The first day of Leo’s junior year in high school, there’s a new girl at school. Her name is Stargirl (well, really, it’s Susan, but she takes a new name whenever it suits her). She’s been home schooled up until now, and it shows – she’s a total free spirit, and has no idea of […]
Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli Read More »
This is one of those books that have about six different threads going on, weaving around a central theme, which is in this case, is love. The true, historical backdrop: Christian IV was king of the Denmark in the 16th century. He’s still the longest reigning king, and is remembered for a number of reforms
Music and Silence – Rose Tremain Read More »
Miss Buncle is a spinster in the little English village of Silverstream – the kind of person that everyone knows, and secretly pities, because she seems to have such a drab life. But Miss Buncle has a secret – she’s written a book, recasting Silverstream as the village of Copperfield, and showcasing all of the
Miss Buncle’s Book – D. E. Stevenson Read More »
At first blush, this book is the story of the love triangle of Ormus Cama, Umeed ‘Rai’ Merchant and Vina Apsara. Rai is the story’s narrator, which starts at the very seminal moment of Vina’s death. From there, Rai takes us back to the childhood of the three in India. For various reasons, they all
The Ground Beneath Her Feet – Salman Rushdie Read More »
The three stories in this book are based on Matisse paintings – the names and some sketches appear in the books. All three stories are rich in imagery, clearly because of the source. My favorite is the middle story – Art Work – which is the tale of Debbie and Robin. Debbie has given up
The Matisse Stories – A. S. Byatt Read More »
When I was young, and we still lived in Portland, about a block away from the local elementary school, which also contained the local branch library, my mother, sister and I would walk up there seemingly all the time. We would get picture books, and my mother would get more complicated chapter books that she
Mary Poppins in the Park – P. L. Travers Read More »
Read for the 2011 TBR Lite Reading Challenge. I picked this book for the RIP challenge because the back listed it as a detective story, and I thought a straight mystery would round out my reading choices. And it’s true that it’s a detective story, but it’s not really a mystery. You know as the
The Light of Day – Graham Swift Read More »
Grace was young during the time of World War I, and served as a housemaid at Riverton House, somewhere in the countryside of England. Lord and Lady Ashbury had two granddaughters, Hannah and Emmeline, and Grace’s life becomes entwined with theirs. In the present day, an elderly Grace is contacted by a young woman making
The House at Riverton – Kate Morton Read More »
Set in the 1920s, this book tells the story of four women from England that rent a castle in Italy for a month, and the profound changes that this vacation has upon their lives. The story starts with Mrs. Wilkins spotting an ad for a castle for rent in Italy while she’s visiting her women’s
The Enchanted April – Elizabeth Von Arnim Read More »
Read for the 2011 TBR Lite Reading Challenge. My previous reads of Byatt’s work have been of Possession, and her books of fairy tales – all later works. The Shadow of the Sun was her first novel, and while I’ve loved everything else I’ve read by the author, I wasn’t a big fan of this
The Shadow of the Sun – A. S. Byatt Read More »