Monday, February 1, 2010

Books I LOVE

I am a reader. I always have been. I was that kid that got in trouble for having the lights on after bed time. I used to walk to the local library in Elyria and scour the shelves. I loved the Boxcar Children, Paddington, Snowbound with Betsy and, for whatever reason, Art Linkletter's Kids' Say the Darndest Things series.
I still love books and have started a couple different book clubs. Last I knew the one I started at the University of Mississippi was still up and running. I have one now on FaceBook if you're interested. Just look up 'Our Very Own Book Club'.
Anyway, here is a list of some of my current and all-time favorites.

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn: This one is not for the feint of heart. It's about a couple who decide to create their own freak show by doing WHATEVER they can to give birth to natural born freaks. Let's just say that Olympia, the narrator, is one of their more normal children and she is a bald, albino, hunchback dwarf.

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins: This epic tale is one I need to read again soon. One man finds the elixir of eternal life. This is his journey and the journey for his one true love.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson: This is a kids book and is a new favorite. It's the prequel to Peter Pan. Peter starts off the story as an orphan who is being put on a ship with a few other orphans. He has no idea what the reason is. You learn how Peter comes to find Neverland, how he learns to fly and even how Captain Hook becomes Captain Hook. It's the first in a series and I hope to read the rest soon.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore: Anyone who knows me knows that this is one of my all time favorites. In this one Biff, best friend to Joshua (Jesus), is brought back to write his version of things that happened. This one is laugh out-loud funny. You find out what happens in all those years the bible misses. By the end, whatever your thoughts on who Jesus of Nazareth was I think you'll hope he really did have a friend like this. Also my favorite Mary Magdeline interpretation.

Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement Moore: I started reading this series because the author comes into the Barnes and Noble I work at. I absolutely ADORE it. It's about a girl who wants to ignore the fact that she's psychic but when she starts getting wierd visions she knows she has to act... Even if that means going to the dreaded prom. It sort of makes me think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Heathers (Mean Girls for those of you to young to remember Heathers). I read Twilight and didn't care for it. I thought that what's her name was a bit winey and helpless. None of that in here. Much stronger female lead. It restored my faith in good teen fiction!

I guess that's enough of my ranting for now. Maybe I have inspired you to read something new or re-read something old.
If you love books don't forget to share your love by donating books to organizations that can get them into the hands of kids and teens. Some young people never ever own a book!





3 comments:

The Never Fairy said...

As an avid fan of reading, be aware that the Starcatchers series has a ton of mistakes in it compared to Barrie's original stories. If it's a prequel, it should have fact-checking mistakes in it. It's just sad. And if it's supposed to be a prequel to Disney's only, it kind of goes against that as well.

I've got a couple suggestions for you...both Peter Pan related.

There's a novel out that's based on Barrie's own idea for more adventure: Click!

And the other is a great "What If?" of Wendy choosing another path. Click! (This one isn't for the kiddies, though!)


Thanks for the other titles.
Hooray for reading.
BELIEVE!

The Never Fairy said...

oops.. I forgot "not" where I wrote "it should have" *sigh* :)

jlwmuse said...

Hi Cheryl,

great blog :) i am always looking for something new to read, and will check these out. i love Christopher Moore, but haven't read Lamb yet- and who doesn't love some good teen fiction!

p.s. i was a huge fan of the Boxcar Children as a kid, and often got in trouble for reading under the covers with a flashlight :)

Julie