The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson
It's been a while since I've posted, but I've been busy--playing video games. I know, I know, but there are worse vices to have, right? I've also been reading The Cricket in Times Square for Battle of the Books, so I can write practice questions. But I can only read a few pages at a time because I really dislike that book. I didn't like it when I was a kid, and not much has changed since then.
So what have I managed to squeeze in during down time from Nintendo? Since I was already feeling the yuletide cheer, The Christmas Wedding seemed fitting for a post-Thanksgiving read. Although not a typical Patterson thriller, Wedding keeps readers in suspense until the end. Gaby Summerhill, the novel's main character, is a widower who has decided to remarry. But who is the groom? Gaby plans an entire wedding without revealing who her lucky husband will be until after she's walked down the aisle. I've got to say that I was pleased with her choice; it's the person I would have picked based on his personality. And since she described all of them as good looking, personality is all the counts.
During her planning, readers learn about Gaby's family, and the subplots centering around each family develop as the days near Christmas. Gaby's children, Emily, Seth, Lizzie, and Claire are going through trials of their own. One is racing to the top of her law firm to make partner, another has a spouse with cancer, a child is causing an avalanche of trouble at school, and another is a struggling writer trying to sell a book.
Keeping with the tradition of Patterson's short chapters, this book is easy to finish within a short amount of time (hence why I had the time to read it). It's not full of psychotic killers, but still has readers turning pages. I'd recommend it for a fun holiday read.
Target age range: adults
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Blue
Blue by Joyce Hostetter
Blue is a WWII story that doesn't spend much time focusing on the war, but life on the home front. Ann Fay's father heads overseas to fight Hitler, leaving her in charge to wear the britches and be the man of the house. At first, things are going well; Ann Fay does a respectable job of balancing work and play. She keeps an eye on her younger brother and twin sisters, while planting a garden and helping her mother in the house.
Upon arriving at church one Sunday morning, the family is turned around with the news that polio has spread across Catawba County. The story really begins here; polio sweeps through Hickory, and Hickory fights back. An emergency hopsital, otherwise known as the Miracle of Hickory, is set up in a matter of days to help those suffering from polio. Ann Fay hears from newspapers and townspeople about the effects of polio, but suddenly it's in her own house. Follow Ann Fay as both she and her family live with the grief brought by polio while her father battles Axis powers in Europe.
This piece of historical fiction is very enjoyable, but could also be used in the classroom. WWII America, North Carolina history, segregation, and the polio outbreak align with Social Studies curriculum. Blue is classroom-friendly when it comes to language and content. A thirteen-year-old protagonist keeps the readers engaged.
Target age range: upper elementary/middle school
Blue is a WWII story that doesn't spend much time focusing on the war, but life on the home front. Ann Fay's father heads overseas to fight Hitler, leaving her in charge to wear the britches and be the man of the house. At first, things are going well; Ann Fay does a respectable job of balancing work and play. She keeps an eye on her younger brother and twin sisters, while planting a garden and helping her mother in the house.
Upon arriving at church one Sunday morning, the family is turned around with the news that polio has spread across Catawba County. The story really begins here; polio sweeps through Hickory, and Hickory fights back. An emergency hopsital, otherwise known as the Miracle of Hickory, is set up in a matter of days to help those suffering from polio. Ann Fay hears from newspapers and townspeople about the effects of polio, but suddenly it's in her own house. Follow Ann Fay as both she and her family live with the grief brought by polio while her father battles Axis powers in Europe.
This piece of historical fiction is very enjoyable, but could also be used in the classroom. WWII America, North Carolina history, segregation, and the polio outbreak align with Social Studies curriculum. Blue is classroom-friendly when it comes to language and content. A thirteen-year-old protagonist keeps the readers engaged.
Target age range: upper elementary/middle school
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