How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles has been on the shelf for ten years. I enjoyed it when I first read it, and I still think about the story and the lessons learned about family. Well, zoom forward to today, and there's a new twist on an old story with My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life by Rachel Cohn. Elle's father, who has never been a part of her life, whisks her away from her American life to live in Tokyo with him. What she doesn't know about her father is that he is a part of the elite. He is a Japanese hotel mogul and she is being submersed in the culture of the Tokyo rich. What will this teach her about herself and about her family? This book leaves lots of room for life lessons.
Over the years I have read a lot of YA books. There have been times when the genres and the story lines have started to build around the same themes and you start to wonder when will there be something new and fresh. There have also been times when I've read a book and then a few years later a similar story line will appear and I am reminded of the first book and I anticipate that the new book will be fun to read. That's where I am with the books I will mention today.
How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles has been on the shelf for ten years. I enjoyed it when I first read it, and I still think about the story and the lessons learned about family. Well, zoom forward to today, and there's a new twist on an old story with My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life by Rachel Cohn. Elle's father, who has never been a part of her life, whisks her away from her American life to live in Tokyo with him. What she doesn't know about her father is that he is a part of the elite. He is a Japanese hotel mogul and she is being submersed in the culture of the Tokyo rich. What will this teach her about herself and about her family? This book leaves lots of room for life lessons.
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Sometimes life is not easy. We all have things that have shaped who we are, and it's not always the fun things that stand out. Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak tells the story of five brothers and how life and loss have shaped them. The book tells the story of Clay as written by his older brother; but it is really two stories in one, as we read the history of Michael and Penelope Dunbar and how love and death and survival touched the lives of their five sons. As the father deals with loss in his way, the sons are left to deal with the loss of both the living and the dead. Can healing be found and bridges be built that can fill the sense of loss? This book has sophisticated writing and will touch the emotions as estranged relationships are repaired. We've probably all seen movies that are set in old castles with lots of secret passage ways and mystery. We've also seen books that lead us through hidden staircases and into secret rooms. All of this sets the stage for adventure. We've also seen books that carry us to magical lands through secret passage ways. Well, the book I want to highlight today combines both.
The Forgotten Book by Mechthild Glaser is about a school set in an old castle where the students find a world of adventure and intrigue. When they start exploring the passageways, they locate an old library in an unused wing of the castle. As they work to turn this into a special gathering place, they find an unusual, old book. The book has not yet been written, and they don't realize at first, but as they write in the book, their words become reality. With the reality of their words, also comes the consequences. So, when faced with the possible death of a fellow student, they have to rewrite the future. This book has lots of adventure and excitement and a lesson about the power of words. If you enjoy The Forgotten Book, you might also try The Book Jumper written by Mechthild Glaser. I'm always interested in the superhero books that offer large pictures and lots of interesting information. For those who are interested in superheroes, these can offer hours of browsing time and interesting trivia. So, when I came across Marvelocity: The Marvel Comics Art of Alex Ross, I thought it might catch some interest. Marvelocity focuses on the artwork and story of Alex Ross. The book is full of beautiful, color illustrations and lots of history of who Alex Ross is and what inspired him to draw superheroes. It is interesting to see the pictures of Spiderman drawn by the 5 year old artist. To see the paper mask of the Hulk that served as a costume for an 8 year old increases your understanding of the man behind the art. This book can certainly offer hours of interesting reading and browsing. |
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AuthorHi! I'm Sonya, the Young Adult Librarian at Algona Public Library. I'll be sharing about YA books - old and new. Archives
June 2022
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