In My Mailbox (7)

This week was very light for mail so I went shopping. I went to my favorite used bookstore, Read It Again Books. I have an insane credit amount with them. Figured I use some of it. Picked up lots of kids books and one very good piece of literature I'm going to offer to next week's Little Lov'n Monday winner. If you haven't checked out LLM, you should. It's easy to win and you're supporting your fellow bloggers at the same time. In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at Story Siren. Also check out Mailbox Monday at The Printed Page, hosted by Marcia.

This week's stash:
Somewhere In The Darkness by Walter Dean Myers. I've been trying to read more books with male leads by men authors. I'm Myers fan, so I bought this at Read It Again. Jimmy Little, a fourteen-year-old boy, and his estranged father are reunited after nine years. The father is dying of a kidney ailment and has escaped from prison to share the truth of his past and to re-establish a relationship with his son. Jimmy embarks on a physical and psychological journey as he and his father explore their pasts.

Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia and Good Work, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish. Our current elementary coordinator brings his girls into the library every week, and they are big on funny serials. Got these on trade at Frugal Reader.

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwige Danticat. Ms. Danticat is a young, gifted writer. This is one of her earliest works. It isn't her best, but it does demonstrate skill that she later hones in The Farming of Bones. I read that twice and I think I'm do for a reread on this as well. I rarely reread so that says plenty about Ms. Danticat's work. This will be offered for Little Lov'n Monday. Political violence, secrets and strained relationships.

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger. This was purely impulse. Cool cover and I read Parrotfish by Ms. Wittlinger. She's a solid writer. Since his parents' divorce, John's mother hasn't touched him, her new fiancé wants them to move away, and his father would rather be anywhere than at Friday night dinner with his son. It's no wonder John writes articles like "Interview with the Stepfather" and "Memoirs from Hell."
How I Survived Being a Girl by Van Drannen. I think I've heard of this but the cover and title combined said, buy it so I did.

Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist: Lunch Walks Among us by Jim Benton. The cover was too good to pass up and remember what I said about serial?