A Nearly Normal Family by M. T. Edvardsson The Sandells are a perfectly normal family leading a perfectly normal life. They play Monopoly, go on hikes, listen to podcasts. Their reality is normal, yet sometimes mundane everyday reality. Until one day they get a phone call from a lawyer saying their daughter Stella has been … Continue reading A Nearly Normal Family

I’m always in search of novels with strong, independent female protagonists to put on the shelf of my little classroom library. “The Lady Rogue” written by Jenn Bennett presents us with Theodora or “Theo”, a seventeen year old young lady with a penchant for crossword puzzles, cipher codes, and the occult. When Theo’s “adventurer” father … Continue reading Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

  This is an important book. This is a disturbing book. This is a book where the voices of women can no longer be silenced by tradition and fear. Horrifyingly based on a true story, Miriam Toews tells a story of a group of Mennonite women, members of a traditional colony in Bolivia who are … Continue reading Novel: “Women Talking” by Miriam Toews

My book club list of titles for 2017-2018 I thought I'd post the list of books my book club read this year. Our book club has been in existence for over 15 years. Even though over time some members have sadly moved away We've always been able to collect a few wonderful additions to our … Continue reading Book Club Lists!!!

I never used to read Science Fiction. To recommend books to my students who are Sci-Fi readers, I decided to expand my repertoire of genres. Not knowing where to start, I went to the source, and I asked my students for suggestions. The first title proffered? Unwind by Neal Schusterman. Much to my surprise, I … Continue reading Go Ask the Kids

  See What I have Done Sarah Schmidt Why are we so intrigued by parricide? Maybe it is because we cannot imagine a more profound love that exists between a parent and a child. There seems to be a resurgence of interest in one such relationship, that between Lizzie Borden and her father. With the … Continue reading Novel: See What I Have Done

The magic of a private library is something every child should experience. I had such a library when I was growing up. It was two book-lined shelves above the freezer deep in our basement. I was a farm kid born and raised near a small Northern Alberta town that for the longest time had no … Continue reading The Power of a Private Library

“There arose a perfume of tenderness, that ghost of passion which, in the most unexpected relationship, can make a whole lifetime devoted to irksome duty pass like a gracious dream” (pg. 74) The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. I have fallen in love with Thorton Wilder because of this quote. How wonderful … Continue reading Love: A Gracious Dream

Let's face it, those of us who are certified book nerds carry our obsession beyond the written word.  Thankfully when circumstances are such that I can't sit and read I can indulge my craving for "all things bookish" by plugging in and listening to some pretty amazing podcasts. Here are some of my favouites (all … Continue reading Podcasts about Books and Reading

Fantasy isn't usually my "go to" genre but I've been trying to expand my repertoire so that I can reccomend a variety of titles to students. Various book podcasts expounded upon the wonder of this novel. Needless to say I was expecting great things the moment my eyes settled on the first sentence...but I was … Continue reading A Quick Review of Zen Cho’s “Sorcerer to the Crown”