January Books

[dirtylibrarian]

The Tomb
Christina Weir
Adult Graphic Novel
Adventure. Egyptian relics. Curses. Archaeologists. Haunted mansions.
Very Indiana Jones, but with a female lead.

SECRET

Kare First Love: Volume 1
Kaho Miyasaka
Teen Graphic Novel
Romance. Awkwardness. Crushes. Bullies. Self confidence. Photographers.
Just when I am about ready to give up on manga, I find a new series to love!

Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood
Benjamin Alire Saenz
Teen Fiction
Latino life. Romance. High school. Growing up. Friendship. Resistance. Self-worth. Family.
Great book, but just didn't grab my heart...more of just gave me a nice firm hug.

Suki - Volume 1
Clamp
Teen Graphic Novel
Teen girls. Teachers. Crushes. Living on own. Teddy bears. Innocence. Mysteries.
Not bad, but creepy undertone.

SECRET

The Courageous Princess
Rod Espinosa
Tween Graphic Novel
Adventures. Fantasy. Princesses. Dragons. Talking Animals. Quests.
Pretty good for all ages, but some readers (such as myself) might be put off by all the praying...though it wasn't of a particular domination or in the way of the plot. Just frequent.

Necklace of Kisses
Francesca Lia Block
Adult Fiction
Weetzie Bat. Mid-life crisis. Clothes. Hotels. Strange creatures. Family. Love.
A great follow-up, with Weetzie at 40.

Prom
Laurie Halse Anderson
Teen Fiction
Normal kids. Urban life. Lower middle-class life. Prom. High school. Relationships. Friendship.
I really dug this one. LHA says she wrote this for the "normal" kids...kids who aren't college bound or exceptional. Great stuff.

Going Going
Naomi Shihab Nye
Teen Fiction
Teen activism. Small businesses. Texas. Friendship. Family. Anti-globalization. Individuality.
Enjoyable to read, only a hair preachy. Gets the ideas behind supporting small local businesses across well.

The Boy Who Couldn't Die
William Sleator
Teen Fiction
Death. Fear. Zombies. Diving.
Not my cup of tea, but junior high boys will eat it up.

Little Scarlet
Walter Mosley
Adult Book on Tape
African Americans. Easy Rawlins. Detective stories. Watts Riots. Murder. Hatred. Homelessness. Healing.
Great mystery, with fascinating historical context, and layers of reflections about race.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Life in Pictures
Adult Photography
Portraits. Informal snapshots. Kennedy family. History. Presidents. Politics.
Excellent collection that give one greater insight into this interesting president.

The Jungle (adapted)
Peter Kuper
Adult Graphic Novel
Retellings. Stockyards. Labor. American dream. Tragedy.
Depressing, but well done, great art.

The Bad & The Beautiful
Ellen Graham
Adult Photography
Celebrities. Portraits. Black and White.
Good collection, with a few really wonderful pictures.

Walt Whitman: Words for America
Barbara Kerley
Kids Picture Book
Poets. Civil War. History. Biography.
Nice introduction to an American treasure.

Paradise Kiss Volume 4
Ai Yazawa
Teen Graphic Novel
Manga. Models. Fashion design. Students. Drama queens. Drag queens. Contests.
I am still enjoying the art and clothes, but beginning to tire of the characters.

Remember: The Journey to School Integration
Toni Morrison
Kids Picture Book
Civic rights. American history. Photography. Children. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award 2005.
Very nicely done, quite moving.

Boneyard, Volume 1
Richard Moore
Adult Graphic Novel
Inheritances. Graveyards. Gouls. Angry townfolks. Devils. Fair vs. foul play.
Ok, fun idea, but didn't really grab me.

In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits
Adult Photography
People. Photography. Portraits. Faces. History.
Great collection.

Airborn
Kenneth Oppel
Teen Fiction
Blimps. Adventure. Travel. Mysterious creatures. Pirates.
Fantastic teen book…can't wait to booktalk it!

Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem
Marilyn Nelson
Tween Non-Fiction
Skeletons. History. Slavery. Doctors. Museums. Anatomy. Poetry.
Not bad. 2005 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book.

Fight Club
Chuck Palahniuk
Adult Fiction
Depression. Mental illness. Anarchy. Destruction. Frustration. Mischief. Cults.
Different enough from the movie to be worth reading. Most excellent book, though very very creepy.