It is Great to Choose

Hello tiny computer friends. It has been over a week since I last wrote...truth be told, I have been avoiding you. It's 1984--we haven't been exactly connecting, you see.  The real deal is that I'm pregnant and tired and the book was making me depressed so we parted ways. It was amicable, don't worry.  I refuse to say that I disliked the book, since I would undoubtedly have learned many things through reading it. I have a deep respect for it, and will try again another time. Maybe.

That being said, while procrastinating about 1984, I read a couple of powerful books by two of my favorite young adult authors. I would like to consider myself somewhat of an expert in the area of YA lit, I read a lot of these books since one of my greatest passions in life is promoting literacy, particularly among teens (who mostly hate to read and aren't afraid to tell you). I aspire to write books aimed at teens, maybe I will share something with you in the future and you can tell me what you think. Anyway, there are some amazing stories out there.  Here's the skinny on two of them, both by local NW authors, which makes me love them even more:

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, by Deb Caletti. I love Caletti. She has a gift for writing teenage girls who fly just under the radar. This book was a National Book Award Finalist--which it totally deserved. It is the story of Ruby McQueen, a smart and quiet girl living in Nine Mile Falls who is going through a crisis in her understanding of love. She lives with her independent, confident librarian mother who turns into a lipstick-crazy, short-skirt-wearing monster whenever Ruby's father decides to come visit, which is like every couple of years. Ultimately, Ruby and her mom will save each other. Heartbreaking story of hope.

The Sledding Hill, by Chris Crutcher. Crutcher has had all of his books banned in schools at some point.  Now, you have to know that this is a hot-button issue for me. I strongly oppose censorship and believe that young people will be stronger if they approach tough issues on their own, think critically, and come to a decision for themselves. Often they will come to the wrong decision, but then, so will I and I still wouldn't want anyone else to make my decisions for me. This book is about censorship in schools. It is about a small community's attempt to rid their school of indecent literature, fueled by a Chris Crutcher book. It is fascinating, you should really read it.  

I will keep you posted on my literary adventures. I was recently given Blindness, by Jose Saramago by a friend of mine. I think I will read that next. It won the Nobel Prize for Literature, for crying out loud. Quit acting like it's a cop-out.

Big Brother is Watching You

Well...let's just say I've only read like 10 pages of 1984. I did read half of The Other Boleyn Girl and a trashy romance novel called Something Borrowed, however. The Boleyn thing would just not ever end! I couldn't make it through. The other book was ok, not a super well-developed plot, but it was entertaining. So here I am, confessing to you because I have been slacking off. Actually, I have had the book in the bathroom, and haven't moved it out, so that is where I have been doing my reading of Orwell's thought-provoking work. And anyone who has a two-year-old knows that you never get to spend as much time as you would like in the bathroom. (too much information? no, I don't think so.)

So far (after 10 whole pages) I am bored with it. I don't generally do well with sci-fi or futuristic stuff. I know that I need to commit some time to it, though. Don't worry, I haven't given up yet. I'll get to it here soon.

On another interesting note, James is going to be a big brother. He keeps lifting up his own shirt, pointing to his emaciated-African-child-sized belly and saying "Baby, pleeeeeeease!" I swear I did not teach him this, so it is a bit frightening.