Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen

This memoir follows the author, a Vietnamese refugee, as her family struggles to establish a new life in Grand Rapids, Michigan following the fall of Saigon in 1975. We learn how difficult it was for Nguyen to be accepted by American children yet keep the traditions of her Buddhist family. Interestingly, the author cleverly uses the various foods she eats to highlight the cultural differences. All the food talk was a bit bothersome for me to read. American, Mexican, and Vietnamese food are all included. I didn't expect to read a cookbook when I chose this title. I'm drawn to memoirs so I can learn about families and cultures but this emphasis on the food, some of it things I would never want to taste, was annoying. You'll have to judge for yourself, afterall, this book has won a PEN literary award in 2005.
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

Bobby is a restless 16 year old boy living in New York City - his days are full of fun and pranks with his buddies. When Bobby learns that his girlfriend, Nia, is pregnant his world is truly rocked. Bobby and Nia have caring parents who are full of good, practical advice about the soon-to-be-born baby. When an unexpected turn of events takes place Bobby decides to raise the baby, a daughter, whom he names Feather. Bobby’s love for Feather grows with each passing day, but he soon realizes the sacrifices and changes he must make in order to be a good father. The book alternates chapters between “Now” and “Then.” “Now” is after Feather’s birth, “then” is during Nia’s pregnancy. The story is told in the first person by Bobby - from the perspective of a teenage father. You can truly feel how conflicted and tired Bobby is as he struggles to do the right thing.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski

Kindred by Octavia Butler

Dana is a black woman celebrating her 26th birthday in 1976. She is suddenly transported back in time to the antebellum south around 1820. She finds herself rescuing a drowning white child named Rufus, who is the son of a plantation owner. Throughout the story Dana travels back and forth between current times where she is a modern, independent black woman, and the early 19th century where she is a slave. During the times she is back in the slave era, she still retains her knowledge and experience as a modern day woman and knows what historical events lie ahead. Her ongoing connection to Rufus is confusing to her, until she learns that her very existence depends on her ability to protect him. It sounds confusing, but the author writes so well that it is easy to follow and makes for a very interesting story.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Two sisters - Cass and Caitlin - One an overachiever - The other not quite sure of herself. Cass, the older sister, runs off with her boyfriend seeking a life that is what she wants rather than what has always been expected of her. She leaves behind her younger sister, Caitlin, who now more than ever is unsure of what to think of her own life. Enter Rogerson - older - wild - wealthy - angry - handsome. He's easy to fall in love with when you're searching for meaning to your life. Caitlin finds herself being forced into a life style with Rogerson much different from her own. At first she's excited by it and being with him. More and more time spent with Rogerson and his friends leads to - drugs - smoking - abuse - loneliness - reclusiveness - no one to turn to for solace. How can Caitlin get out of this mess? Her parents would be devastated to see the bruises on her body. If only she could talk to Cass but Cass now has a better life away from the family. You'll want to reach out to Caitlin, shake her up, tell her to just leave Rogerson! "He's no good for you!" The ending will bring tears but you'll feel so much better about Cass and Caitlin's future when you turn the last page. A great read.
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Afghanistan is often in the news these days because it is a country ravaged by war, conflict, and terrorism. What we don’t hear about is the average people who live there and how they survive day to day under very difficult circumstances. Author Khaled Hosseini was born in Afghanistan and moved to the U.S. after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1980. He has written 2 books which take place in Afghanistan. Through these stories he introduces us to ordinary people living in extraordinary times.

The Kite Runner begins in the mid 1970’s when Afghanistan is a beautiful and vibrant land, full of exotic plants and fruit trees. It is told in the first person by Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman. His best friend is Hassan, the son of Amir’s family servant. The two young boys share a happy childhood in the beauty of Kabul, Afghanistan. As they age, differences in their social class cause difficulties in their relationship. When Russia invades Afghanistan in 1980, Amir and his father escape to the USA, where they subsequently live in poverty as immigrants in a strange land. Hassan and his father are forced to stay in Afghanistan and face the extremely cruel conditions which exist in a land torn apart by conflict. Through a series of events, Amir returns to Afghanistan years later as an adult to find the orphaned son of Hassan, and learns many surprising things about his heritage and homeland. The story starts out a little slow, but stick with it - it’s a story of friendship and loyalty that will haunt and inspire you for a long time.


A Thousand Splendid Suns, told in the third person, is the story of Mariam who is born and raised in Afghanistan. In the culture of her country, she is forced to leave her mother’s home to marry a much older man she has never met. By her own determination and will to survive, she makes the best of her situation. Years later when her husband takes on a second wife, she adapts and learns to be a loving mentor and friend. All of this takes place over 30 years with the backdrop of conflict and war raging, and the emergence of a government run by the Taliban, which is very unkind toward women. It is a moving story of determination, friendship, and the will to not only survive, but thrive under impossible circumstances. This book made me think a lot about how different my life would have been had I been born in Afghanistan, and made me truly appreciate the freedom and opportunities we have here in the USA.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski

Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes

It's World War II - 15 year old Dieter lives in Germany and 16 year old Spence lives in Utah in the USA. Both are anxious to defend their own countries in this wide-ranging and complex war being fought across Europe. They both soon learn the reality and ugliness of war, no matter which side of the battle one is on. The story is told in the third person and clearly explains both boys' points of view, which makes it easy for the reader to understand why each young man feels compelled to be a solider in this war. As an American exposed to the American point of view on World War II all of my life, I found it interesting to read how a young German looked at the situation. I'm not a big fan of war stories, but this is more than just a war story. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski

Library of Congress - Rare Digitized Book Collection

How would you like to go back in time to see the books people read many, many years before you were born? Have you ever explored books in a used book store and were surprised at how different they are from the books you buy new today? If you click on this link to the Library of Congress Rare Digitized Children's Book Collection, you can actually see books that are over 100 years old! When you click on the cover of the book, you will be taken to the page turner where you can "turn the page" to read the entire book. You'll also be able to zoom in on the page to view the words and illustrations up close. Imagine being your great-grandparents and holding these very books to read! How different reading a book would have been from the books you now read. There are many types of books in this digital, rare book collection. Some are A-B-C books, Aesop's fables, animal books, poetry, nursery rhymes, fables, and Mother Goose. There is even the original book of the The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe with illustrations by Gustave Doré. Be sure to zoom right in on its cover to see the worn corners and the texture of the cloth that was used to make this century old book - it's very interesting! Explore the digital version of The Raven to enjoy the illustrations that eerily depict Poe's famous poem. French students can actually read the French version entitled Le Corbeau published in Paris.
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm