The selection this month is An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Aston and Sylvia Long.  A beautiful nonfiction book.

REVIEW

Current Pick and List of Previous

Going to need to go in search of books soon.  Running out of ideas and haven’t seen any new ones I liked this much. Any suggestions?

The next addition to the Horizons Transitional Books is The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. While the premise is not likely true, it is also not totally farfetched. It is a good mystery and will inspire readers to read related history.

REVIEW

This book deserves to be a Book of the Month, but I already have a newer book waiting for next month.  How about a Feb-point-5 BotM?

It is a coincidence that the book pertains to rape as does Tender Morsels. When I borrowed the books I didn’t realize they were the same subject, though handled in very different ways. I have been waiting for years to read Speak, although I hadn’t been reading YA when the book was published. Now seemed like a good time. I believe it will be discussed soon on GoodReads. Didn’t know I was going to cry my eyes out.

I saw on Anderson’s Live Journal page that she couldn’t believe herself when she was writing the book that Melinda was not a real person. That’s how true her character is.

REVIEW

This is a YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, a 2009 Printz Honor Book and a Knock Your Socks Off kind of book. The story is intense and totally absorbing at times. The exploration of the emotions surrounding the subject matter is exceptional. The use of language is delightful.

REVIEW

The next review for the The Wheel of Time series, The Fires of Heaven, by Robert Jordan is posted at Fantasy Folder. Whew! That took a long time to finish. Dragged in parts, but others were quite satisfying. Definitely a series to consider if you haven’t tried it. Adult fantasy – YA who want a challenge.

SERIES

My selection this month is a revisiting of an old Newbery Award book. Somehow I missed out on this one in my young years, but I’ve been in a mystery mood-reading some books and watching old movies like Neil Simon’s Murder By Death, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, and Otto Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder.

I read February’s pick, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, because of a recommendation on Scholastic’s Chasing Vermeer page, another mystery I love.

REVIEW

Current Pick and List of Previous

The Cybil Awards and the American Library Association’s Awards (including Caldecott, Newbery, Notable Lists, and many more) for 2009 have been announced.

The list keeps growing for the ALA. They have audio and video awards also. I particularly appreciate the Notable Lists. Of the Newbery’s, the only one that sounds interesting to me is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which I have been intending to read.

I’ve only read a few of the books from both award groups. So, I’m looking forward to some good reading this spring, including some of those waiting on my shelf.

A note about dates: the Cybils use the year published, the ALA uses the year awarded.

Zoë Costella, nicknamed the Zoë Lama for taking on the playground bully, has made a career for herself fixing other people’s lives. She’s a little controlling and judgmental, but kind-hearted in her efforts. This year she has taken on too much with the ever-present need to assist her single, working mom and grandma who is losing out to dementia.

Read More

Last year I participated in the challenge A Year of Reading Dangerously. It was consistent with a direction I wanted to be going anyway. At times it was difficult to read a more challenging book each month. Horizons is an effort to continue broadening my horizons, challenging myself, and plus providing an ongoing list of transitional books for young adults to adults. I hope to include books that are marketed to YA and adult and that they will both enjoy. I also want to invite others to participate in discussion on what they are reading to challenge themselves or what they believe should be considered. You can comment on this post or participate in the forums.

The following is my list of books for last year (minus a couple I don’t want on the list), and the first book I want to add is Night Watch from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series.

*list updated Apr 2009

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

Bad Samaritans by Ha-Joon Chang

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Deryni Checkmate, 2nd of The Chronicles of the Deryni by Katherine Kurtz – no review yet

An End to Suffering by Pankaj Mishra

The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan – review of series

The Myth Hunters by Christopher Golden, series

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

The Other Teddy Roosevelts by Mike Resnick

Race: A History Beyond Black and White by Marc Aronson

SAMS Teach Yourself Beginning Programming by Sams Publishing

TeenVestor.com by Modu and Walker

Two Billion Cars by Daniel Sperling and Deborah Gordon

This month I have three books  by the same illustrator from which I can choose. The newest one Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails written by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Steve Jenkins was published in 2008.  A similar one, Birdsongs by Betsy Franco, also has wonderful artwork, but I prefer the new book. Living Color is written by Steve Jenkins. It isn’t in the same style as the other 2. It is more squarely a nonfiction book. More informational, and it too is enjoyable.

REVIEW

Current Pick and List of Previous