The Wright 3

The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett
In the midst of a series of unexplained accidents and mysterious coincidences, sixth-graders Calder, Petra, and Tommy lead their classmates in an attempt to keep Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Robie House from being demolished.

"Another tour de force blending art, math, philosophy, history and literature."
-Kirkus Reviews

Book Club Meeting: 25 April 2009

Ask a librarian for help getting a copy or request your copy online.

Gossamer

Gossamer by Lois Lowry
While learning to bestow dreams, a young dream giver tries to save an eight-year-old boy from the effects of both his abusive past and the nightmares inflicted on him by the frightening Sinisteeds.

"The prose is light as gossamer; the story as haunting as a dream."
-Kirkus Review


Book Club Meeting: 28 March 2009

Ask a librarian for help getting a copy or request your copy online.

Bud, Not Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

"Bud's journey, punctuated by Dickensian twists in plot and enlivened by a host of memorable personalities, will keep readers engrossed from first page to last."
-Publishers' Weekly

Book Club Meeting: 28 February 2009

Ask a librarian for help getting a copy or request your copy online.

The Thief Lord

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Two brothers, having run away from the aunt who plans to adopt the younger one, are sought by a detective hired by their aunt, but they have found shelter with--and protection from--Venice's "Thief Lord."

"Funke delineates her characters and the changing textures of their relationships with masterful subtlety, as well as sometimes-puckish humor. It's a compelling tale, rich in ingenious twists, with a setting and cast that will linger in readers' memories."
-School Library Journal

Book Club Meeting: 31 January 2009

Ask a librarian for help getting a copy or request your copy online.

The Year of the Dog

by Grace Lin
Frustrated at her seeming lack of talent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.

"Lin does a remarkable job capturing the soul and the spirit of books like those of Hayward or Maud Hart Lovelace, reimagining them through the lens of her own story, and transforming their special qualities into something new for today's young readers."
-Booklist

Book Club Meeting: 29 November 2008

Ask a librarian for help getting a copy or request your copy online.

Redwall

by Brian Jacques
When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy.

"The quality of the writing, the rich cast of characters, the detailed accounts of medieval warfare, and Jacques' ability to tell a good story and make readers think all earn Redwall a place on library shelves."
-School Library Journal

Book Club Meeting: 27 December 2008

UPDATE: BOOK CLUB WILL BE CANCELLED FOR THIS MONTH. WE WILL RESUME OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS IN JANUARY.

Dead Reckoning: a Pirate Voyage With Captain Drake

by Laurie Lawlor
Emmet, a fifteen-year-old orphan, learns hard lessons about survival when he sails from England in 1577 as a servant aboard the Golden Hind--the ship of his cousin, the explorer and pirate Francis Drake--on its three-year circumnavigation of the world.

"Based as closely as possible on the sometimes-scant historical record, Lawlor's work is full of adventure and lively detail."
-Kirkus Reviews

Book Club Meeting: 25 October 2008

Ask a librarian for help getting a copy or request your copy online.