. Young Adult

From the time he is sent to a boarding school run by whites and assigned a new name, Ned Begay is told that being Navajo is a bad thing. He's not allowed to speak his native language and is constantly told that only by leaving his heritage behind can he amount to anything. However, when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, the Marine Corps suddenly has a need for Navajos who can speak both their native tongue and English. The first twenty-nine Navajos recruited devise a code to convey messages, based on their native tongue, and Ned, in the second wave of Navajo recruitments, becomes one of the code talkers vital to the success of the Marine Corps as they fight to retake American territories in the Pacific as well as establish a presence on Iwo Jima and Okinowa.

This is a fascinating piece of historical fiction, showing the contribution of the Navajos to the armed forces during WWII. I particularly enjoyed the details about how the code was developed and taught, as well as the incorporation of Navajo traditions into the story. Some of the military details bogged down the story for me, but I think others who are interested in war stories wouldn't mind that at all.

AE

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
By Barbara Demick
Spiegel & Grau, 2009. 314 pgs. Nonfiction

Barbara Demick describes the lives of six different people who have defected from North Korea to South Korea, and from their life histories describes what it is like to live in North Korea today. Her chilling impressions of a dreary, muffled, and depleted land are juxtaposed with a uniquely to-the-point history of how North Korea became an industrialized Communist nation supported by the Soviet Union and China and ruled by Kim il Sung, then collapsed catastrophically into poverty, darkness, and starvation under the dictator’s son, Kim Jong il. The blend of personal narratives and piercing journalism vividly and evocatively portrays courageous individuals and a tyrannized state within a saga of unfathomable suffering punctuated by faint glimmers of hope.

Although this book sounds rather gloomy, it ended up being a fascinating read that I couldn’t put down. First of all, I didn’t know anything about North Korea before reading it and I loved learning so much about one of the most secretive countries on earth. Second, and most importantly, the people interviewed in this book are amazing. They live in terrible circumstances and yet manage to maintain love, hope, and even a certain sense of optimism. This book taught me much more about the capacity of the human spirit than I expected from just reading the summary.

JC

Heart of a Samurai

Heart of a Samurai
By Margi Preus
Amulet Books, 2010. 301 pgs. Young Adult

In 1841, fourteen year old Manjiro, while out fishing with some companions, gets caught up in a storm and becomes shipwrecked on an island. Though they survive they can not return to their homeland of Japan because their custom states that once you leave you have been influenced by foreign ways and are forbidden to return. Just when they are about to give up hope of ever leaving the island, they are rescued by a whaling ship. At first, both sides mistrust each other, but Manjiro, always eager to learn, learns English and begins to help around the ship. The Captain, seeing the eagerness of the boy, begins to form a bond with Manjiro and when it comes time to return to America, invites Manjiro to join him.

This interesting piece of unknown history is told in an approachable way, with its short chapters and Manjiro’s own artwork sprinkled throughout the book.

Smokin' Seventeen

Smokin’ Seventeen
By Janet Evanovich
Bantam Books, 2011. 308 pgs. Mystery.

Stephanie Plum has a serious problem. She is in love with two men. One is Trenton police detective Joe Morelli. The other is mysterious security expert Ranger. Both men have undeniable attractions and both relationships contain possibly insurmountable obstacles. But Stephanie is determined to find out what her heart wants and she may possibly have time to make a decision if it weren’t for all the people who are trying to kill her, not to mention the dead bodies that keep appearing with gift tags addressed to her. Add to that an unfortunate curse placed on Stephanie by Morelli’s crazy grandmother and you are set for another fantastic mystery in this hilarious series.

This is one of those guilty pleasures I just can’t seem to resist. I love Stephanie. I love Lula. I love Grandma Mazer. I even love Mooner. However, the past few books have left me a little disenchanted with the love triangle. Stephanie just seems to waffle back and forth between the two men and it seemed to be getting a bit stale. Smokin’ Seventeen broke that trend and I felt that the plotline was able to progress without actually progressing …a difficult thing to manage as has been demonstrated by innumerable series both in print and on TV. I am, once again, looking forward to Evanovich’s next Plum mystery.

