The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky By Ahmedi, Farah with Tamim Ansary

Title: The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky

Author: Ahmedi, Farah with Tamim Ansary

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Reader: Masuda Sultan

Comments

CIP Information: When ABC News's Good Morning America asked its viewers to write essays describing true-life experiences about romance, adventure, loss, and overcoming tremendous odds, the network never imagined receiving more than twenty thousand pages of inspiring, heartbreaking, and hopeful stories. But that's exactly what happened. After a panel of bestselling authors and editors chose three finalists, America was given the opportunity to vote on which aspiring author would have his or her story published. The Story of My Life is the result of the most ambitious and all-inclusive search ever conducted to discover and publish an extraordinary life story.

On my fabulous trip back to South Dakota, I had some time to kill while I drove. So I got some audio books. I picked up this one because I remembered a little something about it, and I love stories about what it was like in Afghanistan.

This story needs to be read or heard. The audio version is slightly abridged, but you couldn’t really tell from hearing it.

This is a powerful story, but one that needs to be shared. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself, but after hearing this story I new I should just suck it up and get over it.

Farah takes us through her life from before she was born, through to the current day. She lost her leg at the age of seven. She spent three years in Germany by herself before she was able to return home to Afghanistan. Then on day when she and her mother were at the bazaar a rocked hit her house. It killed her father and both of her sisters. She along with her mother and two brothers, continue on fighting to make ends meet. Then the Taliban took over. And women couldn’t go outside without men. Then the Taliban “recruited” all men over the age of ten for their army. Her brothers, along with the rest of the males in Farah’s neighborhood, disappeared in the night hoping to make it to Pakistan. She never heard from them again. So before the age of twelve she lost a leg, and a steel rod in the other leg, she lost her father, her two sisters and her two brothers, and the Taliban to boot. Her mother has asthma really bad and had to go to the hospital a lot.

Through lots of pain and suffering Farah not only gets her mother to relative safety in Pakistan, but eventually to the United States. And even though she could be very bitter, Farah could be very spiteful and expect people to provide for her, she isn’t anything like that. She is very thankful for everything. At the time that she writes this book she is 19 years old and in her senior year of high school. She looks back at each point in her life and sees how it all could have been so different. If just one person didn’t take time or didn’t stop, or didn’t show some compassion; she wouldn’t have lived.

This was one of the hardest books I ever listened to or read. I am really glad I did. It really gave me a better perspective of what it is really like there. While this book is tough nearly brutal to hear at times, I feel better for hearing it. Everyone has a story; we all can learn from each other. If we take time to learn about each other maybe we wouldn’t be so mean to each other.

Take time to read or listen to this book. It is worth it.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by Rowling, J.K.

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Author: Rowling, J.K.

Publisher: Listening Library

Reader: Jim Dale

Comments

CIP Information

When the Chamber of Secrets is opened again at the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, second-year student Harry Potter finds himself in danger from a dark power that has once more been released on the school.

Finally after nearly 7 years after reading my first Harry Potter book, five years after deciding to be a librarian, I finally got around to listening to a Harry Potter book. I had heard about people and how they though Jim Dale was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I wouldn’t go far, but he defiantly makes the story. Not just anyone can read a book of this length and popularity.

I feel it is important to point out that out of all the books, this is my least favorite of the series. I don’t particularly like Lockhart and (like any good person) I can’t stand the Malfoys.

I have only read this book two maybe three times. It seems like a lot to the average reader, but to a Harry Potter fan, it isn’t much. For example I have read the first book at least 6 times, and parts of it at least two or three other times. Books three and four I have read four or five times.

Jim Dale knows how to read a complex story like this. There is something about someone reading it to you that you notice more things, at least for me. Add that to a book I have read before and I notice things that foreshadow other books. It is very enjoyable. I look forward to listen to other books.

Locomotion by Woodson, Jacqueline

Title: Locomotion

Author: Woodson, Jacqueline

Publisher: Recorded Books

Reader: JD Jackson

Comments

CIP Information In a series of poems, eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life, after the death of his parents, separated from his younger sister, living in a foster home, and finding his poetic voice at school.

