As most of you know, this was my first year at WHS. As I write for the final time this year, Mrs. Schroen suggested that I sum up my first year. Good idea, but what can I say? One word to describe my year is interesting. It has been great getting used to the high school crowd, and most importantly, getting to read fantastic young adult literature. It is interesting selecting young adult novels because I can really order whatever I want. A 16 year-old is able to grasp material more clearly, and understandably, I can choose some risqué subject matter (a la Patrick Jones) because it is not a problem for teenagers. Another word to describe my first year at Westside is welcoming. Many of the students who knew me back in my teaching days or even as their middle school librarian were actually glad to see me. Who knew? And the teachers and staff have
been nothing short of wonderful. But the library staff above all has been so great in welcoming
me and making me feel right at home. I do have to thank Mr. Castro for having a vision for an exemplary library and allowing me to help our library grow. Lastly, to summarize my year, I will say that it has been fun. I truly enjoyed writing the Forbes Forum and discussing books with the Westside audience. I look forward to writing the Forbes Forum in the future and making it a library tradition. I congratulate all of the graduating seniors and wish them all of best in their future endeavors. For all the returning students, here are some suggestions to keep you busy reading over the summer, I have put together a summ
ery list. So, read the summaries on the summery books and have a fabulous summer! Mystery:
Paper Towns by John Green. I met the author at the Texas Library Association Conference and he w
as a really nice guy. This book is about Quentin, 17, who has been in love with Margo, his neighbor, for as long as he can remember. He is one of the smart kids and Margo is a bit of a rebel. When she includes him in a night of pranks/revenge, then disappears/runs away, he must follow the clues to find her. Slowly he uncovers Margo’s unhappiness and her true self. Another good mystery is
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson. Jenna, 17, wakes up after a year long coma confused about who she is. Her parents tell her that she was severely injured in a car accident. Everything about her past is mysterious…she watches old family videos for clarification, but instead, strange memories surface and she realizes that a terrible secret is being kept form her. Turns out, her scientist father illegally used medical technology to save her, but only 10% of her origin
al brain is saved. A good adventure/mystery is
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury. Best friends
Chris and Win head out on a cross country bicycle adventure after high school graduation, but only Chris returns. Win’s father hires a private investigator to find him. They discover that Win had told Chris many lies…there may be a chance that Win ran away form his strict parents. Now, Win’s father is sure that Chris knows where Win is hiding and wants answers. Humor/Coming of Age:
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti. Indigo is an average high school senior who waits tables at the diner. Her ordinary life turns upside down when a customer leaves her a $2.5 million tip. Now, she must become accustomed to being rich, and
realizes that having money is not all it’s
cracked up to be. Thriller/Horror:
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow. A mix of horror, thriller, and poetry. Ruled by competing packs of werewolves, LA is far stranger than anyone ever imagined. Lycanthropes hire themselves out as hit men and pushers, both driving and feeding off the criminal world. At the center of the story is Anthony Silvo, a self-professed loner and dogcatcher who falls in love with a mysterious woman; she leads a second life as a werewolf and works for Lark, the leader of the most dangerous werewolf pack on the streets. Her growing relationship with Anthony causes her to regret the wild choices of her past and seek out a new life. Meanwhile, Lark suspects that competing packs of lycanthropes are after his pow
er and he prepares for a massive, citywide conflict. Biography:
I am Scout by Charles Shields.
