Savvy

By Reviewer: Dianne Title: Savvy
Author: Ingrid Law
Primary Audience/age group: Ages 9-12
Genre: Fantasy
# Of pages: 342
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Year of Release: 2008
Part of a Series? No
Rating: 5 (View Scale)
Recommend? Highly recommended

Description: The Beaumonts are a truly unusual family. At the age of thirteen each family member receives a unique birthday gift...their very own supernatural power or savvy, which they then have to learn to use and control. Rocket has a way with electricity which he is struggling to learn how to handle. Fish can stir up the weather with a stray thought or an angry outburst, causing anything from a light breeze and intermittent rain showers to a full blown hurricane. Rounding out the family are Momma, whose savvy is being perfect, Grandpa Bomba who can cause earthquakes, Poppa, who lacks a special savvy, Mibs, Samson and Gypsy, all of whom have not yet reached their thirteenth birthdays.

As Mibs approaches her thirteenth birthday, her curiosity about her soon to be revealed savvy turns to alarm as she learns that her Poppa has been severely injured in an automobile accident. Her only concern now is that her savvy might in some way save her Poppa. As she stows away on a bus that she thinks will take her to the hospital, a hair-raising adventure begins. Along for the ride are her two brothers and the preacher’s son and daughter...and all learn lessons in life, love and finding hidden talents.

Review: I really enjoyed this warm, feel-good, coming of age book. There is nothing sinister about the supernatural savvy that belongs to each family member, and it serves to create a bond that draws them closer together than a blood relationship ever could. Mix in some mischief and caring about others and you have a recipe for success.

Rating: 5

Positive: The strong loving relationship that exists among the members of the Beaumont family makes you forget their struggle to appear as a “normal” family and fully accept them as an almost ideal family. Their love for each other is evident from the care they take to keep from hurting Samson, who is sure that his pet turtle is only hibernating and not dead, to guarding the tunes that Grandma Dollop loved and preserved in canning in jars. Each of these unusual characters learns to deal with the hardships of being different and gains insights in trusting, hoping, and believing.

Spiritual Elements: The Beaumont family is a family of church goers. The children are tended to by their pastor’s wife when Poppa has an accident and Momma and Rocket go to the hospital to stay with Poppa. Lester is a Bible salesman and is the driver of the Heartland Bible Supply Company bus that eventually takes the kids to Salina where Poppa is in the hospital.

Violence: None

Language: H*ll is used a couple of times referring to the place.

Sexual Content: A mild kiss is exchanged between Mibs and Will.

Other: A plan was fabricated to fool Miss Lill into thinking that Mibs had called the pastor’s wife to report that they were all safe.

Recommendation: This book was a pleasure to read, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to the intended age range. Even though the protagonist is a girl, I think boys would enjoy this book as well.

Alligator Bayou

By Reviewer: Dianne
Title: Alligator Bayou
Author: Donna Jo Napoli
Primary Audience/age group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
# Of pages: 280
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Year of Release:2009
Part of a Series? No
Rating: 3 (View Scale)
Recommend? Yes

Description: From the book jacket: Tallulah, Louisiana. 1899.
Calogero, his uncles, and cousins are six Sicilian men living in the small town of Tallulah, Louisiana. They work hard, growing vegetables and selling them at their stand and in their grocery store.

To 14-year-old Calogero, newly arrived from Sicily, Tallulah is a lush world full of contradictions, hidden rules, and tension between the Negro and white communities. He’s startled and thrilled by the danger of a ’gator hunt in the midnight bayou, and by his powerful feelings for Patricia, a sharpwitted, sweet-natured Negro girl. Some people welcome the Sicilians. Most do not. Calogero’s family is caught in the middle: the whites don’t see them as equal, but befriending Negroes is dangerous. Every day brings Calogero and his family closer to a terrifying, violent confrontation.

Review: Life is not fair and sometimes you have to do whatever will save your skin, instead of what makes sense. Calogero learns this lesson the hard way when he confronts bigotry in the small town of Tallulah, Louisiana. As a Sicilian immigrant, he works hard and generally does not go looking for trouble, but trouble seems to find him and the rest of his family as well. Many times as I read this book I was reminded of the injustice that is perpetuated by fear of those who are different, those whose cultures we do not understand.
This book was inspired by an actual incident that occurred in Tallulah, Louisiana close to the turn of the 20th century when Jim Crow laws were in full effect. (Spoiler) Five Sicilians were lynched when they served a black customer in their grocery before they served a white customer who subsequently entered the store. Donna Jo Napoli researched the history of this occurrence and created a story which will make us all remember the sting and ugliness of prejudice. Although not an especially fun book to read, it is one that is gripping.