I tend to use audio books for books I wouldn’t normally get around to reading. I like to listen to them when I drive back and forth to South Dakota. I have eight and a half hours to work with.

This book has been on my reading list for quite some time. I don’t think I would have gotten it read any other way. The reader really makes this book, JD Jackson performed Lonnie perfectly. The poems are real. They open a window and let us into Lonnie’s life. We see what it is like for him in his school. He has to fight to see his sister. His parents died in a fire about three years before the book takes place.

I love when authors write books that show readers that poetry can be cool or can help ease emotions. It was a good book and I recommend it for anyone working with poetry and the possible reluctant writers. But my favorite is still Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.

Using your exercise ball for weight loss By Knight, Lucy

Title: Using your exercise ball for weight loss

Author: Knight, Lucy

Publisher: Barnes and Noble Books

Comments See, I don’t just read kids books. I got this as a going away gift when I left Ag Com. I had glanced through it before, but last night was the first night I read it cover to cover. I must say this is one of the better exercise books. The photos help show the movements describe in the steps. There are eleven chapters. Seven are dedicated to specific movements you can do. Everything is covered from aerobic exercises to stretches. While I don’t recommend relying on this book for your total workout, it is a good way to get started with some basic moves and learning some terminology. It also includes some recipes to aid in your weight loss. I think it is a good way to look into a fun way to exercise.

In the time of the drums By Siegleson, Kim L.

Title: In the time of the drums

Author: Siegleson, Kim L.

Illustration: Brian Pinkney

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Comments

CIP Info Mentu, and American-born slave boy, watches his beloved grandmother, Twi, lead the insurrection at Teakettle Creek of Ibo people arriving from Africa on a slave ship.

This is a great book about passing on traditions, stories and history. It is also a story of how slaves kept their spirits up. This story can also be told as a ghost story on how the slaves walked back to Africa under the water. This book deserved the Corretta Scott King award. This is a great book to add to any collection. The illustrations are ok, but not as intense as they could be. The illustrator played into the mystery of the story very well.

The devil you know By Hale, Nathan

Title: The devil you know

Author: Hale, Nathan

Illustration: Nathan Hale

Publisher: Walker and Company

Comments

CIP Info The Fell family get frustrated with their house devil so they trade him, but when Ms. Phisto arrives they must try desperately to find the “simple contract” they signed.

Every parent should have this book. It is a fine example of meshing the Yiddish story “it could always be worse” with real world application. The illustrations are awesome and anyone who has ever lived or worked with children knows the chaos that can ensue. It was fun to read, but the illustrations where the real fun. Imagine walking into your kitchen to find fire and brimstone?

The illustrations were done in golden acrylics on watercolor paper.

God bless the child By Holiday, Billie

Title: God bless the child

Author: Holiday, Billie

Illustration: Jerry Pinkney

Publisher: HarperCollins

Comments

CIP Info A swing spiritual based on the proverb “God bless the child that’s got his own.”

Pinkney illustrates the lyrics of Billie Holiday’s famous song, God bless the child. The artist’s note indicates that he based his illustrations from historical photos he collected. It is ok, but one must have heard Holiday sing the song to get the full impact. Publishers must have realized this and were smart enough to include a CD of Holiday singing the song.

The boy who ran with the gazelles By Mayer, Marianna

Title: The boy who ran with the gazelles

Author: Mayer, Marianna

Illustration: Leonid Gore

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Comments

CIP Info A young boy from a desert village follows his tame gazelle into the wilderness where they joined a heard of Gazelles.

Now this was the shocker of the pile. Usually I pick books that appeal to me. This book I have picked up and put back three or four times at the library. Well this last trip I was a bit short on books to read, so I figured I will pick it up anyway. The illustrations were what really drew me to this title. They were soft and slightly distant. You could almost feel the sand beneath your feet. The boy joins the gazelles then is captured by humans and turned into a show freak. He finally runs away and makes his way back to his heard. At the end of the book a man sees the boy with the heard. He had heard stories of the boy who ran with the gazelles, but he doesn’t tell anyone. This book has such a great message that “normal” is something often imposed on us. Normal is just what is common to us, not to others. I am considering it as an addition to my collection.