CZ

22 Britannia Road

22 Britannia Road
By Amanda Hodgkinson
Viking, 2011. 323 pgs. Historical Fiction.

World War II stories abound in recent literature, but 22 Britannia Road tells of the personal aftermath the conflict visited upon those who survived. Silvana and Janusz fell in love, married, and welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world just as Germany took control of their Hungarian homeland and they were forced to part. Years later, they reunite in a small home on Britannia Road in England. But too much has happened during their separation to allow them to pick up where they left off. The scars and secrets they carry will eventually rise to the surface and the love they once had for each other may not be strong enough to keep their family from falling apart.

Despite my own struggle to relate to these characters, 22 Britannia Road is a great historical novel. It illuminates the heroic efforts required by that generation to live the lives they fought for so desperately. Living through war is only half the story. For those who remained, peace would require equal acts of bravery and resolve.

CZ

Can I See Your I.D.?

Can I See Your I.D.?
By Chris Barton
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2011. 121 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Chris Barton shares ten stories of people who adopted false identifies for various reasons. There are stories of a girl pretending to be a boy in order to fight in the Civil War, a high school dropout who pretended to be a Navy surgeon, a white supremacist who tried to pass himself off as a Cherokee storyteller, and more.

This is an interesting collection of stories, ranging from silly to serious, told in the second person, as if you, the reader, are the imposter. Some stories were more intriguing than others, but all in all, it's a fun read.

AE

Matterhorn

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam WarBy Karl Marlantes
Atlantic Monthly Press, 2010. 600 pgs. Fiction.

The horrors of war are brought alive through the story of young Lieutenant Waino Mallas as he joins Bravo Company deep in the jungles of war torn Vietnam. Mallas joins the Marines hoping to distinguish himself and launch his hoped for political career. But the realities of the controversial conflict almost immediately make him question the wisdom of his enlistment. Wild jungle animals, disease, malnutrition, jungle rot, leaches, not to mention the opposing forces all endanger the lives of Bravo Company marines. However, the internal dangers of the conflict become nearly as deadly as Mallas faces misinformed and dangerously ambitious officers as well as violent racial aggression.

This is an extremely powerful novelization of a conflict that has not been portrayed often in fiction. It’s a stunning debut effort for Marlantes who spent ten years writing it using his own ex-marine experiences. He pulls no punches as he describes the violence and trauma faced by soldiers at war. Readers should expect a great deal of gritty language along with an amazing and eye opening story that won’t be forgotten soon.

CZ

The Good Daughter

The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life
by Jasmin Darznik
Grand Central Publishing, 2011. 324 pgs. Biography

Raised in California, Darznik never imagined that her mother Lili lived another life completely in Iran before marrying Darznik’s German father. Lili was married off at 13 to Kazem, a man who would prove to be violent and abusive. Lili gave birth to a daughter, Sara, but when Kazem’s abuse escalated, Lili knew she had no choice but to flee his house and seek a divorce. The move cost her Sara, as Iranian law dictates children stay with their fathers. Lili never told Jasmin about her first marriage or Sara, but when Jasmin discovers a photograph of her as a child bride, her mother dictates her life history for her.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the amount of detail the author includes. She carefully describes the types of food her family ate, their homes, their clothing, their grooming habits, and many other aspects of life in twentieth-century Iran. The story is also compelling and really kept me reading to find out what would happen next. My only complaint is that the author focuses primarily on the action of the story and does not spend much time on Lili’s feelings or motivations. I thought the strongest chapters were those at the end when Jasmin begins describing her own life with her mother; I would love to read a second book by her that describes her own childhood in more detail. I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes reading family histories or about life in other countries.

