Violet in Bloom - Lauren Myracle

Violet in Bloom by Lauren Myracle

This is the second book in the Luv YA Bunches series. Its just as good as book one. Actually, a little more so since we've already been introduced to the four girls and soon to be best friends;Violet, Katie-Rose, Camilla and Yasaman.

The four friends are in the sixth grade and have their own website LuvYA Bunches.com thanks to Yasaman. They meet for group chats and write personal blog entries. Violet, Katie-Rose and Camilla get behind Yasaman quest to get the school to serve healthier snacks.

This is the first time Katie-Rose has had a group of friends and she is a little insecure. Katie-Rose worries that Natalia, is trying to come between her and Yasaman. Camilla (Milla) can't stop thinking about an accident that happened before school. Violet sticks up for Cyril a quiet boy on the playground. Now Violet is worried Cyril is writing about her private life in his journal.

Myracle beatutifully developed all of the characters and their storylines equally. Anyone who reads this series will have a favorite flower girl. The author has managed to make this serious and funny at the same time. For me, Camilla, Katie-Rose, Violet and Yasman with right up therie was the four girls from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Brashares. Do start with book one, Luv YA Bunches which is out in paperback. Ages 10 up

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FDR's Alphabet Soup - Tonya Bolden

FDR'S Alphabet Soup by Tonya Bolden

Bolden's newest book, takes a look at FDR's new deal in hopes of ending the great depression. The book begins just prior to FDR's first term in 1928 and goes though 1939, the end of his second term and the beginning of WWII.

It's a little scary how much what's going on now relates to what happened with the Great Depression

"After that flop, Hoover signed off on a bill that created a new government agency, the RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corporation). Its mission to lead money to businesses on the brink of collapse, most especially financial institutions. The RFC was funded with $500 million of taxpayers' dollars. The idea behind the RFC was that bailouts for businesses would trickle down to workaday folks. As for them, Hoover felt it folly for the federal government to bail out people on the brink. That's what charities, family and friends were for."

The author takes a great impartial look at FDR's New Deal. She looks at all the agency that were started by Roosevelt in hopes of ending the great depression. Bolden spells out the agencies names only once then uses the acronyms.

FDR's Alphabet Soup is very readable and informative. The author uses the sidebar to effectively to explain various terms or government deparments. There are several photographs and slogan buttons included from that time period.

Bolden on C-SPAN 2 Book TV discussing FDR's Alphabet Soup.

I've linked this post to NonFiction Monday , which can be found at Madigan Reads today.

28 Days Later and The Cybils

Over at the Brown Bookshelf, they are look for African American authors and illustrators to feature for their 28days later campaign that is done every February. This is will be the forth year running. They are accepting nominations through Oct. 31.

Please check out 28days later from years past to discover some new authors and artist. Last year I was introduced to Martin Mordecai thanks to this yearly feature. Soon after reading Mordecai's interview, I read his middle grade novel Blue Mountain Trouble and loved it.

Nominations for Cybils are being accepted now as well, through Oct 15. The book has to be published between Oct. 16, 2009 and Oct. 15, 2010 in the United States. The rest of the rules Please check out previous Cybils winners and nominated titles to discover new authors and artist.

One thing I love about 28 days Later and The Cybils both get beyond Newbery buzzed titles. Yes these titles will be here as well but both are wonderfully open, allowing readers to discover some great authors who deserve a little more attention.

Bamboo People - Mitali Perkins

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

Set in current day Burma, a country the size of Texas. It shares borders with India, China, Bangladesh, Laos and Thailand. The Karenni state is on the Thai, Burma border. The Karenni people are being pushed out and killed by the Burmese. Burma has been cited for having the highest number of child soldiers in the world. I learned all of this after reading Bamboo People.

Bamboo People is the kind of fiction that will make one want to seek out the facts. Perkin's has written an eye opening novel for those unfamiliar with what's going on in Burma. The author manages is to educate, while never once forgetting she's telling a story. For many authors this could have easily turned into a story filled with flat characters, relying heavily on facts . But not Perkins, she's a gifted story teller, that comes across on every page.

15 yr old Chiko, is tricked and forced to serve in the Burmese military. Before, Chiko is taken he was living with his mother. His father, a doctor was imprisoned for going against the government. Thanks to his father, Chiko is a smart, well read and independent thinker. He doesn't want to go to war, he wants to teach. Though he must quickly learned to adapt, to survive and make it home.

The captain, the man in charge of kidnapping the young Burmese boys has it in for Chiko. Calling him the teacher with venom. Tai, a young boy from the street quickly attaches himself to Chiko. At first glance Chiko underestimates this boy from the streets, though he quickly learns Tai is smart with a good heart. The first half of Bamboo People is Chiko story. The boy soldiers are of two groups, those who believe in the captain, willingly calling him father and those who don't. Chiko and Tai are in the latter. Perkins is great at the slow build. I easily lost myself in the author's words and Chiko's world. Though I didn't want Chiko's story to end it was still a very smooth transtion to Tu Reh story.

Tu Reh a young Karenni boy watched Burmese soliders burn down his home. Tu Reh longs to pick up a gun and go to war. Finally Tu Reh father invites him on mission to get food and supplies to their people. Tu Reh is forced to decide Chiko's fate when they first meet.

I know this novel is about Chiko and Tu Reh but Tai was my favorite character. There was just something about Tai, that I loved.

And I got to love an author that creates great three dimensional main characters yet still manages to have secondary characters that capture and hold me. Bamboo People is a wonderful novel. Great for readers of any age. 12 up.

Here are many more reviews of Bamboo People via the author's blog. Usually, I don't like being one of many but in this case I do so with pleasure. Perkins also created a Bamboo People site . You can find more information about Burma and a discussion on guide

listen to the author read from Bamboo People. Or read an excerpt