2061 Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke

2061 Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke picks up where 2001 A Space Odyssey and 2010 Odyssey Two left off. Arthur C. Clarke continues to explore humanity’s desire to explore and understand the universe around them. The story is divided between two different spaceships. One of the spaceships is called Universe, which attempts to land and explore Halley’s Comet as it crosses through our solar system. The other spaceship, called Galaxy, crash lands on Europa, which revolves around Lucifer, a sun that once used to be the planet Jupiter (the transition of Jupiter to a second sun is the plot for 2010 Odyssey Two). Humankind has been warned by an alien race not to land on Europa. In order to help the crashed ship Galaxy, Universe is dispatched to help. What will happen to the crew of the Galaxy crash landing on an unfriendly and unexplored planet and will spaceship Universe arrive in time to save the crew of the Galaxy? These questions are second to how we, as humans, have a desire to learn and survive despite obstacles that are beyond our control.

Although this is the third novel in the series, the novel is a standalone story. It would help to have read 2001 and 2010 prior to this to understand the references to the alien race, which takes the shape of a Black Monolith and other references to characters. Like many of Arthur C. Clarke’s books, the events are created to provide a backdrop to discuss the important sociological and ethical issues that individuals and mankind as a whole must deal with in order to progress as a society. Clarke includes an accurate account of science in astrophysics and biology. Despite this novel being written in 1987, the science holds up today and is not so much science fiction as science fact now. Overall, a solid read for science fiction.

Reviewed by Mr. Jourden

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Now that I've finished reading Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, I have accomplished my goal. I set a personal goal to read the three books that won Ms. Anderson the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award for her lasting contribution to teen writing. The other winning titles were Catalyst and Speak. Fever 1793 is the only one that is a historical fiction.

Set in Philadelphia in 1793, it chronicles the yellow fever epidemic through the eyes of 10 year old Mattie. At the time, Philadelphia was our largest city, a port city, and our nation's capital. Doctors did not know how best to eradicate the deadly sickness, people lived in fear and those who could, fled the city to less populated areas. As I read I was making personal connections to the H1N1 swine flu that is afflicting people now. I learned that this flu pandemic is no where near the seriousness of yellow fever. We also have medical advances and means to quickly educate people that help to control the spread of H1N1.

If you're a fan of history, and if you've never known about the yellow fever epidemic you may enjoy this book. If you're like me and history is not your favorite subject, you'll appreciate how easy it is to learn a bit of U.S. history through the eyes of a young child gravely affected by the yellow fever. Give it a try!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I couldn't resist blogging about a story that takes place in a graveyard on this Halloween day. A stalking killer, a murdered family, ghosts, darkness, a full moon, ghouls, and gravestones all await you if you choose to open to the first page of Nail Gaiman's Newbery Medal winning The Graveyard Book tonight.

Each of these alone would make for a chilling tale but there's another twist here. A toddler has unknowingly escaped the man Jack killer in his home, making his way to an old graveyard during the night. Did you know the ghostly souls buried in a graveyard have 'lives' among the dead? Yes, in fact, the toddler, now the only survivor of his family's murder is taken under the wing of one such ghostly couple long buried in the graveyard. The couple give the toddler a name, Nobody (Bod for short), and tend to his needs as he grows up. Of course, Bod has other friends who visit the graveyard - people who are alive. Bod actually lives in both worlds - of the living and the dead. You can see this novel is of a very different sort than what you may be used to reading. Yet, the man Jack killer is still out there searching for the toddler who escaped his razor-sharp knife that fateful night.

Give it a try. Even on this Halloween. Better yet, listen to the author, Neil Gaiman, read it to you. He has a deep, haunting voice. He's waiting for you - HERE!!!

Kudos to Dave McKean, the illustrator of The Graveyard Book. Can you see the child's face in the gravestone on the cover? How clever of him!
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Funny, this is a funny story. It's also very easy to read because it's so funny and personalized, much like a diary.

