Plain Truth by Jodi Piccault

Why I picked up the book: I love reading books by Jodi Piccault. I chose this particular one because it was set in Lancaster county and revolved around an Amish woman

Why I finished the book: First, there is the wonderful way that Piccault makes her characters come to life. You have to finish to "see" the end of their emotional story. I also find stories set in a different culture particularly interesting.

Who I would reccommend this book to: anyone who likes stories about the emotional lives of the characters, and anyone who likes to read about other cultures.

Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs

Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs 

by Ron Koertge

Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2010 

Genre/Format: Poetry 

This is a Woodlynde Library book

1. Why I picked up this book.
This book came in with a shipment of other poetry books from one of my subscription services. Baseball, Shakespeare, and poetry in one book all targeted at Middle School, I was intrigued.

2. Why I finished this book.
I finished this book because I couldn't put it down, the authenticity of the voice, and of the "author's experiences kept this fresh and me moving the whole way through. The variety of the poems and how they were introduced and explained were also engaging.

3. Who I would give this book to, and why.
I would give this book to any middle school student or older who likes poetry, anyone how thinks that reading and/or learning about poetry is boring, and lastly to baseball lovers! I also think that this book would be a great take off book for teaching a unit on either journaling, or writing poetry.

Reviewer: Gretchen Schroeder Date: May 2, 2010

Incarceron

 Incarceron  

by Catherine Fisher  

 

Publisher: Dial Books 2010 

Genre/Format: Science Fiction

This is a Woodlynde Library book

1. Why I picked up this book.
This book came into the Library with one of my regular orders, and the initial review I had read were positive

2. Why I finished this book.
Fascinating premise, if not untried before, perfect society by removing and isolating the bad element, but...with a twist! In this story both sides of the split society are in effect imprisoned. The "good" society has imposed on itself "The Protocols" an enforced stripping away of technology and return to the lifestyle of an earlier (approximately Elizabethan)age. The criminal element supposedly separated out to live in Incarceron, a computer run utopia, where justice is pure and society can reform itself.

Expectedly things don't go as expected. But the struggle of the two protagonist, a strong an inquisitive girl from outside, and a boy from inside Incarceron, who is convinced he doesn't belong there. Their struggles reveal the flaws in all aspects of the idea, and their experiences, we can only hope will free them and their mutual societies.

3. Who I would give this book to, and why.
I would give this book to anyone who loves science fiction with historical/social twists. History and anthropology buffs who want to see our past attempts to "cleanse society" reflected with a twist; and anyone with a love for stories that have action and adventure and thoughtful premises.
Reviewer: Gretchen Schroeder Date: May 2, 2010