Rating: 3 for violence

Positive: It is clear in this novel that intelligence, character and worth are not determined by skin color or ethnicity. The value of an education was emphasized as Calogero was determined to go to school even if he couldn’t attend the school for whites. He was encouraged to be an independent thinker. In addition, Calogero had a strong sense of family and was hoping to send for his younger brother Rocco.

Spiritual Elements: The Sicilians were from a strong Catholic background and called on God and the saints in times of trouble.

Violence: There was a fair amount of violence – from bullying and fighting, to the shooting of pet goats. The lynching scene, while not graphically described, was still horrifying.

Language: None

Sexual Content: Mild kissing between Calogero and Patricia.

Other: There was some use of alcohol; limoncello, a lemon liqueur and grappa, a strong brandy. There were no incidents of drunken behavior.

Recommendation: Considering the topic of this book, I would recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Winners from Teen Read Week 2009

Thanks everyone for visiting us during Teen Read Week 2009! We have our winners! Jon M. won the Archives of Anthropos six book set by John White. Kk won Teen Idol by Meg Cabot! Please email your addresses to connievail at hotmail dot com and we'll get them mailed to you this week! Keep checking back for more reviews and more book giveaways! Be sure to keep reading!

The Sword Bearer

This review comes to us from Angi's son, Cole. Cole is 14 and an avid reader, whose favorite books include Eragon (Inheritance), Hunger Games and The Lightning Thief. You can still enter to win this whole series! To enter, go here and leave a comment!

The Hunger Games

Be sure to enter to win our 2009 Teen Read Week Drawings! Go here for more details!
By Reviewer Rachel (aged 18)
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Primary Audience/age group: Young Adult
Genre: Adventure
# Of pages: 382
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Year of Release: 2008
Part of a Series? Yes, 1 of _?_
Rating: 3
Recommend? Yes but with Reservations

Description: Pamen, what once was North America, is now twelve districts ruled by the harsh Capital. Every year the Capital makes each district give one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to the Hunger Games. The kids are put into an arena to fight to the death, and the victor is rewarded with riches. When Katniss’ sister is chosen to play in the games, Katniss, seeing the games as a death sentence, offers to take her place. She is accepted, and she goes to meet her fate. She has survived death once before, but will she survive it again?

Review: When I read the book's cover, I was very hesitant. The book didn’t sound like the kind of book I would enjoy, and it seemed like it was going to be very violent. However, when I read the book I was amazed! It wasn’t morbid, and it kept me interested. It was highly suspenseful, yet it had some comic relief in it. I found that I got teary eyed at some places and was laughing at others

Rating: 3 for violence and drinking.

Positive: Gale and Katniss care for each other, and when one is in need, the other helps her get through it. There are numerous times when Katniss and Peeta try to save the others from death.

Spiritual Elements: None

Violence: This book is about an area with 24 kids in it fighting to the death, so naturally it’s going to get violent. However, since it is from Katniss’ point of view, we don’t see that many deaths. There are a few, however. Two scenes that I found to be the most violent are when Katniss is having hallucinations of decaying dead bodies and when she sees a boy being eaten by mutant wolves. Most of the killings in the book are not described in great detail, but death is certainly prominent.

Language: none

Sexual Content: There is a lot of kissing, and Katniss and Peeta sleep together to keep warm.

Other: Haymitch is a HUGE alcoholic. In almost every scene he is drunk.

