From: Rob Reid <reidra>
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 12:47:58 -0600

I finally had time to go on a reading spree this holiday. Enjoyed The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, Zel, and other juvenile and YA fiction (plus Tony Hillerman's latest mystery!!!). The one book that I enjoyed the most of all is Nancy Farmer's A Girl Named Disaster. What a marvelous read. I loved the title, loved the main character (Nhamo), loved the quest, the survival story, the visions, and the stories within the story. It was like reading a John Irving book for YAs. I hope this is a serious contender for the big prize in February. I know it made the best lists for SLJ, Publisher's Weekly, and Horn Book. The only so-so review I saw was from Children of the Center...which called the ending tacked-on and the storyline labored. It was anything but! Marvelous job, Nancy Farmer! I hope this title will be considered for a CCBC discussion sometime. I just got my hands on Konigsburg's View from Saturday and Fleischman's Abracadra Kid. I'm anxious to dive into both of them.

Rob Reid Eau Claire Public Library & University of Wisconsin?u Claire
Received on Wed 08 Jan 1997 12:47:58 PM CST