Pages

Friday, March 6, 2009

In My Mailbox (6)

Each week, Kristi at the Story Siren asks us to share what we got in our mailbox for the week. This week's books mean a lot because they are donated. We wouldn't have the collection we have without the generosity of donors. These are titles listed on our wish list or books I've mentioned that I enjoy. I received a good mix of YA and children's titles:

The Skin I'm In By Sharon Flake. Can't keep enough of these in the library. This undoubtedly will become a classic in YA literature.



Shanghai Messenger by Andrea Chenge. This will be shelved at our library.
In this picture book for older children, 11-year-old Xiao Mei, the child of an American father and a Chinese mother, is persuaded by Grandma Nai Nai in America to take up the invitation from Uncle Hai Tao to spend the summer in Shanghai. Cheng's free-verse story, illustrated with Young's small, expressive line-and-watercolor pictures, shows the child's initial doubts, the plane journey and the arrival, and the welcoming young cousins and adults...

A Cool Moonlight by Angela Johnson. This children's title was reviewed recently by Alessandra at Color Online. After reading her review I publicly pined for a copy. I gleefully did a happy dance when I opened this package.

Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff, a book well-received by our readers. Saving this copy when the current one needs to be replaced. LaVaughn has plans to go to college. What she doesn't have is the money. To earn money, she takes a job babysitting for a teen mom. Together, both girls struggle to make their lives better.

Bird by Zetta Elliot, an award winning book. Can't wait to share it with our younger visitors. Mehkai's nickname is Bird. Both Bird and his brother, Marcus are gifted artists. The story beautifully unfolds in both words and watercolor, gouache, charcoal and ink drawings. Through image and words the reader witnesses how Bird copes with the loss of his brother and grandfather. Bird uses art to heal.

Autobiography of My Dead Brother, a collaboration between fathter and son, author Walter Dean Myers and illustrator, Christopher Myers. Very excited to read this illustrated novel.

13 comments:

Marie said...

All of these are great picks.
I love the cover of A Cool Moonlight!

susan said...

It is beautiful. I can't wait.

Anonymous said...

A Cool Moonlight looks very interesting and has a beautiful cover. It's been added to my wishlist!

susan said...

Hi Cat, thanks for coming by.

Letter Garden said...

A book about Shanghai! lol. I've spent 5 months in Shanghai.

susan said...

Steph and I were talking about Asian American Heritage Month recently. This couldn't have come at a better time. Looking for to the read and the display we're put up in celebration of the month.

Letter Garden said...

Have you ever heard of 'Geisha: A Life' by Mineko Iwasaki? It's an autobiography about Mineko I. and her life as a Geisha. I love the Japanese culture and Geisha's are fantastic artists.

I went to Shanghai to study Chinese in an University near my grandparents home. We had only 4 subjects, Elementary Chinese, writing, oral and...I forgot. In the middle of the time we made a 2 days school trip to Hangzhou (near Shanghai). The landscape was beautiful!!! With bamboo grove and crystal clear water! I made a lot of friends. Most from Korea, Japan and Germany. We went shopping, eating and spotting fun places almost every day. It was one of the best time in my life.

susan said...

Sounds amazing. I will look up the book. Thank you.

the story siren said...

i have to agree with Cat, love the cover of A Cool Midnight and the summary at Amazon, is very intriguing. adding that to my list.

Unknown said...

That Angela Johnson book looks good. I'm going to add it to my list. I really enjoyed the Skin I'm In. It's one the books I read to get more insight into how students bully each other and why. Good haul.

susan said...

Hi Kristi and KB, Johnson seems to be the item of the week. Thanks for coming by.

Carolina said...

You got some good books last week!

susan said...

Hi Carl(ina), yes, it was a very good week. :-)