The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is a collection of words of wisdom and advice given by Randy Pausch, a computer science professor who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When given the news he had only months to live, Randy began doing everything he could to prepare himself and his family for the inevitable. Part of his preparation was in delivering a speech at his alma mater in the Last Lecture series. He knew it would be his own last lecture and he took it very seriously.

The book is a compilation of stories from his youth and his life experience. It was not at all sad, as I had expected, but upbeat. It includes excellent advice on how to live a happier, optimistic life. It is full of funny stories and touching memories. It made me really reevaluate the way I want to live my life and the legacy I want to leave behind. Again, it is not a work for young adults, but I believe anyone could learn a lot from the words within these pages.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski is about Edgar, a boy who is unable to speak. Instead, he uses a form of sign language that he developed - a cross between what he came up with and standard sign language. His family breeds, raises and trains a special breed of dog that was developed by his grandfather. The Sawtelle dogs are well renowned through the country. One day Edgar's Uncle Claude comes for an extended visit, causing tension in the house. Uncle Claude and Gar, Edgar's father, do not see eye to eye on most things. Things unravel to the point where Claude leaves and things seem to get back to normal. Unfortunately, soon after, Gar suffers from an unknown and sudden illness and dies right before Edgar's eyes. Edgar's mother develops pneumonia around the same time, and they depend on Claude to get the kennel back up and running. Edgar is resentful of Claude, and begins to make some connections between his uncle and his father's mysterious death. As Claude grows closer to Edgar's mother, Edgar searches for the truth. One night their friend and veteranarian falls down their barn stairs and dies. Edgar thought it was Claude coming up the stairs in the barn and chased him, not realizing it was the old doctor. Edgar runs away, at the request of his mother, taking three of his own dogs. He survives in the wild for nearly two months before meeting Henry, a lonely and ordinary man who takes pity on Edgar and his "pack". Eventually, Edgar is drawn home, feeling a compelling urge to resolve what he suspects happened to his father, and to restore his own life. Surprising events ensue, ending tragically for Edgar and his family.

This was a great book. It is an adult novel - not written for young adults. I haven't read a book meant for adults in a long time!! This book was well written and heartfelt. It made me want to call my mom and have a long talk. It also made me want to work with and train my own dogs! I was sad when I finished reading. This is one of those books that one thinks about during times when it is impossible to read. I could barely wait to pick it back up and find out what Edgar was up to.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a beautifully told story of immigration through pictures. This book is told entirely through graphics - absolutely no text. The pictures are breathtaking! The world in which the main character lives is fictional, but this story truly captures what immigration must be like. I'm sure that my students will think this is an easy book to get extra credit for reading because of the absence of text, but it will really get them thinking. Reading is thinking, after all!

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer is the companion novel to Life as We Knew It. Both are about the catastrophic natural disasters that plague the earth after a meteor hits the moon and knocks it out of its natural orbit. While Life as We Knew It focuses on a family in a more rural setting, The Dead and the Gone focuses on how these disasters affect the people of New York, specifically, the Morales family - Alex (17), Briana (15), and Julie (13). The moon's new position causes major flooding due to high tides and tsunamis. The subway system floods, killing thousands of people who were trapped. Alex's father was in a small coastal city in Puerto Rico and is presumed dead. Their mother was probably on the subway on her way home from working at the hospital. Alex finds himself in charge of his younger sisters as the city deteriorates. Soon, food becomes scarce and Alex finds himself doing things to ensure his and his sisters' survival that he never believed himself capable.

This book was as good as Life as We Knew It. I would recommend reading Life as We Knew It first, however, just because it is easier to follow what is happening with all fo the natural disasters in the Dead and the Gone - the author doesn't describe them quite as clearly in this one. Both novels end on a cliff-hanger, leaving the reader to imagine what he or she thinks will happen in the future. I strongly recommend both!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is a story told by two separate narrators: Hannah Baker, a girl who recently committed suicide, and Clay Jensen, a boy who knew her. Hannah had many terrible events in her young life snowball out of control, leading to her decision to commit suicide. Before taking too many pills, she recorded each event on one side of an audio tape. Each side of 7 audio tapes was dedicated to one person - the one who was responsible for the event leading to Hannah's downfall. Her only request was that each person named on the tapes pass the tapes on to the next. Clay's name came up in the middle. When he got home from school one day, a box of tapes was waiting for him at his door with no return address. Clay had to listen to the entire collection before finally realizing what had happened to Hannah, the girl he had secretly loved since she moved to town.

This was a really interesting book. As I read, I really felt like I was in Clay's shoes as he listened to the tapes for the first time. The story was told through the tapes as well as Clay's reactions to them. I went through all of the emotions Clay experienced as he listened - anger, frustration, confusion, compassion, regret. This novel was very compelling. It makes me really think about how I will treat other people and about the consequences of my actions. This book is for a more mature audience.

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman is the sequel to The Schwa Was Here. This one features Antsy (post-Schwa) working at his parents' new restaurant, Paris, Capisce?, and living the life of a typical freshman. While rushing to the Thanksgiving Day parade to watch as the Roadkyll Raccoon balloon flies out of control, Antsy learns some disturbing information about his friend, Gunnar Umlaut: he is dying of Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia. Antsy is so moved by how brave Gunnar appears, that he wants to do something for him. Thus the idea of donating time is born. Antsy writes up a contract donating one month of his own life to tack on to the end of Gunnar's. Unbelievably, the idea catches on and soon Antsy is busy writing and rewriting contracts for everyone from kids at school to the superintendent! Everything falls apart, however, when Antsy discovers that Gunnar isn't actually sick. He made it all up. Antsy has to work on a way to resolve his problem, all while dating Gunnar's older and beautiful sister, earning back his family's trust after a disasterous evening at Paris, Capisce during which Antsy poured a pitcher of water over a New York senator, and entertaining his awful Aunt Mona. Just when things seemed like they couldn't get any worse, they do...

This book was hilarious. I laughed out loud numerous times. Neal Shusterman is a really funny author. His humor is as much in the little side remarks as in the story itself. The idea of donating time is so unique! I really liked the way Antsy worked through his own issues as he learned about and helped Gunnar and Kjersten through their own. It was fun to read about this character again!

Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Madapple by Christina Meldrum is about Aslaug, a fifteen year old girl who lived alone on the outskirts of a small Maine town with her mother. Aslaug and her mother lived almost solely off the land, foraging for greens and roots, and only going in to the neighboring towns periodically. Maren, Aslaug's mother, was afflicted by a strange illness, for which she medicated herself with different plants. One of these plants was madapple, or jimson weed. This weed is poisonous if taken in large enough amounts, but Maren used only enough to dull the pain of her cancer. Eventually, Maren dies, and Aslaug is seen trying to bury her in the yard. She is arrested for her own mother's murder, but later sent home when it becomes apparent that her mother died of cancer. Aslaug finds some secrets about her family in some of her mother's things, and ends up finding her aunt Sara and cousins Rune and Sanne in a nearby town. All of these relatives have different stories about Maren and about Aslaug and her birth. It is a mystery of faith and science.

This was an interesting book. Every other chapter is the back story, explaining what happened to Aslaug and her family, while the opposite chapters are from within Aslaug's trial for the murders of her mother, aunt, and cousin. The mystery slowly unravels, leaving the reader wanting more! I read this in two days - I couldn't put it down! The author entertwined many ideas about different religions and science, along with a lot of interesting facts about regional plants and their medicinal qualities.