Recommendation: The Hunger Games is definitely for young adults. Children would probably be scared by the violence. However, for the story line, Collins kept the violence to a minimal. The other problem I had with it was Haymitch’s drinking problem, but other than that I enjoyed the book a lot. It was well written and definitely worth reading.

links for 2009-11-20

There’s a new Carnival Ride company in town… There’s a new carnival in town and the fair board hopes that means thousands more people will flock to the 2010 Calaveras County Fair. The directors of the 39th District Agricultural Association app... (tags: Carnival ride owners Fairs) IAAPA 5K Run…a success Third Annual IAAPA 5K Fun Run and 1K Walk a Success Event Benefits Give Kids The World at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 Today, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAP... (tags: Trade Organizations) The Parks The National Roller Coaster Museum Builds Repository There’s no place like home. The National Roller Coaster Museum (NRCMA) recently completed construction of a new building to house a sizeable por... (tags: Amusement Parks Theme)

Sublette County Fair

Pinedale Roundup Pinedale Roundup, newspaper, sublette county, wyoming, jonah field, roughneck, anticline, Freemont Lake, Cora, Daniel, news. With the Sublette County Fair growing in recent years, the fairground is growing, too. Construction at the fairground will continue through the winter and should finish in time for next year's Sublette County Fair. The main new attraction is a 54-foot-tall livestock barn, spreading over 80,000 square feet. The barn is designed to host the regular activities of the Sublette County Fair, with 170 pens for animals and arenas for showing them in addition to seating for about 1,000 people. The barn can also be converted to use as a venue for concerts or other events for about 3,000 spectators. “The idea with this facility is that it'll do anything you want,” said Mark Klein, Groathouse Construction Superintendent overseeing the project. Construction started at the end of October. The footing for the building is already in place and crews started laying the foundation this week. Klein said they will erect the steel beams in January and February, and masonry will start in February.

links for 2009-11-19

Spirit of Excellence Awards at IAAPA Las Vegas, Nevada (United States) – Six Spirit of Excellence awards were presented by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 today to r... Magic Planet Kuwait and iT’Z Family Food and Fun in Houston Win 2009 Top Family Entertainment Centers of the World Awards from Industry Trade Association   Las Vegas, Nevada (United States) – Magic Planet Kuwait and iT’Z in Houston, Texas won the title of 2009 Top Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) of the World Wednesday during the FEC Reception... (tags: Trade Organizations) The Parks, today Image via Wikipedia Dollywood Wins Fourth Consecutive International Heartbeat Award Dollywood theme park claimed its fourth consecutive international Heartbeat Award along with three additiona... (tags: Amusement Parks Theme) A day at the Carnival Call me simple-minded, but nothing gets my attention like bright, shiny objects. With that said, it should be no surprise that the carnivals sprouting up around the Valley, with their arrays of flash... (tags: Trip Reports) IAAPA 2009 Big E Awards Recognize Top-Notch Live Entertainment in the Attractions Industry Europe, Japan, and United States Productions Stand Out in 2009 Las Vegas, Nevada (United States) – Today,...

The Pueblo Chieftain :: 2009 Fair clears $816,000

The Pueblo Chieftain :: 2009 Fair clears $816,000. On a tough economic year marked by sweeping budget cuts, this year's Colorado State Fair managed to clear $343,013 more than the previous year. The 2009 Fair made $816,094 in revenue compared to $473,081 made in 2008, according to financial reports discussed Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the Fair's Board of Authority, held on the Fairgrounds. The financial outcome proved to be the Fair's best performance as an 11-day event. As a cost-saving measure, the Fair reduced its schedule from 17 days to 16 in 2002 and then to the current 11-day format in 2005. Cutting expenses by $538,162 was a main factor in the Fair's success, leaders said. "We fully expected revenues to be down. That's why we made the budget cuts we did," General Manager Chris Wiseman said. "We are pleasantly surprised we are in a much stronger (financial) position. It is a surprise to me, but the (cuts) we made throughout the year were the right decisions that brought us to a financially successful Fair." The seven-days of rain during the Fair didn't impact the fair's bottom line or attendance, which saw a turnout of 496,651, the most...

links for 2009-11-18

New Products, Services, and Industry Forces Honored at IAAPA Attractions Expo Image via Wikipedia S&S Worldwide Receives Impact Award for Lasting Impact on Industry Las Vegas, Nevada (United States) – Today, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attra... (tags: Trade Organizations) Around the Parks Image by Bern@t via Flickr Dollywood’s Splash Country win IAAPA waterpark award Dollywood’s Splash Country won the Must-See Waterpark Award on Monday, Nov. 16, at the International Associatio... (tags: Amusement Parks Theme)

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