The doll with the yellow star By McDonald, Yona Zeldis

Title: The doll with the yellow star

Author: McDonald, Yona Zeldis

Illustration: Kimberly Bulcken Root

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company.

Comments

CIP Info When France falls to Germany at the start of World War II, eight year old Claudine must leaver her beloved parents and friends to stay with relatives in America, accompanied by her doll, Violette.

Not the best World War II book that I have ever read, but it does have a different perspective than most books. The book actually starts shortly after the Germans invade France. Claudine is forced to wear the Yellow Star that brands her a Jew, but she fights back by putting her doll’s star on this inside of Violette’s coat. Soon after she starts wearing the star her parents send her to American to live with her relatives. We get to see more of the transition here. The book spends more time on the trip over the ocean where Claudine is separated from her doll when the ship catches fire as they are getting ready to dock. This book allowed me to see how hard it was for the children like this and of the Kindertansport to adapt to a new culture and life while not knowing what happened to their families. After some time Claudine’s father shows up in America. He tells her that her mother has died, but that doesn’t sink in right away. At the end of the school year, she and her father return to France. Once they return to Paris, they both realize that France is not the same place they once loved. Their house has been trashed by looters and Nazi troops. It is when Claudine sees the state of her house that she finally accepts the fact that her mother isn’t coming back. They sell what little they have and return to America. The time spent on their adjustments during the post-war era is the real gem. This is a period that many others don’t cover at all. This was a time of struggling and acceptance, and moving on with life. The ending is a bit forced, but cute none the less. Claudine and her father start shopping act auctions to furnish their house and make it more “homey.” It is at the final auction that the “happy ending” is a bit of a stretch. Her father buys a trunk and after they haul the trunk in they open it to find some blankets and such. Near the bottom Claudine finds the doll she lost so many years before. All in all, it is a book to show lesser known portions of these years.

Diary of a Fairy Godmother By Codell, Esme Raj

Title: Diary of a Fairy Godmother

Author: Codell, Esme Raj

Illustration: Drazen Kozjan

Publisher: Hyperion books for Children

Comments I must admit, I picked this book up for unusual reasons. First of all I loved the cover design. I know I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but sometimes you can. I also picked it up, because I had read the author’s “How to get your child to love reading,” so I figured I would give it a try. At first I hated it, but something about it kept me reading. And after about 20 pages, I was sucked in. This book isn’t gonna change the world or win all the awards out there, but it is a good book to pass on to a pre-teen that maybe starting to figure out their place in the world. The names are really funny. Names like Hunky Dory and Lemon Droppings are used everywhere. There are also many fairy tale characters brought in to add a little spice. Cinderella, Red Ridinghood, and the Wolf all are in here. Hunky is a witch at the top of her class, but then finds out that she might like to be a fairy godmother. This idea gets her kicked out of school, and her house. After some time, her friends and family accept her back. I am glad I read it because I know it would be good for certain readers, but I wouldn’t push it on my adult friends, like other books I have read. I love the pencil illustrations are great. They have the look and feel of witches, but have a slightly modern twist. For example, Hunky gets around on a skateboard, not a broomstick.

If Frogs Made the Weather By Bauer, Marion Dane

Title: If Frogs Made the Weather

Author: Bauer, Marion Dane

Illustration: Dorothy Donohue

Publisher: Holiday House

Comments

CIP info A young child ruminates on the favorite of 10 different animals.

Each day’s weather is determined by the animal. The illustrations are really fun. The depth and texture at times you can feel the weather. The story is so so, but when matched with the illustrations, it becomes a story to share on a rainy day snuggled up on a couch. The illustrations are colorful and finely textured cut-paper art.

Snow Moon By Brunelle, Nicholas

Title: Snow Moon

Author: Brunelle, Nicholas

Illustration: Nicholas Brunelle

Publisher: Penguin Books

Comments

CIP info One wintry night, a child awakens to find at his window a mysterious owl that beckons and together the two set off on a moon lit journey to a place called Owl Ridge.

