Folding

Folded Notes from High School is a book of letters and I love reading books like this!  I would have really liked it more if we would have found out some reason why Tara is SUCH a jerk!  She is like Margaret! 

Rated D for Disturbing!

You All Grow Up and Leave Me was super disturbing. Piper Weiss is complicated!  And she admits that.  I love her relationship with her mom, though.  And her willingness to admit that she knows her mom loves her and she loves her mom.  I think that is cool.
This is the story of Gary Wilensky.  And Weiss's raw and real feelings about him and who she was in his life and who she maybe wanted to be.
I do think that Weiss is harder on herself than she needs to be.  But that is what makes this book so well done.  She is very real and honest and willing to share.

Really, Really Excellent

Alan Gratz was a speaker at PSLA a couple of years ago, and he was talking about his then new book, Prisoner B-3087.  I had not heard of the book or the author prior to that, for which I was embarrassed and so very thankful that I learned of him and read the book.  It was incredible.  After reading Refuge, I am even more glad because it was even more incredible, if that is possible. This is my pick for the Newbery so far, for sure.

How I Love Cars...

And how I loved The Car by Paulsen.  When you know a little bit about Paulsen's life, you can really see it come through in his writing.  Terry has been neglected by his parents and when they both just up and leave, each thinking that the other is at home with Terry, Terry's life really has just begun.  In the garage is a kit car, a Bearcat, which I really didn't know anything about until I read this book and Terry puts it together and heads west, maybe to see an uncle he once met who seemed kinda nice.  On the way he meets an old hippie, who had a bad run in Vietnam and the two of them meet up with another vet and man, Terry really learns about real life now.  Just a great, great, great book.