JC

Stormbreaker

Stormbreaker
By Anthony Horowitz
Philomel Books, 2001. 192 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

A "reader" can either make or break a book. Nathaniel Parker sucked me into the unabridged audio version of Anthony Horowitz's Stormbreaker (1st in the Alex Rider Adventure series) within the first five minutes. I was thoroughly entertained by this gizmo filled, action packed, clean, teen spy novel as I accompanied Alex Rider on his spy mission. Upon occasion I even found myself holding my breath as danger mounted.

Alex is a resourceful 14 year old, whose uncle (Alex's guardian) is killed in what Alex believes to be a suspicious "car accident". Recruited (under protest) by the British Intelligence (M16), Alex learns the truth about his "banker" uncle as he risks his life James Bond style, in an effort to unravel the hidden reason behind his death.

For those who complain about this book being unrealistic, remember, it is an adventure story meant to entertain. In my opinion, mission accomplished. I enthusiastically recommend the audio version to anyone, any age, who has secretly wished they could be a spy. mpb

The Lemon Tree

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East
By Sandy Tolan
Bloomsbury, 2006. 362 Pgs. Nonfiction.

The title of this book refers to a tree in the backyard of a home in Ramla, Israel. The home is currently owned by Dalia, a Jewish woman whose family of Holocaust survivors emigrated from Bulgaria. But before Israel gained its independence in 1948, the house was owned by the Palestinian family of Bashir, who meets Dalia when he returns to see his family home after the Six-Day War of 1967. The author traces the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the parallel personal histories of Dalia and Bashir and their families. Dalia struggles with her Israeli identity, and Bashir struggles with decades in Israeli prisons for suspected terrorist activities. As they follow Dalia and Bashir's difficult friendship, readers will experience one of the world's most stubborn conflicts firsthand.

I really liked the fact that this book is structured around the story of two individuals, because the history of the Middle East is so complex that it is easy to get bogged down in the details and confused by the dates. Having two people to follow helps everything make more sense and kept me reading through to the end. The author stresses the fact that the book is based on hours of interviews and research, and includes extensive notes in the back to back this up; he also is striving to provide a balance between both points of view, Palestinian and Jewish, which meant it was much easier to get a sense of the whole picture rather than just part of it. I would recommend this book for anyone trying to understand the recent history of Israel.

JC

Bloody Times

Bloody Times
By James L. Swanson
Collins, 2011. 196 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Swanson describes the final days of the Civil War, with Jefferson David determined to keep the Confederacy fighting even after Robert E. Lee's surrender, and Lincoln's assassination shortly after Lee's surrender. Davis, not even knowing yet that Lincoln had been killed, retreated further into the South, trying to figure out how to continue the fight, while many in the North believed he was to blame for Lincoln's death. As Davis cut a path across the South, Lincoln's corpse was loaded on a train and toured many cities in the North before being laid to rest at home in Illinois.

An interesting contrast between what the living Davis and the deceased Lincoln were doing after the surrender of Robert E. Lee, this detailed account shows how Lincoln was revered by many people and his legacy began, while Davis clung to Southern ideals even as his country crumbled around him. The writing wasn't always very smooth; tangents disrupted the continuity of the book. Overall, though, it's a good choice for anyone who wants to learn more about the end of the Civil War.


AE

The Abraham Enigma

The Abraham Enigma
by Jack Lyon
Deseret Book, 2010, 191 pages, Fiction

FBI agent David Hunter's honeymoon with his new bride is interrupted by an important short term assignment to Cairo, Egypt. Fortunately, his boss says he can take his new wife with him all expenses paid. Once there they both become embroiled in a tense security situation at the U.S. Embassy. Somehow terrorist sympathizers have managed to infiltrate the embassy and are approving U.S visas for terrorists. As David comes closer to discovering who is responsible for what, he comes closer and closer to a terrorist plot that will endanger his own life and the life of the U.S. President.

While not a very complicated plot the setting is interesting and the references to hieroglyphic images and symbols woven into the plot will add extra interest for LDS readers. Readers who like clean LDS adventure and mystery novels will enjoy this fast moving read. Abraham Enigma is the sequel to The Moroni Code but it seemed to stand on its own quite well.

