From: Binawill at aol.com <Binawill>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 08:37:01 EST

Thankyou, Monica, for mentioning Ben Franklin's Almanac by Candace Fleming. I love this book because it is so inviting, especially for people (like me) who tend to steer away from non-fiction books. The format is perfect and the content is fascinating to read.

My favorites include many mentioned here already.... For picture books: Tree of Life by Peter Sis proves why Peter so deserved the MacArthur genius award! His style of illustration perfectly matches the exciting world of Darwin. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is a big favorite and I agreet that it takes small children "reading" it to really make us appreciate it. Blues Journey by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers is stunning-- I love Christopher's illustrations which capture the mood of his father's tribute to the blues. Creation by Gerald McDermott is quite stunning too. THe Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Modecai Gerstein dazzled me--it is a nice tribute to the World Trade Center, but without being mawkish. Rather, the book celebrates the creative and daring response to the towers by a brave
(if slightly crazy) tightrope walker. Ross MacDonald's Achoo! Bang! Crash! is one to enjoy as well....MacDonald's fresh art style is wonderful!

Novels-- The City of Ember by Jeanne DePau and Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins are both first novels set in worlds underground. Both really knocked my socks off when I read them...The eerie world of Ember and the impelling conviction that there is another world out there makes a strong plot with great characters. Gregor's fall into the world of giant cockroaches, bats, spiders and rats could have been repulsive, but Collins succeeds at creating a marvel of a place with grand adventure aplenty.
 Can't wait to see what these promising authors will do next! Birdland by Tracy Mack is another favorite--a coming of age and coming to terms with tragedy novel about a likeable boy trying to figure out his altered life. Charlie Parker's music hums out of the pages! The soup sisters: Granny Torelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech has such warmth and love in it. The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo makes a hero out of humble mouse and the illustrations are perfect! Now I want to eat some good soup even though it is breakfast time as I write this.

I have just started A great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray and it is, again, another impressive first novel geared for a YA audience! What fun it is to see so many wonderful books coming out this year! I am sure I have forgotten several dear books that I liked, so I will send them along if I think of them! Bina Williams Bridgeport (CT) Public Library
Received on Thu 04 Dec 2003 07:37:01 AM CST