A Tugging String

A Tugging String by David T. Greenberg

This book is aptly named because of the emotional strings that pulled 12 year-old Duvy's heart while witnessing the Civil Right's Movement in Alabama during the turbulent year of 1965. Blending facts, speeches and memories, Duvy relates his childhood experiences and the role his civil rights-lawyer father played surrounding the Selma-Montgomery Voting Rights March led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The book blends fiction with true-to-life experiences and includes useful footnotes for further information about the 3,200 people who marched the 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery Alabama in protest of the illegal practices prohibiting blacks to register to vote.

You may have noticed, this is also the book our "Great Reads for Girls" for January are going to be reading and discussing. 

What is your favorite book....?

We would love to hear what your current favorite book is! Just go to the comment section of this post and let us know.  Whether it is a Young Adult, Fiction, or Intermediate, we would love to hear from you. :) 

Ella Minnow Pea

 

 

Ella Minnow Pea is a creative, imaginative and witty story about a small community located on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The townspeople's lives revolve around one of its most famous citizens, Nevin Nollop, who penned the immortal pangram, "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog". The saying is carved into a statue in the town square for all to see until one day, a child finds the letter "z" on the ground. Chaos ensues after the town council decides this is a sign from the Nevin above and quickly denounces the less-than-frequently-used letter "z" from all writing and speech. The townspeople support the council's decision out of love for Nevin but when another letter falls from the statue, questions about its usage arise and chaos ensues. How will they all survivie? And communicate? Written with clever alliteration and letter choice, Ella Minnow Pea is a story of one girl's fight for the right of expression and the difference one person can make.  

January Great Reads for Girls

There will be no Great Reads for Girls in the month of December, but there will be one in January. The book they will be reading and discussing is "A Tugging String" by David T. Greenberg. It will be held on January 9th at 7:00pm and they will be making decorative soaps.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

This is a Young Adult book that retells the fairy tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon. It is the story of young girl who was never given a name because her mother was so disappointed that her ninth child was another daughter. Her family is willing to let her go and live with a polar bear for a year in order for the family to gain untold wealth. As this young girl tries to figure out what exactly is going on in her new "home", she discovers treachery and sorrow and tries to solve the riddle of this strange place that she must live in for the next year.

The Girls of Atomic City

The Girls of Atomic City; The Untold Story Of The Women Who helped Win World War II

This is a fascinating story of how a secret but massive military institution was built and the many women and civilians from around the country that were recruited and sworn to secrecy during the operation of the facility.  This story takes an in depth look at some of the women who were involved from the very beginning and how it changed their lives. Recruits were not told what they were working on, only that the work they were doing had the possibility of bringing the war to speedy end.

This is a different side of the story of an interesting part of our countries history that I enjoyed reading about. Sometimes, I felt that it was a little drawn out, but overall I think Denise Kiernan did a great job telling this story.

Ruby Red

Ruby Red     by Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Sheppard was born into an eccentric family full of century old secrets and bursting with strange talents. Gwyneth can see ghosts, her Aunt Maddy has visions and her beautiful sophisticated cousin, Charlotte, has been studying and preparing for the time when she can travel back in time to solve the mysteries that surround her family. Unfortunately for Gwen, there was a mistake made and she is the one with the gene that will allow her to travel back in time. Without preparation and with quite a bit of animosity from those in this secret circle, Gwen is thrown into a new world with plenty of excitement and intrigue.

This is the first book in a trilogy written by Kerstin Gier. I am a little slow in finding this trilogy so all three books are out, but you may find you have to place them on hold if you want to check them out through the library. Even though I am not a big fan of time travel, I really enjoyed this book. The characters are believable and entertaining. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy, Sapphire Blue.