SH

Entwined

Entwined
By Heather Dixon
Greenwillow Books, 2011.

In a retelling of the old fairy tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, twelve royal sisters are heartbroken when their loving mother passes away. Their father, the King, is emotionally distant, and so they cling even closer together and use dancing as an escape. When their dancing is forbidden, the girls discover a magical passageway and attend enchanted balls every night. However, there is something strange about the Keeper of the magical courts, and the girls find themselves caught tightly in the pull of his spelled kingdom.

As there are many versions of the story The Twelve Dancing Princesses, I picked up Heather Dixon's without many expectations, despite the attractive cover. I was amazed to discover the most beautiful and captivating rendition of the fairy tale I have yet read. Dixon remains very true to the original tale but elaborates in the most unexpected and interesting ways. Excellent, elegant writing aside, the best aspect of the book is the strength of the character development--the characters are interesting, complex, and seem to live and breathe. Coming from a family with many sisters of my own, Dixon captured the closeness of family, and this is their story. 

CW

The Wise Man's Fear

The Wise Man’s Fear
By Patrick Rothfuss
DAW Books, 2011. 993 pgs. Fantasy

This is the spellbinding story of Kvothe, a young but brilliant orphaned boy of traveling gypsy-like musicians as he starts out on his path to becoming the stuff of legends. On the journey, he saves an aristocrat from a slow poisoning, destroys an entire band of ex-soldiers turned highwaymen, gets put on trial for learning some of the secrets of the Adem mercenaries, and meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, who he travels with into the realm of the Fae.

I enjoyed the first 500 or so pages much more than the last half. At that point things seemed to get a little long and drawn out. Not that the first part wasn’t lengthy, but I just really enjoyed it. Rothfuss is an excellent storyteller, but coming in at almost 1000 pages which is 300 more than book one, The Name of the Wind, I would give a warning to be prepared for a very long series ahead.

AJ

Uncommon Criminals

Uncommon Criminals
By Ally Carter
Disney/Hyperion Books, 2011. 295 pgs. Young Adult

Katarina Bishop has found a new calling in life: re-stealing art that has been taken from its rightful owners and returning it to them. So, when Constance Miller shows up and asks her to steal the Cleopatra diamond, which was stolen from her family years before--and has the backing of one of the sacred names in the thieving world--Kat pulls it off. Except, Constance Miller isn't exactly who she says she is, and this time, Kat finds herself on the wrong end of a con that she desperately wants to make right.

Kat's fun and spunky, Hale is still dreamy, and the latest heist will have readers on the edge of their seats, wondering if Kat can pull off the biggest con in history. Another fun book from Ally Carter, Uncommon Criminals will have fans reading through the night and then wishing there was another book to devour.

I can't wait for Ally Carter's visit to PCL on Friday!

AE

Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
By Barack Obama
Three Rivers Press, 2004. 442 pgs. Nonfiction

This is Barack's story of his early life and actually of his learning about his heritage--both from his Kansas-born mother and his Kenyan-born father. He relates things he learns along the way from his mother, his step-father, his maternal grandparents, and others. The story he relates is told with candor and compassion and is both interesting and illuminating.

I listened to this as an audiobook. The book is narrated by Barack himself and he does a nice job on the various voices in the text.

SML

The Warmth of Other Suns

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
By Isabel Wilkerson
Random House, 2010. 640 pages. Nonfiction.

Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson tells this story through the lives of three unique individuals: Ida Mae Gladney, who in 1937 left sharecropping and prejudice in Mississippi for Chicago; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem; and Robert Foster, who left Louisiana in 1953 to pursue a medical career in Los Angeles. The author intersperses these personal stories with more general historical information, creating a richly detailed chronicle of twentieth-century America.

Even though this book is lengthy and detailed, I found myself unable to put it down. Wilkerson's writing style is very engaging and each of the three people she focuses on has a compelling story. I love nonfiction like this that teaches me about a time and place that I knew nothing about before reading the book. This book gave me a much greater understanding of American history and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about our recent past.

