Roawr! by Barbara Joosse

Illustrated by Jan Jutte

A new boy’s book of rambunctious creativity and amusement, Roawr! tells the story of Liam as he finds ways, despite his youth, to protect his homestead from a hungry, angry Bear!  Winsome writing by Barbara Joosse and playful illustrations by Jan Jutte work together to produce a  story that pleasingly lingers in the reader’s mind.  Boys will enjoy a tale reminiscent of the imagination and little-boy-bravery of Mercer Mayer’s The Bravest Knight.

Ok, it’s Emily again with some more GREAT Young Adult picks.

If I Stay is not just one of best YA novels, but one of the best novels PERIOD that I have read in a long while.  This is Gayle Foreman’s first YA novel and it just blew me away with its creative style and sophisticated simplicity. Told in increments marked only by specific moments in time, the main character must decide if staying alive, fighting to survive massive damage from a car wreck, is the right thing to do or if she should let her body die.  Flashbacks give the reader insight into this gifted girl’s past.  If you buy one YA book this spring, this should be it. I can’t do it justice. AMAZING!

If you need more than one book a season, as I so often do, then the Evernight series would be a good one to begin. Evernight is another vampire book, so all you Twilight fans pay attention!!:) Evernight by Claudia Gray is the story of a human whose parents have recently taken teaching jobs at a remote private academy.  However, it becomes apparent that most of the students are vampires, the teachers are vampires, and the reader soon finds out that the main character’s parents are vampires! So how does a human, a living and breathing human, end up with hundred year old vampires as parents? Evernight will leave you craving the next book in the series, Stargazer, soon to be released this spring.

And last but certainly not least is Wings by Aprilynne Pike.  Laurel was adopted when she was three and always knew she was different.  She could only eat fruits and veggies, shampoos only made her hair dirty, and she felt claustrophobic if she wore close fitting clothes.  Nothing, however, could prepare her for the flower bloom that appeared on her back or for the knowledge that she is a fairy.  Hopefully, the beginning of a marvelous series, Wings is an inventive YA novel.  It is so unassuming that you forget such things don’t exist…or do they?

Well, there you have it.  Great novels=great fun. Nothing on TV is this good so come to Lemuria TODAY and check out what we have!

Your friendly neighborhood Lemurian,  Emily

Hi, Emily again. I love Young Adult novels, especially the higher level young adult literature written for girls.  Recently, I have been on a spree of sorts reading every young adult (YA) book I can get my hands on.  Some have been good while other have been, well, less than good, but I thought I would let y’all know my absolute favorites:

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks by E. Lockhart

This book was short listed for the YA National Book Award and definitely should have won, in my opinion.  The main character Frankie begins attending a New York prep school and quickly realizes that the only way to get ahead in the school is to be a guy.  Only guys can be members of the only secret society on campus, the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds.  Not to be outdone because of her gender, Frankie works to become a part of the “inner sanctum.” However, every action has a consequence and Frankie must decide if what she wants is worth the price.  A fantastic read that and probably one of my favorite books.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

This novel gives a glimpse into a future when disease have evolved to a point that our antibiotics no longer work. Jenna Fox must discover for herself what human life is worth.  Should technology be used just because it is available? Or are there some procedures that should remain illegal? Decide for yourself in this thought provoking novel that keeps you yearning to know–what happened to Jenna Fox?

The Luxe Series by Anna Godbersen

Who doesn’t love the frills and drams that accompanies New York high society in 1899?  This series has been compared top a clean version of what Gossip Girl would be if it was set at the turn of the twentieth century.  Luxe and Rumors have already been released with Envy, the third installment, coming out on February first.  The characters are believable, the setting is gorgeous, and the writing is well researched and will leave you wanting more.

Three Willows by Ann Brashares

This is my latest YA read and I loved it.  I have always been a fan of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, both in book form and movie form, and with this new venture, Brashares finds an inventive way to further the folklore surrounding the Pants and the Sisterhood. Meet Ama, Joe, and Polly as they learn that growing up doesn’t have to mean growing apart.  Brashares once again delivers a heartwarming story of friendship and struggle.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

So everyone has heard of Stephanie Meyer’s hit series Twilight–but have you heard of her novel The Host? Released last May, the novel is technically considered an adult novel,m but it is only “adult” in that it has a more sophistocated language, not that it has profanity or risque scenes.  It is set in a future when peaceful aliens have taken over the Earth.  Interestly, the story is told from the persepective of one of these aliens. The novel constantly poses the question: what defines a human? Is it their phyisological makup, or their actions? An intense read that surprised and thrilled me.

Last night’s event with Laura Numeroff was truly great – now we know what happens If you Give a Cat a Cupcake. Here are some fun pictures:

Harper and Dalton enjoyed meeting Steven Kirkpatrick during his signing on Saturday for his new book Among the Animals:Mississippi. The pictures in here are amazing. The kids will love looking at these images again and again. There is so much to talk while exploring each page. The animals and wildlife are so colorful and each page encourages discussion about places around Mississippi and in our backyard. Another nature book Birding for Children is also in heavy rotation at our house. This book by Art Minton with beautiful illustrations by Patrick Grogan is specifically for children and has really gotten our whole family interested in looking for birds around our house. It is wonderful that these two books are not only lovely, well done resources for natural life but also that they were created by our talented neighbors here in Jackson.