The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman (illustrations by Dave McKean)

Nobody Owens, Bod for short, lives in the graveyard on the same street where his family was murdered when he was a toddler.  Because his family is dead, and the killer, the man Jack, is still looking for him, he is being raised by ghosts.  And a guardian.

Bod has been given the Freedom of the Graveyard and as such can see in darkness as well as a bunch of other neat and handy tricks.  He learns his alphabet and numbers with the help of  gravestones.  He learns history from those who had lived it.  But one thing the graveyard can’t give Bod is the experience of being with the living.

I always find Neil Gaiman’s writing to be wonderful, and Dave McKean’s illustrations add to the enjoyment.  I even like how the text is arranged around the art.  Unfortunately, Bod’s clothing in the book doesn’t match up with the clothing in the drawings of him.  Where is the grey winding sheet?  There.  That is my one gripe.

The Graveyard Book is nominated for the Teens Top Ten list for 2009, because a bunch of teens love it.   Not only that, but it won the Newbery Medal for 2009, as well. That means a lot of library people thought it was the best book written for kids and teens last year.

My question to you… What would you have written on your gravestone?

Jellicoe Road – Melinda Marchetta

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta is the winner of the Michael L. Printz award (excellence in young adult literature)  for 2009.

After Taylor Markham was been abandoned by her drug addicted mother in a parking lot when she was eleven,  she was picked up by a woman, Hannah,  who took her to a boarding school.  Now Taylor is seventeen and is in charge of one of the houses in the boarding school on Jellicoe Road.  Her task is to lead her school in the territory wars with the Townies and the Cadets.

Why did the wars start?  Where is Taylor’s mother?  Who is her father?  And where did Hannah disappear to?  And, for my own part, who is who in the book?

I found this to be an interesting read.  There are mysteries to be solved and this is one of those books where when you get to the end, you just want to go right back to the beginning to pick up on what you missed the first time through.

The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss

The American Library Association gives the Alex Award to ten books published for adults that have special appeal for young adults ages 12 to 18. I unknowingly read this 2008 winner a few months ago and blogged about it on our “For your Consideration @ Duluth” blog.

Meet Kvothe, a seemingly benign tavern owner who says it will take him three days to tell the story of his life properly. The tale rapidly moves from his time being trained in magic on the road with his family’s group of traveling players, to his three rough years living on the streets of Tarbean. Once he drags himself out of despair, he needs both his vast intelligence and his street smarts to quickly move up the ranks in the magical University so he can have full access to the Archives. Kvothe is still a teenager in the University when the book ends, but the author has dropped tantalizing nuggets as to what will come.

There is magic and bullies, music and plays, and danger is coming. The Name of the Wind: Kingkiller chronicle, day 1 by Patrick Rothfuss is a thick book at 661 pages, so if you want to really get into a novel, pick up this one. I am waiting for day 2.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I just heard that the film version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released in two parts.  The first half will be released in November of 2010, and the final half in May 2011.

I wonder where the plot break will be…

Any thoughts?

Author Tamora Pierce – Song of the Lioness ; Daughter of the Lioness

I’d like to say that Tamora Pierce is an awesome writer! All of her books are very good. Alanna the Lioness is very good example. It’s set in a world, not earth. The book is about how Alanna wants to become a knight but of course girls don’t become knights! So she must disguise herself as a boy. It’s so intriguing to see how she deals with things like strength, women hood, and boys that must not find out the truth. There are four books in the series.
Alanna, In the hand of the goddess, The woman who rides like a man, and Lioness rampant

Tamora also wrote the Trickster’s Choice and the Trickster’s Queen. (they’re together) It’s set in the same world as Alanna the Lioness, but the time is set some years after Alanna’s story. This is how Aly wants to become a spy, like her father, and her adventure to become a spy even though it is against her mothers and fathers better judgment.

This post was from Mackenzie.

A Great and Terrible Beauty; Rebel Angels; Sweet Far Thing – Libba Bray

Hey me again! GOSH so many books! Ok one more series. This series is probably my favorite series ever except for the Twilight series but someone already wrote about that. Libba Bray another fantastic author Wrote two books so far and is coming out with her third to complete the trilogy. The first is called A Great and Terrible Beauty, the second is called Rebel Angels and the third, that comes out December 26, 2007, the day after Christmas! Is called The Sweet Far Thing. So the setting is somewhere near London, during the Victorian age with big pretty dresses and Huge hats. It’s about four friends who break the rules at Spence Academy for young ladies. Its very good since it’s nicely written and they’re so many things that happen since Gemma, the main Character, can enter a secret Realm, which the book describe as the passing before death filled with magic. Not to mention Gemma’s relationship with a certain gypsy boy… Well if this books sounds interesting i’d look it up for a way better description.

– This post was from Mackenzie.

Twilight Series – Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s series is being released today. Have you read the series? The first book is Twilight, the second is New Moon. I know some people who just love it and can’t wait to read the third book.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I finished the book and am ready to read what you have to say!!

So, either click on the title of this post, or click on the comments and start writing.

Before you click in, be sure that you have finished the book!

****Spoilers**** ****Spoilers**** ****Spoilers****