JC

Left Neglected

Left Neglected
By Lisa Genova
Gallery, 2011. 327 pages. Fiction

Sarah Nickerson is a 37-year-old overachieving multitasker with a Harvard MBA. Her life is stretched thin between parenting her three young children, working long hours at her demanding job at a prestigious Boston consulting firm, and worrying about her husband's future at a struggling tech company. Then there’s a car accident on a rainy November morning, and a traumatic brain injury leaves Sarah with “left neglect,” a lack of awareness of anything to her left, including the left side of her own body. After the accident Sarah struggles both to physically recover and to emotionally adapt to her 'new normal'.

The author has a PhD in neuroscience, so the details of Sarah's injury and recovery are poignant and vivid. However, the book manages not to read like a medical case study and is instead a very touching story. At first I had a hard time relating to Sarah because her life and her attitude were very different from mine, but as the book progressed and she changed I really started to empathize with and understand her. I also liked how her injury and recovery helped her reconnect with her mother and with her son.

JC

A Blue So Dark

A Blue So Dark
By Holly Schindler
Flux, 2010. 277 pages. Young Adult

Aura's mother is a highly talented artist, but she's also schizophrenic and is spiraling out of control. Aura, desperate to help her mother, yet unsure how to actually do that, watches as her mother slips further and further, to the point that she is endangering herself. Besides watching her mother's decline, Aura is also afraid for herself--because studies suggest that many schizophrenics are artists, and Aura, with both her artistic talent and her genes, is terrified she's going to wind up like her mother.

Schindler skillfully develops Aura's fears, frustrations, and desperation as she tries to deal with her mother's mental illness and the fact that she's all alone dealing with something much larger than she is. It's not an easy read--many readers will connect deeply with Aura's frustrations, fears, and a desire for any sort of solution--but at the same time, it's a realistic portrayal of a scary situation.

AE

In the Garden of Beasts

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
By Erik Larson
Crown Trade, 2011. 448 pgs. Nonfiction

A humble man, William E. Dodd was a historian when he got a phone call from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR gave Dodd two hours to decide if he wanted to be the ambassador to Germany; the year was 1933 and five other men had already turned down the position. Dodd accepted the position and took his wife, adult son, and adult daughter Martha with him to Berlin and Hitler’s new Germany. By 1933 Hitler and his men were already persecuting the Jews and attacks on Americans had also occurred. Dodd was convinced for a time that the Nazis were not as bad as other diplomats warned him. His daughter Martha was also persuaded that the new Germany was glorious. But as their time in Germany passed, Dodd and Martha began to see the dark side of the Nazis.

This is a fascinating look at Germany and how Hitler and his men escalated their plan to overtake the government and eliminate the Jews. Larson centers his story around Dodd and Martha, detailing Dodd’s efforts to work with Hitler’s government and his eventual denunciation of them. Larson describes Martha’s numerous love affairs and how those affected her life and her father’s work, which struck me as very naïve on her part. I appreciated Larson’s little cliffhangers and the easy writing style of this intriguing history.

MN

The Book of Lies

The Book of Lies
by Brad Meltzer
Grand Central Pub., 2008. 336 pgs. Fiction

Cal Harper is a former federal who now spends his days rounding out homeless people and trying to keep them out of trouble. When his latest homeless victim turns out to be his father--whom Cal hasn't seen since he went to prison for killing Cal's mother--Cal's life turns upside down, especially when it turns out that Lloyd (his father), has a shipment containing a coffin that includes a corpse and an address: the house of Superman's creator. And when a phony cop with a tattoo from a secret sect that believes the mark given to Cain was actually a gift from God, not punishment, shows that he's willing to killing them to get the shipment, Cal has to figure out what they're even looking for, what Cain and Superman have to do with it, and how to stay alive.

This thriller jumps around from narrator to narrator, and it keeps you guessing as to who is a good guy and who isn't. It's interesting to see how the pieces come together. There's a little bit of language, but other than that it's clean.