Good design and soft illustrations make this a gem. The text is kept on the left hand side of the book on a plain white page, thus the illustration is allowed a clean, uninterrupted page. This encourages the reader to take some time and slowly get pulled into this wintry mysterious land. The reader follows the character into the quite snowy night. Perfect for sharing at bed time, it is calming and soothing. Lots of blues are easy on the eyes.

The Milkman By Cordsen, Carol Foskett

Title: The Milkman

Author: Cordsen, Carol Foskett

Illustration: Douglas B Jones

Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books

Comments

CIP info In the early, early morning, the milkman makes his rounds helping his neighbors in a variety of ways.

I love this book. The illustrations have a vintage look and feel about them. They allow the reader to be transported back to a simplier time. The story combines with these great illustrations to build a comforting story. The rhyming text falls into a soothing cadence. The reader makes the rounds with the milkman clearly seeing that he is an important part of this community. A great way to share simpler times with a younger generation and have a great story of community and fellowship.

Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An alphabetical Adventure By Cronin, Doreen

Title: Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An alphabetical Adventure

Author: Cronin, Doreen

Illustration: Betsy Levin

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Comments

CIP info An assortment of animals gather for a picnic.

I won’t lie. The first time I read this book I was really let down. But as I made the second reading, my opinion changed slightly. Then by the third reading, I really liked it. I saw the merits. This would be a great book to help kids with letter recognition. Using characters from the famous Click Clack Moo helps readers associate with loveable characters.

The Dancing Tiger By Doyle, Malachy

Title: The Dancing Tiger

Author: Doyle, Malachy

Illustration: Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

Publisher: Viking

Comments The best vote I can give a book is wanting to add it to my own collection. I must own this book. I love this magical tale of a little girl dancing on the nights of the full moon with a tiger. As the story progresses we are guided through the seasons. At first I thought it was just a progression of the year. As you get near the end you realize it is the journey of the little girl’s life. The story ends with the narratior taking her great-granddaughter to meet the tiger. The she sits and watches them dance beneath the bright sky. It was too good for words. This is a great story to share with everyone. Illustrations are done in oils on paper.

Assassins: Lady Grace Mystery Series #1 By Finney, Patricia

Title: Assassins: Lady Grace Mystery Series #1

Author: Finney, Patricia

Illustration:

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Comments

CIP info 13 year old Lady Grace Cavendish, favorite maid of honor of Elizabeth I, must solve a murder mystery and clear the name of her betrothed. Surprisingly good. While the stories are made up the historical information is solid. Dates are correct and the terms are true to the times. The author saw to include a glossary to help with the unfamiliar terms. It is a fun read and a pretty good mystery. It is always nice to see a strong female character. And adding Elizabeth I is a nice bonus. Lady Grace goes around saving the hide of a man she doesn’t even like even though she is betrothed to him. After she solves the mystery, she asks the Queen to wait awhile before she is betrothed again.

Betrayal: Lady Grace Mystery Series #2 By Finney Patricia

Title: Betrayal: Lady Grace Mystery Series #2

Author: Finney, Patricia

Illustration:

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Comments

CIP info Lady Grace Cavendish, Elizabeth I youngest maid finds herself in the midst of a battle at sea while posing as a boy aboard the ship of Francis Drake, where she and Masou stowed away to find and save Lady Sarah.

I thought the first book was good and I wasn’t expecting much more from this one. But it was sooooo much better. I has a battle at sea, Lady Grace acts like a pageboy to save Lady Sarah, whom she really doesn’t like. I like this series. It teaches history and the culture of the time period. And the strong female character is great. Lady Grace cuts off her hair and puts her life in danger to save Lady Sarah. Pirates, captains, and a ship battle where Lady Grace shoots flaming arrows and helps take the Spanish ship. In the end Lady Grace/Gregory is able to get back to Court with Lady Sarah without anyone knowing they were gone, and thus sparing the honor of Lady Sarah. I can’t wait to be a real librarian and recommend this series to another reader.