The Last Little Blue Envelope

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Well, I hadn't had a big dose of chic-lit in quite awhile so that is what's up with this post and the previous one. I have to admit that I am a fan of Johnson's first book 13 Little Blue Envelopes and was happy to go along for the ride in this follow up book, The Last Little Blue Envelope. Heading off with  Ginny on a European adventure is a bit of a lark for me, cottoncandy kind of stuff - great once in a while but I wouldn't want to have it every day.

Here's the summary:

Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer travelling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack- and the last little blue envelope inside - she resigned herself to never knowing how it was susposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he has found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure - one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits ... and her heart. This time there are no instructions. 

A long, long sleep

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

I've started digging through the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) boxes and have been picking afew jems - or what I hope will be jems, out to be reading. I also realized that I had been reading a whole bunch of non-fiction titles or dystopian future books and that it was time to change some of that up. So this one got brought home with me and while it is a dystopian future book it is also kind of a retelling of  the sleeping beauty story. I wasn't disappointed, but I don't think it will make "can't wait to tell you guys about it" list either. It reminded me a lot of - Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

Summary from the publisher:
Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in a chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the DarkTimes that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplantetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desparate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeapordizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes  - or be left without any future at all.

Icefall

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

I read this book last week and felt completely caught up in it. If your looking for your next action / adventure book that is somewhat based in mythology (like the Percy Jackson books), I would recommend that your give this one a try. I especially liked the aspect of Solveig becoming a storyteller, and retelling the myths and legends of her people (Norse, I think) to keep the peace, to keep them hopeful or motivate them. It truly showed the power of story and the strength of her character.

Summary:
Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering moutains and a frozen sea, Solveig, along with her brother the crown prince, their older sister, and an army of restless warriors, anxiously awaits news of her father's victory at battle. But as the winter stretches on and the unending ice refuses to break, terrible acts of treachery soon make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst. A malevolent air begins to seep through the fortress walls and a smouldering claustrophobia slowly turns these prisoners of winter against one another.
Those charged with protecting the King's children are all suspect, and the siblings must choose their allies wisely. But who can be trusted so far from their father's watchful eye? Can Solveig and her siblings survive the long winter months and expose the traitor before he succeeds in destroying a kingdom?

Roadsworth

Roadsworth by Roadsworth and Bethany Gibson

Yesterday I took our "Guess the Reader" contest winner with me on a lunch hour shopping spree. The above is one of the choice books we brought back with us for our library.

Here's the write up:
In Oct. of 2001 paint was spilled on the streets of Montreal. A stark primative bike symbol, looking suspiciously like the one the city used to designate the bike path; a giant zipper, pulled open down the centre line of the street on a busy commuter route ; the footprint of a giant, stomping through the city while the people slept. By 2004 Roadsworth had pulled off close to 300 pieces of urban art on the streets of Montreal. In the fall he was charged with 51 counts of public mischief. It seemed to signal the end of his career. Instead the citizens of Montreal and lovers of his work from around the world rallied their support. A year later he was let off with a slap on the wrist.

This is a thought provoking look at-  What is considered public space?, Is graffiti art? When is graffiti art?  Will societies views on graffiti change? Are they changing now?

Here's a small clip from the National Film Board  film titled -  Roadsworth: Crossing the line.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Today is the day, we are hosting a free webcast with author Jeff Kinney author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and today is also the release date for book six Cabin Fever. If you are a fan don't miss out, be ready at 8:00 a.m.
See you there.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick : 14 amazing authors tell the tales by Chris Van Allsburg, with an introduction by Lemony Snicket

I've been patiently waiting for this one to arrive, and yippee it's finally here. I know many of you will be familiar with the original book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, with those wonderful black and white illustrations and just one simple story opener and a couple of dots that invite the reader to continue on ...
Well now we have some of our favourite authors finishing those sentences and creating a full fledged short story around them. It requires a closer look at the illustration and an imagination that is ready and raring to go. Some are scary, some humorous and many will be memorable. This will make a perfect Xmas gift for that favourite LA teacher (hint, hint.)
Here's the list of authors: Serman Alexie, M.T. Anderson, Kate DiCamillo, Cory Doctorow, Jules Feiffer, Stephen King, Tabitha King, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Walter Dean Myers, Linda Sue Park, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka, Chris Van Allsburg.

Curious what kind of stories young aspiring writers create, have a look here and don't be afraid to submit your own.
http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/harrisburdick/readers_stories.html

Check out the

Inheritance

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

I know that the true fans of this series devoured their own copy of Inheritance this weekend, but for those of you who are patiently waiting for our library copies I should have them ready to go sometime on Monday. In the meantime here is a teaser.

Not so very long ago, Eragon - Shadeslayer, Dragonrider - was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on thier shoulders.
Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heart breaking loss. And still the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.
The rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaesia? and if so at what cost?

Epitaph Road

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

Summary from the back cover:

A modern utopia where 97% of the men are dead.

Kellen Dent feels all alone. In 2097, he practically is. thirty year earlier, an airborne virus nearly caused man's extinction. Now women rule the world, and poverty, crime, war and hunger have all disappeared. With tight restriction on men's behaviour, fourteen-year-old Kellen fells like he has no say in his future. When a rumored outbreak of the virus threatens Kellen's outcast father, he knows that he must warn him of the coming danger, no matter what the consequences. During his desperate race to hind his dad, Kellen uncovers a secret so frightening that his life and the future of the world will never be the same.

I only got started this morning, so far the first 50 pages have gotten my attention.   

MC Escher

M C  Escher by Sandra Forty

M C Escher's works might be some of the most famous, most recognized works going. You've probably seen posters, cards or prints of these amazing perspective drawings and block prints. This will be the perfect book for those aspiring artists or those of you fascinated with optical illusions. The book contains a brief history of Escher, followed by a chronology of his works. I hope you enjoy this one, I did.

Read On.

Book Inspiration

This past spring my husband and I were at the public library, browsing around, this was the book he brought home with him. It was his inspiration to build a go-cart (he had one when he was a kid, and dreamed of building his own). He quickly gathered pieces and began the build. Here are some photos.

So I guess it isn't any wonder that I've added a new title to the Lakie collection. I'm hoping it will inspire some of you. P.S. his next build is book mobile. Maybe you'll be seeing it at a school near you ;-D