Irish Archaeology

I love this topic.  I've recently read two fiction books involving archaeology in Ireland.

The Crossing Places by Elly Giffith

I really like the main character is this book, Ruth Galloway.  She's a bit overweight with unruly hair and a realistic sense of herself.  I'm tired of reading books about pretty people and especially pretty people who don't think they're pretty.  So I was pleased she wasn't a beauty.  She is taken from her job at the university to determine whether a body found in the marshes near her home is ancient or possibly the remains of a girl who disappeared years ago.

Ruth is drawn into the mystery of the missing girl with Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson.  They make a good team.  The mystery allows us to learn about Ruth's past as a college student and professor.  I enjoyed the book.  The characters make some decision I wasn't happy with and the ending has a surprise that will take the series in a very different direction than I pictured.  Despite this, I would recommended it and those interested in Ireland or archaeology should enjoy the Ruth Galloway Series.


Haunted Ground by Erin Hart
American Nora Gavin is taking a break from her professorship.  She is lecturing in Ireland on ways to preserve ancient evidence especially that found in the bogs.  When a head is found in a local bog, she joins the team led by Irish archaeologist Cormac Macguire to study the head.  A nearby resident, Hugh Osborne, comes to the scene wondering if the body found belongs to his wife who disappeared with their child two years ago.

As the head is studied, Osborne hires Macguire to perform an archaeological survey on his property so he can build on the land.  Macquire asked Gavin to help him.  Gavin wants to discover what happened to Osborne's wife.  She is haunted by the head who looked very similar to her sister who was murdered; and Gavin believes her sister's husband was the one who killed her.  She goes back in forth in her suspicions of Osborne in the disappearance of his wife and child.

I found it a bit hard to like the Osborne family and care about what happened to Hugh Osborne's wife, but the story was interesting.  It served as a good plot to get Macguire and Gavin together so that we can enjoy more archaeological forensic mysteries investigated by this duo.

Back At It

I'm coming back to my  blog.  I has stopped because I was using GoodReads and posting my comments and ratings on my GoodReads page.  However, now that Amazon has purchased GoodReads, I'm not going to participate.  So, I'm going to start posting reviews on my blog again.

The End of the Story

No Other Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup

This was a satisfying ending the the "Whole Nother Story" trilogy.  It contains the same wackiness wrapped in a witty, well-written world.  While this was probably my least favorite of the three books, it was really funny like the others and it contains great vocabulary and serves as a good model of writing well. 

I have only seen poor or luke-warm reviews for this book, but don't be misled.  If you liked the first book, you'll love the ending of the story.  If your kiddos like goofy yet very clever humor then this is a great trilogy to read.

Accidents Can Hurt and Hurt Can Heal

Because of Mr. Terupt by Ron Buyea

This was a good book about bullying and treating your classmates nicely, but not preachy at all.  The story is told in the voices of 7 kids in Mr. Terupt's class.  The kids are united because of an accident.

I wouldn't let my elementary kids read this book because I think there is some rather mature material covered in the lives of the students.  One child's mother got pregnant when she was 16 and was kicked out of her family.  Another student's parents don't want her to play with this girl because her mom had her when she was 16 and unwed.  I don't want my kids trying to puzzle all of that out, but for other kids that may be their reality, so it wouldn't be new to them.  This would be an outstanding book for teens who cannot read well.  (I come across that question often at the bookstore.)

A second book is coming out in a few months, and I will probably read it.   haven't read Wonder by Palacio, yet, but hearing from others who've read both if you liked it, I think you will like this book, too.

The Book is the Real Deal!

     This book wasn't what I was expecting but it was quite good.  I would recommend it to pretty much... everyone.  The story is Budo's, Max's imaginary friend.  Budo is six-years-old which is ancient for an imaginary friend.  Budo helps Max, who seems to have autism though his parents are really sure what's going on with him.  Budo spends a lot of time worrying about the day when Max will forget about him and he will not exist anymore.  Max ends up in trouble and Budo needs to find a way to help him, but what if helping Max will mean the end to Budo?  I enjoyed the idea of a story from the viewpoint of an imaginary friend.  (Arna you will always be in my heart.)  And I enjoyed the autism angle in the story as well.  Even though the mystery may seems pulled from a TV crime show (perhaps on purpose) I cared enough about the characters and wondered how in the world things would work out that I was very anxious to keep reading the book and to finish it.  I liked this book.  I'm very glad the author wrote it.
     One small qualm I have with the book happens when the story talks about teachers who really teach (the good ones) and teachers who just play school (the bad ones).  The comment is made that teachers who use charts and sticker sheets just pretend to teach school.  As many times as I've seen those types of things work for kids, most on the autism spectrum, I don't think that was an accurate statement to include in the book especially when one of the main characters has autism. 
     But I really loved that The Tale of Despereaux is mentioned.  And I love on page 253, when  Budo talks about how brave he thinks Max is because kids make fun of him, people try to change him, everyone tries to make him into a normal boy but no one treats him like a normal boy.  It was really touching for me thinking about my own boy.  Then he sums it up with this (I hope I don't get in trouble for quoting this), "But you have to be the bravest person in the world to go out every day, being yourself when no one likes who you are."  I can relate to that.  And I wish I was braver.  And I very much admire my sons.

Don't Like This Book? You're Dead Wrong

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Someone once described this Newbery Award and Hugo Award winning book to me as The Jungle Book (Rudyard Kipling) except instead of a boy raised in a jungle by animals, it's a boy raised in a graveyard by ghosts.  I have to admit that I'm only familiar with the Disney version of The Jungle Book, but I think it is an accuarte description.  That description (despite so many people's glowing reviews) also made me skip over the book since I knew the plot and I'm not much for ghosts. 

With limited choices for audio books for a trip, I grabbed The Graveyard Book.  My husband and son loved it, so I said I would read it.  I'm glad my husband encouraged me to listen to the audio version.  I think listening to Neil Gaiman read the book greatly improved the experience.  The voices, suspense, and the accent to remind me "we're in England" added a lot.

The book is incredible.  Read it, or perhaps even better have Neil Gaiman read it to you.

(My husband's review of the book)

Another Side to World War II

Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata

This is a fantastic book about a young Japanese American girl, Sumiko, who is sent to an interment camp in Arizona during WWII.  The internment camp is located on an Indian Reservation.  Through the fence the young girl and and a Native American boy befriend each other.  They each find a way to stay strong and have hope even as so much is taken away from them.  As bad as Sumiko thinks she has, she learns the Indians do not even have electricity or the right to vote. 

Though this book covers difficult topics, it is handled with hope.  I think these are also topics important for young people to know about.  They need to know how people were mistreated so it can be ended and not repeated.  This is just a really great book for youth and adults alike.