From: heather mcneil <heatherm>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 14:34:55 -0700

I just finished reading "Magyk" by Angie Sage, the first in what will be another series of fantasy and quest. I really enjoyed the original and quirky characters, such as the Marsh Boa, the Dragon Boat, and the Boggart. It's a fun adventure, with plenty of twists and turns, but also some plot elements that have been done before. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone who is looking for "more like Harry Potter."

I also just finished listening to "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi, beautifully read by Lisette Lecat. Although this is not a children's book, it is a title I think all of us should know. This is the autobiographical account of a female professor of literature in Iraq, and how she has struggled over the past 25 years to open the minds of her students to other ways of thinking. I was left with such a huge appreciation for the fact that all of us can share what we read, debate what we read, love or hate what we read, without worrying about serious repercussions. This listserv alone is just one of many examples of this freedom, a freedom that all too many take for granted. (We just had a school board election in our community in which 77% of the population remained apathetic and did not vote, so I'm just a little bit irritated right now.)

Now I am about to begin "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" because somebody on this listserv recommended it. And that's how we keep the stories alive.


Heather McNeil Youth Services Coordinator/Bend Library Co-Manager Deschutes Public Library 601 N. W. Wall St. Bend, OR 97701 541a7p99 heatherm at dpls.lib.or.us
Received on Fri 20 May 2005 04:34:55 PM CDT