AE

Where She Went

Where She Went
By Gayle Forman
Dutton, 2011. 264 pgs. Young Adult

Adam, now a rising rock star, and Mia, a successful cellist, reunite in New York and reconnect after the horrific events that tore them apart when Mia almost died in a car accident three years earlier.

This sequel to Forman’s 2009 If I Stay, is told from Adam’s perspective. I enjoyed seeing how Adam and Mia’s story continued. However, Adam is an up and coming rock star and this novel has quite a bit of swearing as he works through his grief and issues with his band. If you’ve read If I Stay, I think you will be interested in this follow up novel.

AMM

God So Loved the World

God So Loved the World
By Eric D. Huntsman
Deseret Book, 2011. 148 pgs. Nonfiction.

Huntsman breaks down the last week of Christ's life, using New Testament scriptures, pictures of the Holy Land, and even music to provide an understanding of this crucial time. Designed to invite readers to celebrate Easter, this book is perhaps not an obvious choice for other times of the year, but really, anyone, anytime, who is interested in learning more about the Savior's final days will find valuable insights here.

AE

When the Wall Came Down

When the Wall Came Down
By Serge Schmemann
Kingfisher, 2006. 127 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Schmemann, who was a New York Times correspondent in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down, talks about how the Berlin Wall came to be, with WWII's conclusion quickly followed by the rise of the Cold War. With East Germans, eager to flee their now-Communist country fleeing in vast numerous to West Germany via Berlin, the Communist leaders built the wall and sought to solidify power throughout Eastern Europe. However, decades later, the people in East Germany began calling for change, and eventually, change did come and the wall, the most visible symbol of the Iron Curtain, no longer divided the country. With changes in travel restrictions came a call for reunification of the country, and shortly, Germany did reunite, and many Soviet countries and satellites similarly called for an end to communism.

This is a good overview of recent German history and provides readers with a beginner's understanding of the political climate during the Cold War. The writing style mixed in some first person observations into the text, which interrupted the flow somewhat (I think it would have been better as sidebars), but still, it's informative and accessible, making it a good choice for teen readers.

AE

Swept Off Her Feet

Swept Off Her Feet
By Hester Browne
Gallery Books, 2011. 330 pgs. Fiction.

Everybody has a weakness, Evie Nicholson’s is that she is in love with the past. Every time she goes to an auction for her antiques job, she finds it impossible to resist bringing back things like old teddy bears with missing eyes and arms and then daydreaming about who has loved them in the past. The problem is nobody understands her penchant for old things. Her sister thinks she’s crazy and it’s making her boss mad. To redeem herself, Evie is given a job to travel to Kettlesheer, an old Scottish estate and appraise its vast inventory of furniture and other antiques. In order to keep Keetlesheer in good repair, the family is hoping to find a valuable artifact.

Evie is thrilled at the chance to daydream her way through this ancient house, but when she arrives, Evie meets Robert McAndrew, the moody heir who doesn’t see the point in trying to keep Keetlesheer running. Can Evie find a priceless antique, convince Robert not to give up Keetlesheer, and maybe even find love along the way?

As with all Hester Browne works, this is a charming piece of British chick lit, with a lovable but hopelessly romantic heroine and a setting full of history and romance. Browne’s books tend to be more clean than most chick lit and Swept Off Her Feet is no exception.

AJ

Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy
By Kiersten White
HarperTeen, 2010. 335 pgs. Young Adult

Evie just wants a normal life. But since she's the only human alive who can see through the glamors paranormal creatures use to disguise themselves, she's an important member of the International Paranormal Containment Agency, where she tracks down paranormal creatures, which doesn't exactly leave time for normal. Add in the fact that there's a faerie trying to win her soul and a new capture, an undefined paranormal (who happens to be very cute), who seems to think there's more to Evie than she realizes, and Evie definitely isn't normal. And when a strange creature starts killing paranormals--and communicating with Evie--normal is pretty much out of the question.

