A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

"In the more than fifty violent conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are 300,000 child soldiers, traumatized, hopped up on drugs, and wielding AK47s (from back cover)."  The writer of this memoir, Ishmael Beah, was just one of them.

This is definitely a book for students in high school up through adult -- definitely not a "children's" book, although it is a heart-wrenching book about Beah's childhood.  With his entire family killed during war, Beah had no choice but to join the fight when he was only 12 years old. He became adept at carrying his AK47, a bayonet, and extra ammunition throughout the jungles of his homeland -- until UNICEF workers rescued him and attempted to give him a childhood back.

This book was one I couldn't put down.  It made me incredibly thankful that my children are growing up in a country where this would never happen, but very sad that my children are growing up in a WORLD where this happens every day. Ishmael Beah is a symbol of the resiliency of children.

The Dollhouse Fairy

My five-year-old daughter LOVES fairies, princesses, and anything that sparkles, so when I saw this book in the library, I instantly thought of her.

The Dollhouse Fairy by Jane Ray is a whimsically illustrated picture book about a girl named Rosy, her father, and a magical, mischievous fairy named Thistle.

Rosy loves playing with her dollhouse with her father, but when he becomes ill and has to stay in the hospital, Rosy finds out she has a house guest in her dollhouse!  Thistle is a fairy who has broken her wing, so she stays in the dollhouse while Rosy nurses her back to health.

Close To Famous

I loved this book!  
     Close to Famous by Joan Bauer is about a young girl named Foster with big dreams of one day having her own cooking show.
     Well, let me back up a bit . . . the story begins with Foster and her mother racing away from an Elvis impersonator who just broke their living room window and is now chasing after them as they speed down the Tennessee highway. After losing the Elvis impersonator, Foster and her mother pull their car over during a rainstorm, only to find out the next morning that they barely escaped driving over a cliff.
     Rescued by a loving couple who run a tow-truck company in a small town that is only barely surviving now that a prison has been built inside the city limits, the couple offer Foster and her mother a place to stay -- a bullet-shaped trailer in their backyard.
     This small town is full of would-love-be famous citizens including Macon, who wishes to become a documentary film maker, Foster's mother Rayka who dreams of being a headlining singer instead  of always a back-up singer, and Miss Charleena -- a REAL famous person who has come to this small town of Culpepper to hide away.
     Although Culpepper is a sleepy, little town, some unexpected events begin to shake things up.  This is a book full of characters with dreams I simply couldn't wait to read about. I would recommend this book for kids grades 4-7, but I'm an adult, an I loved it, too!
     I can't wait to book talk this one!