Penalty Kick - Terence O'Leary

O'Leary, Terence. Penalty Kick. Toledo, Ohio: Swan Creek Press, 2014.

I am always in the market for more sports books. Certainly the title and cover art drew me to this title at NetGalley. Penalty Kick did not disappoint as a sports book and offered so much more.

Honestly, when it opened in an oncologist's office, I thought, "Not another cancer book..." Initially, I think, because I was expecting something different. Then I realized the surge in popularity of such books would make this a popular title. Anyhow, I kept reading and learned that Brooke was recovering from an intense fight with cancer.  Her experiences allowed her to feel an overwhelming compassion for Josh who was fighting is own life and death battle. An amazing soccer player, he is driving on his learner's permit and is involved in a horrifying accident that takes his mom's life. He is nearly unable to go on. This is a beautiful story of friendship and recovery, of family, loss, and love. Through counseling, friendship, love, and soccer Josh fights his way back and challenging Brooke to grow along the way.

I'm pleased that this book will appeal to the guys and girls in my library. Both Brooke and Josh are full realized characters whose strengths and flaws will make them relatable. The book is realistic and intense without being overwhelming for students simply looking for a solid read. The love story develops slowly and in a lovely way, suitable for the younger readers in my 7-12 library. The sports scenes are action packed and suspenseful. I look forward to adding this to my collection soon. 

Net Galley provided me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for this review. 

Even In Paradise - Chelsey Philpot

Philpot, Chelsey. Even in Paradise. New York: Harper, 2014.

I have a number of girls that will love this book.  Charlotte meets Julia Buchanan during her junior year at St. Anne’s Academy and her life is never again the same.  She becomes one of the Buchanans.  Belonging means summers and vacations at the beach house, a new roommate, and the “responsibility” of making sure that Julia is OK.  Julia, the only survivor of a car crash that took the lives of her sister and her sister’s boyfriend is fragile.  The Buchanan family trusts Charlotte to make sure she doesn’t break on her watch. Through it Charlotte nearly loses many of her friends at St. Anne’s, becomes involved with Julia’s brother, and pursues her dream of attending art school upon graduation.  If only it weren’t for the secret...the one that nearly costs everyone in the book something.

This title had a bit of the feel of Lockhart’s newest, We Were Liars. Like much of the public is fascinated by celebrity and the wealthy, so, too are many of my readers drawn to stories that feature the rich.  Something in us likes to live vicariously the lives of those who have beach houses and throw the kinds of parties we can only dream of.  Through Charlotte, the reader has just that experience.  In the end Charlotte ultimately learns to be true to herself, EVEN at the expense of the loss of her first love.  I do like a strong female protagonist who makes independent choices who learns and grows.  Even in Paradise offers just such a protagonist. This is a book that deals with some pretty powerful topics: grief and loss, friendship, family relationships, and first love, but does so in a way that will not overpower the reader.  While I would prefer it for my older readers, it will work well for the mature younger reader.

I can absolutely book talk this with Lockhart’s We Were Liars.  Along for the Ride and What Happened to Goodbye could round out a lovely beach theme.  For the final spring book talk, this would be a neat grouping. I have written before of my affinity for boarding school books as well.  Even in Paradise could be a neat addition there to get it moving quickly in the fall as well. I look forward to sharing this title.

Influential Women Authors for International Women's Day

International Women’s Day has encouraged me to think about the influence of female authors on me over the years.  I am now and have always been an avid reader.  As a child reading took me to places and through experiences the real world didn’t offer me.  I am amazed at the memories that are coming back as I explore some of my early reading loves. Thanks to these women who were instrumental in shaping the woman I would become

My earliest faves...

Laura Ingalls Wilder - my earliest reading memories are in The Little House in the Big Woods.  I write a little bit about it here.  Suffice it to say I started these at age 8 and read and reread them over the years.  I introduced them to my daughter who, thank goodness, loved them as well.  It is possible I already have a brand new set for my future granddaughter. Well, someday…

Carolyn Keene - I’m not sure I am admirer of Carolyn Keene; I think I learned somewhere along the line that she is a pseudonym for several writers, but her heroine Nancy Drew - she was my girl.  I read the entire series living vicariously through her adventures, her travels, even her boyfriend.  

My secret teen loves...

Victoria Holt - We would make the trek to our little public library once a week, and I would bring home 6 books.  Holt’s were a mainstay. The internet tells me that Victoria Holt was actually Eleanor Hibbert.  Certainly when I was chewing up her shelf in the public library as a kid I had no idea that she wrote under a variety of names.  Honestly, these books remain a bit buried in my subconscious.   I suppose my current love for historical fiction is rooted here.  Of course, I still love a good romance.  I don’t do so much with the gothic now though except in YA. I read that one of her early influences was Jane Eyre which is one of my current favorites for sure.

Grace Livingston Hill - Just a shelf above or so I could find Hill’s books.  I am sure I read most of them.  These were simple and straightforward books. Generally a poor or orphaned protagonist would make her way bravely in the world ending up with true love and a strong faith.  I still read a great deal of Christian fiction.  The new stuff is a bit more creative and less formulaic, but I think Hill paved the way.

The classics...

Jane Austen - I wish I were one of those folks who could claim to have cut her literary teeth on Austen, but I became a fan as a young adult.  But such a fan I’ve become. I like to believe that Elizabeth Bennet would also have enjoyed a sassy Laura Ingalls and a resourceful Nancy Drew. I love her independent spirit. I have read all of her works and am preparing to teach her for the first time. She is wickedly insightful into human nature and while I love the glimpses I get into another time, her characters transcend time. She was brave in her time, choosing a literary career over more traditional paths.

Emily Dickinson - I often joke that I am drawn to spinster writers.  Perhaps I admire their dedication to the craft. One that I used to wish I could emulate.  I love her use of language.  I love to read her journal entries and explore her life through her poetry.

I could go on now about the women authors that I love to recommend to my girls now.  I am feeling like that is a separate entry to come soon. 

The Joy of Creative Ignorance for Us and our Students

Another interesting article on creativity - "The Joy of Creative Ignorance: Embracing Uncertainty in Your Day-to-Day" by Mark McGuinness.  While this article is not written with the librarian or educator in mind, it certainly offers questions for our consideration.  We function in a data driven environment.  We question the time students spend in elective courses: the arts, the shops, the computer labs, especially if they are not scoring as highly as they need on standardized testing. Their extra time is spent in remediation or soon in project based assessment. We practice the multiple choice and praise the correct answer.   As suggested in the article, I fear we are in danger of “cramping [the] imagination [of our students] to fit our expectations, instead of allowing it to surprise us with something unexpected.”

I found it both refreshing and some what intimidating to consider the notion that the best creativity often arises from embracing uncertainty - ignorance of where the process will take the creator.  Again, in the midst of my own planning, goal setting, and completing the proper and necessary paperwork, I hope that I find the time to seek ways to offer students the opportunity to be creative.  

Our Valentine’s Day blind date book promotion encouraged several readers to choose outside of the box. In their responses they were appreciative of the opportunity to read something different from what they might normally choose. I am pursuing several ideas to encourage poetry and poets in the month of April.  Articles like these certainly inspire to keep moving forward with these ideas, even when it seems not time exists to do so. Ideas to foster creativity would be welcomed as comments for sure!