Poignant, this is also a poignant story. You will feel so connected to the personal struggles of Junior that you'll want to reach out and be his friend. It's rich with feelings.

Here's the story. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is exactly that. Junior, as he is known on the Indian reservation (the rez), is Native American but he is also attending a white high school off of the rez. For that reason he feels that he is just a part-time Indian. This is written as though Junior were speaking to us, like he would write in a diary. It's also complete with his drawings - he loves to draw cartoons!

Imagine being the only Indian at the high school in the reservation's nearby town. Yes, the rez has its own high school but Junior wanted out. He wanted more opportunities. He knew white people have more success in their lives than the struggles he witnessed all around him on the rez. So he left. He alone made the decision to attend Reardan High School.

He was ostracized by his rez friends as well as the white students at Reardan. But he was committed to improving his life through education. He saw that alcoholism was ruining too many families and lives of the Indians on his Spokane Indian reservation.

This is definely a guy book. The humor will be most appreciated by guys. Take time to read the word bubbles with the cartoon illustrations as well. This book's illustrator, Ellen Forney, has done a great job enhancing the character of Junior through the illustrations. We learn much about him by taking a closer look.

Mr. Alexie won The National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2007 for this book. You can read more about him from this National Book Foundation Web page. You'll learn, like I did, that he wrote from his own experiences - Junior may actually be Sherman Alexie.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

This “new” book looks like it came from my mother’s 50 year old library in her 100 year old Victorian house. It’s not a pretty book by today’s standards; it looks old, faded and brown. When I start leafing through the pages, I see wonderful drawings on every page but there is not any text. The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a graphic novel and tells the story of a man immigrating to a new world and what he experiences in a strange new land while missing his family that he left behind.

I found that I had to be in a silent room and concentrate on each drawing so that I didn’t miss any details of the story. Once I started reading the book by “looking” at the drawings, it was very easy to understand and I especially liked the little animals in the story. I enjoyed my first experience reading this ‘graphic novel’ and I plan to read more.

Reviewed by Mrs. Finney

The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst

I picked this mystery book to read solely on the front cover. The photograph was of a dog lying next to a lady who looked like she was sleeping. Being an animal lover and an avid reader of mystery books, I couldn't resist taking it home to read. I soon found out that the lady wasn't sleeping, she was dead and the dog was the only witness to her death.

The husband is devastated by his wife's death and can't carry on with his own life until he solves the mystery. Was it murder or suicide? He is determined to find out how his wife died and why. He wants to teach his dog how to talk and tries numerous ways to make this happen. He spends time analyzing his courtship, marriage and life with his wife, which has always included her loving dog.

Whenever an animal is one of the main characters in a book, I find that the book is written for animal lovers and that the emotions you feel for people, can also be felt for animals. I felt an overwhelming realm of emotions reading this book and I recommend it to anyone who has ever had a dog and/or loved someone with all of your heart.

Reviewed by Mrs. Finney

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Don't get too comfortable thinking that Katniss and Peeta will have life easy now that the Hunger Games are over. No, no, no. Not when the author is Suzanne Collins. In The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire, Ms. Collins takes her readers on another emotional roller coaster. Afterall, this year is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Hunger Games so these games will be a Quarter Quell - a unique, never-before played version of the game. Those in the Capitol who plan the Quarter Quell have a surprise in mind. Remember, Katniss and Peeta defied the Capitol establishment; they are not happy about that.

If you're like me and have been taken in by these stories, you'll want to borrow Catching Fire from your library soon - but read The Hunger Games first. The citizens of Panem are in an uproar but will they be able to stop the madness of the Hunger Games? How can these disparate regions join together in a revolution? Will they be able to? Some of those questions are answered in Catching Fire but much more is uncertain and lives are at stake.

I've tried to learn when the sequel will be published but since Catching Fire was just released, it may be awhile before we can read about Katniss and Peeta again. You may want to keep an eye on Suzanne Collins' website for updates.

See you at the library!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm