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This will be our last USU Extension Class until the Fall.

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The Fixer

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Tess loves living in Montana on her grandfather's ranch! For the last year, she has been trying to hide her grandfather's deteriorating health while taking care of him and trying to keep up with school. Unfortunately, her teachers have noticed her lack of participation and her declining school work. Suddenly, her older sister shows up and takes charge of the situation by putting her grandfather in a home and forcing Tess to move to Washington DC with her. 

Tess is not happy with her sister's intrusion into her and her grandfather's life and even less happy about the new preppy school her sister has enrolled her in. Tess is not even sure what her sister does for a living but she soon finds herself embroiled in her sister's life and the intrigue and mystery of a political DC.

This was a great read! The characters are very compelling and the plot keeps you going throughout the whole book with tons of twists and turns. It is a clean book and surprisingly, there is no romance.

Booked

Booked by Kwame Alexander

Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer, but is forced to learn the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.  Nick gets help from his best friend Coby, and the Mac, a rapping librarian.  This is a novel in verse with thrills, setbacks, action and emotion.

At soccer Nick is a star, at school Nick is a good student and he has a crush on a girl, but doesn't have the confidence to approach her.  At home Nick's dad is an overbearing wordsmith that makes him learn new words from the dictionary every night. Nick has a close relationship with his mom and is very upset that his parents have decided to separate and his mom has accepted a job in another city.

Every word moves with energy in this book about relationships, middle school, soccer, bullies, and divorce.  It tackles real life issues and problem solving in a charming and fun way.  I was skeptical about reading a story written in verse, but I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading another book by this author.

You can find Booked in the intermediate section of the library or we have the audio book you can listen to.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane follows the life of Li-yan, a member of the Akha hill tribe whose way of life is still tied to the land. Growing up picking tea leaves each season with her family and living without electricity or running water in a hut made on bamboo stilts, Li-yan’s life is a far cry from the modern world of the late 1980’s. Set to follow in her mother’s path as a midwife, Li-yan struggles to accept her path and works hard in school hoping to be the first in her village to qualify for upper level schooling that would open up other possibilities. Fate however intervenes through two different men destined to change her life, one through love, the other through the business of tea, helping her village join the modern world. Years later, across the globe, a young Chinese girl adopted by Americans wonders at her roots and the special tea cake that was wrapped in her blankets when she was left at the orphanage. Who was her mother and what is the significance of this tea cake?

I enjoyed this book, learning about an ancient culture I had never heard of. It's amazing to think that such a primitive culture existed in modern times. The story kept me interested throughout, although I was very disappointed at the abruptness of the ending. I wanted more and felt cheated that after being so invested in these people for a time span of approximately 30 years the story ended.....just like that.

Toys Go Out

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

Lumphy is a stuffed buffalo.  StingRay is a stuffed stingray.  And Plastic, well Plastic isn't quite sure what she is.  They all belong to the Little Girl who lives on the high bed with the fluffy pillows.

The three toys are best friends, and are happy doing things together.  They explore the basement, look up things in the dictionary, and argue about life, and the washing machine.

This would be a good book to read to children, especially children that feel a connection with their toys.  My favorite character is a wise towel named TukTuk that hangs in the bathroom and seems to know the answer to all questions, and Frank, the washing machine, was also memorable.

The toys have a variety of adventures, mishaps and learning experiences that involve making choices.  Together they face dogs, school, television commercials, the vastness of the sea and the terrifying bigness of the washing machine.  I thought I was going to like this book more than I did, but I can see why children would enjoy it.

You can find Toys Go Out in the intermediate section of the library.

The Vicar's Daughter

The Vicar's Daughter by Josi S. Kilpack

Cassie Wilton, the youngest of six daughters, is 20 years old.  She is bright, beautiful and ready to make her debut into society.  The only problem is she has to wait until her older sister, Lenora, marries before she can come out into society.  Lenora is shy and suffers from anxiety so the chances of her getting married are slim.

Cassie comes up with a great way to help her sister, with ulterior motives to better her own situation. The plan backfires and ends up causing pain and heartache for herself and those closest to her.  What's great about this book is how Cassie grows and becomes a better person from her mistakes.

This is a story about missteps, good intentions, making amends, and learning from mistakes.  It is a fast book to read, and another good story from Josi Kilpack.

You can find The Vicar's Daughter in the adult fiction section of the library.

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