It takes a pretty good book to get me to read anything paranormal these days--I'm pretty much over the paranormal trend. However, I really liked this one. With the introduction of some new paranormal creatures, a great protagonist in Evie, and a plot that goes beyond the over-done (and not even usually well done) romance, I found a lot to like about this book, even for readers who never want to read another vampire/werewolf/zombie book in their lives. This one's refreshing and cute, and I'm looking forward to author Kiersten White's visit to our Library in August.

AE

Created for Greater Things

Created for Greater Things
By Jeffrey R. Holland
Deseret Book, 2011. 156 pgs. Nonfiction

This collection of quotations from LDS Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland invites readers to step it up in all facets of life--parenting, discipleship, and more. At the same time, the quotations remind readers of Jesus Christ's power and mercy and the help available to those who are striving to live a faith-filled life.

While the opening and closing quotations of the book are directed to women, there are lots of nuggets of truth and encouragement that could appeal to men as well. In Elder Holland's typical style, there are tender, humorous, and piercing quotations in the book. This is a nice book to browse or to read straight through.

AE

Princess for Hire

Princess for Hire
By Lindsey Leavitt
Disney/Hyperion, 2010. 239 pgs. Young Adult

Desi Bascomb despairs of her life: she's somewhat of a social outcast at her school, her crush is dating her former best friend turned enemy, and her job requires her to dress up as a groundhog. So, after a particularly bad day, she makes a wish on magical fish and then sees a help wanted ad for a substitute princess. Turns out, Desi has a sensitivity to magic, and that particular talent at least partially qualifies her to stand in for royalty when they want a break. So, she's given a trial position to see if she has what it takes to be a substitute princess and soon finds out that royal life isn't quite as glamorous as she thought...but it can have plenty of excitement, although not all of it is good.

This is a funny, fluffy read and a great pick for younger teen girls. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

AE

Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition

Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition
By Karen Blumenthal
Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press, 2011. 154 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Prohibition supporters thought that prohibiting the sale of alcohol would change life in the United States: fewer domestic problems, less drunkenness and fewer alcohol-related health problems. What they didn't anticipate was the rampant disregard for the law, as moonshine and speakeasies became common place, and the rise in gangs and Prohibition-related murders. Here, Blumenthal explains the efforts of the "dry" side (those in favor of Prohibition), using propaganda, speeches, and, in the case of Carrie Nation, a hatchet, to push for prohibition. However, when the Eighteenth Amendment was passed, the unexpected consequences soon made people think again about whether Prohibition was successful or not. With gangsters like Al Capone running cities, corruption in all aspects of law enforcement, and even the involvement of children in producing illegal alcohol, even some of the dry movements most devoted supporters found themselves switching over to the wet side, and eventually, Prohibition was repealed, through the passing of the Twenty-first Amendment.

This book is jam-packed with information but it's also a highly readable book. The author does a great job showing how the political and social climate changed in the U.S., leading first to Prohibition and then to its repeal. There are lots of great details: President Roosevelt was in the swimming pool when the when the final state needed to pass the Twenty-first Amendment--Utah--voted for it, many of the early car racers and NASCAR founders made their start trafficking alcohol, and Midwestern states called speakeasies "blind pigs". An excellent choice for nonfiction fans.

AE

Simple Sewing for Baby

Simple Sewing for Baby
By Lotta Jansdotter
Chronicle Books, 2009. 144 pgs. Nonfiction

Jansdotter provides directions for twenty-four sewing projects for babies and toddlers, including clothes, toys, and handy things for parents, like a nursing pillow and changing pad. The bright pictures make the book appealing, but some of the instructions weren't crystalclear to me. More experienced sewers might not have any trouble, though. One other thing I didn't like is that some of the clothes didn't specify the child's size; for example, a dress said the finished size is 17 inches, but I don't know what that translates to in baby clothes sizes. Overall, though, I'm happy with the things that I did make based on the book and I think this is a great resource.

AE