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most widely read American novels. Yet, there is little known about the book’s reclusive author, Harper Lee. Another great biography is
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman. Georgiana was one of the most prominent British women of the 18th century. She came from one of England's richest families (she was Princess Diana’s great-g
reat-great-great Aunt) and married into another. She was beautiful, extravagant, and controversial. Her drinking, gambling, and extra-marital affairs made her the talk of the town. In fact, she had a child out of wedlock with a well known politician. Her insecurity and horrible marital love life seems more like a soap opera than real life...her best friend actually became her husband’s mistress and lived with them! But above all, her opinions made her one of the most influential political figures of her time. The movie
The Duchess was based on this novel. Read the book, then
rent the movie. Fashion:
The One Hundred: A guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia. The author, best known for her editorial work at
Marie Claire and
Elle and judging the Reality TV show,
Project Runway, outlines 100 items that every woman should have and that will never go out of style. A must read for all fashionistas! Nonfiction:
Woods Burner by John Pipkin. I met
the author at a Texas Library Association dinner and he singed my copy of the book. He is a really nice guy and a great speaker. Did you know that in 1844, Henry David Thoreau started a fire in the Concord Woods, burning 300 acres of woodland? The fire was of course an accident, but the destruction of the woods was catastrophic and irreplaceable. He was deemed the “woods burner” by everyone in town. One can believe that the woods burning may have influenced his reasons for later sequestering himself on Walden Pond. Fascinating! Action:
Blue Heaven by C.J. Box. Two children witness a murder by crooked ex cops and find refuge with a rancher. Fantasy:
Veil of Gold by Kim Wilkins. The discovery of a golden bear in the walls of a derelict bathhouse lifts the veil between the real world and that of fairy tales. Haunting drama:
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. Alice, kidnapped at age 10, has been held captive in sexual imprisonment for five years. Her abductor, Ray, was molested as a child and now abuses young girls. Told from Alice’s point of view, she fears her impending death. She has many opportunities to escape, but Ray has scared her to believe he will kill her parents if she does. Although the story is fictitious, this type of disturbing crime happens to children every day. If you liked
The Lovely Bones, you may also like this. It is much shorter, but will leave an imprint on your heart just the same. Of course, mature audiences only due to the graphic nature. Arthurian:
Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve. Gwyna, the narrator, is hiding from Arthur’s men; surviving by pretending to be a boy. She takes part in or observes many significant scenes related to Arthur, including the now famous day when Arthur takes the sword, until the day of his death. Many traditionally esteemed characters are revealed as unworthy, and some loathed ones are shown as heroic. Girly:
Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noël. 16 year old Rio has just moved from New York to Southern California. She doesn’t know how she will fit in, but quickly makes friends with a couple of art geeks in her class. She dumps them after cheerleader Kristi befriends her and she gets wrapped up in the popular scene. Everything is perfect until Rio surpasses Kristi and learns the meaning of revenge and the importance of being you, and returns to the friends and family she trusts. Happy reading!
* A special thanks to the following publishers for the book cover pictures: Dutton, Henry Holt, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster, Harper, Modern Library, Collins Living, Talese, Minotaur, Tor, Simon Pulse, Scholastic, and St. Martin’s Griffin.
Recently, I read the novel Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald. Remember how in the Hunger Games post I talked about the fact that there are only a few plotlines and that most stories follow one? If you didn't, I'll sum it up for you. One of the mostly widely used storylines is the "fish out of water." You know what that means... its always a person thrown into a situation where he or she feels completely awkward and doesn't fit in and has to lean to adjust to the new surroundings. This book is the classic fish out of water "chick lit." Tami is a 27 year old woman living in Iran who gets a visitor visa to come to America to visit her sister, whom she hasn't seen in 15 years. Her sister, Maryam, has made a really great life for herself in Tucson, Arizona. She has a great hubby who is a doctor, a nice house, a good job, etc. Tami and Maryam's parents think that Tami will do well if she too can stay in America permanently. Here's their plan... during Tami's three month stay, she will meet a nice Iranian-American man who will marry her before her visitor visa expires. Getting married to someone she doesn't love is a small price to pay in order to stay in this great country... the alternative being Tami's return to Iran. Simple, right? Not really. Tami's plans go to all heck when instead of a nice Iranian-American man, she meets a really cute American guy, Ike, working at a Starbucks. Ike is over the moon for Tami, and although Tami returns his affection, she knows he is NOT the one she should be with. In another twist, there are other potential fiancés who are Iranian-Americans and are willing to marry her... their personalities make for some comedy in the storyline. Will Tami marry Ike, the cute American, against the wishes of her family? Will she marry one of the Iranian-American suitors? Or, will she go back to Iran, unmarried, when her visa expires? She has some tough choices. You'll love Tami's kooky friends and you'll root for her as the underdog. My only negative is that the book is extremely stereotypical of Iranian woman, making Tami look weak, meek, and boring at times. Although, I get the whole fish out of water scenario, I was disappointed that the author painted Tami as an overly sheltered woman. Although women in Iran do not necessarily participate in some of the activities in which Tami partakes, but they are aware that those activities exist. So, take the book with a grain of salt and just enjoy the cute story! Remember, the book is a work of fiction and not a true account of what Iranian women are really like. If you want to know that, come talk to me, not the author who is an American, married to an Iranian man. Happy reading! 
