Angel Island; Gateway to Gold Mountain by Russell Freedman

Why would anyone want to come to a place that requires a long and at times dangerous voyage only to end up not even being welcomed? Limited job opportunities and prejudice, that at times comes with violence, is a given. Hated enough for laws to be passed to limit their numbers and even stating their children could never become citizens. The answer was the American dream of a better life and the promise that being treated equally because of the Constitution will happen some day.

Angel Island is the Ellis Island of the West Coast, where most immigrants came into this country.  The stories of those who came and how they were treated will stick with you The author was not really planning to even tell this story, but a question to one of "those librarians" who pestered him with more information and pushing until he wrote the book.

Learn about how the fight for equal rights finally worked. Learn about what finally got the Island saved for us to visit. Learn about the famous Russian composer whose music you have heard could not even escape being detained there out of fear of what he might bring to our shore. Yes, our history does repeat itself when you don't read and understand the past. Are you brave enough to learn or will you join those who don't want to remember?

Tsunami; The True Story of an April Fool's Day Disaster by Gail Langer Karwoski

How could a dream job in Paradise turn into a life or death moment?  How could we as a country forget this type of event? How could a normal school day suddenly turn out so wrong? Can it happen again? Learn the answers to these questions and why living on any large body of water could not be as safe as you thought. If you like reading about what those cable shows seem to like scaring people with, this book is for you. If you are a science geek who likes to learn how the world works, you will enjoy this who, why, and how book on not just this tsunami but others that have hit and killed too many people.

Stella has dreams, but it seems that Jim Crow laws will get in the way. It is 1932 and segregation is enforced by law and terror. It takes a community to overcome and stand strong, and this will prove to Stella that her dreams may come true. She just has to get through the year, but what a year it is. When some of the men stand up and want to vote, it seems everyone will pay a price. How can someone be so cruel as to burn a house or turn away when someone could die if they don't help? Can good come out of all this bad? What is stronger, hate or love?  If you want a story that will stay with you and could haunt you, read this book.

Somebody on this Bus is Going to be Famous by J. B. Cheaney

If you ride a bus, you know that each kid has his own story and dreams. Some live in the subdivision, others down the road. Life on it is ruled by the bus driver who is either nice or evil. On this bus, she leaves the students a mystery -- why does she makes a stop at the end of a road where no one is waiting? That is not the only mystery. Doing a report, Miranda learns about a mystery involving the class of 1985, which is the grad class of some of their parents, but NO ONE WANTS to talk about. The only thing about these mysteries is that they will affect everyone's future, either positively or negatively. It takes a tragedy to finally be able to solve both. Are you just like one of the kids? To find that out and see who and how they become famous, read the book.

The Cheshire Chees Cat :ADickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright

From the writer that brought us The Library Dragon, a twisted tale of a friendship between a cat, a mouse, and a missing little girl. Shilley is an alley cat with a problem and needs to find a home. He thinks the answer to his prayers will be becoming the house cat for "Ye Old Cheshire Cheese" pub. He does this by making a deal with the mice that helps both, but Charles Dickens himself can see something is up with that cat and those mice. The pub has the reputation of having the best cheese in the whole of England. When Shilley finds a missing tower raven, the plot thickens. But when the cook's helper brings in another cat to get rid of the mice, Shilley may lose it all -- his home, his best friend, the raven, and his secret. If you like a fast paced, funny story with lots of twists and turns, enjoy. You will not believe the ending when Pip the mouse helps out one of the greatest writers ever to write one of his most famous lines.

How the Beatles Changed the World by Martin W. Sandler

Did you know that the Beatles ready did change the world in more ways than you think a simple rock band could? Music, yes, but fashions, movies, and religion also??? If you want proof of this, read it here. Were they really responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union and the eastern bloc? There was never a band like the Beatles before them and probably never will be again. But what was the cost of all that fame and success? Would you want to go back in time and trade places with them? Really?? Just read about the wild ride and all the hard work that 4 guys from working class Liverpool had and did. You will never listen to another Beatles song the same way from when they were a group or the songs that Paul, John, George, and Ringo did after. I promise you that.

It has been 6 years now and how to find the best books on this

It is hard to believe it has come to this since. This book blog is only 6 years old. My goal was to keep this blog to just the great books I know any student (or adult) will be able to find one to love.  It was NOT created to be one of those blogs that had too many books on it for students to find useful. That is why after putting a book, or two or four, on every month or just not adding them in July, I will be going bimonthly from now. Since everyone that knows the Evil Mutant Librarian will tell you that I am odd duck, I will be doing the blog on even months.

 I hope to added the books that I just had to tell you about because they are so good I couldn't stop myself. Some will be older, those who have patiently waited their turn to shine. Some will be new and were so wonderful they had to jump ahead of those waiting.  While there are lots of great, wonderful, and must-be- read books out there, I try to only pick those that might mean something to that special reader who really needs to find that book - the one that will change a life. Just remember when you click on the labels that help you find the type you want, to scroll down to the bottom of the list and work your way up. The books may be older, but these were the one that just had to be added first because students made me buy extra copies to meet the demand.

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Lanesha lives with her Mama Ya-Ya, the midwife who delivered her and kept her after her mother died at her birth. Mama Ya-Ya is old and tries her best to raise her with very little money but lots of love. School is where she feels out of place with a few friends.  Smart and curious in a place where big dreams are not the norm, she finds encouragement from a teacher who believes in her. She is looking forward to her birthday, but there is a storm brewing in the Gulf that Mama's dreams keep telling her will be the end of their world. It is up to Lanesha to get ready and as others leave, she and Mama do not. It is only after Katrina hits that Mama understands what her dreams mean. They are in big trouble and it will take everything Lanesha can think of to save herself, the dog in her care, and one of her friends. But it will take the love of a mother who has always been there when the flood forces Lanesha to do things she didn't think she could do.  Which mother is it, the one who raised her or the one she knew that never really left her? Does a mother's love really ever die?

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

Reveta has seen a lot in her 13 years, which has helped her to become a bright and strong person. She will need to be both when living in the  kingdom of Sylvania with her soldier father who has finally retrieved her from the safe place her mom left her when she died.  She is pulled into a mystery that has to be solved - where do the 12 princesses go at night and how do they get out of the locked place that their father the king has them every night? When a friend is hurt trying to solve this, Reveta knows she has to solve it or else. What she didn't know is that she will have to make a choice that no mortal should have to make. When she makes it, she is drawn into another mystery that has even more at stake. If you love fairy tales, myths, and plot twists, you will love this book. Would you have made the same choice or do you have the courage to live with your choices?

Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

How does someone go from being a counterfeiter of money to being a grave robber? Maybe it involves being desperate or could it be stupidity? Big Jim Kennally thinks stealing Lincoln's body will solve all his problems, but he is in over his head and doesn't know it. The head of Chicago Secret Service has his sources so he is out to stop it. When both men's plans don't go as planned, it makes an interesting twisted tale that would be a great fiction book if it was not in the real history books. If you are ever interested in how counterfeiting is really done or the crazy method they come up with to keep Lincoln's body safe, you will enjoy this. Or maybe you just want to find out what a bone orchard is or why you might not want to be left there on a dark night.

Up Close: Frank Lloyd Wright by Jan Adkins

If he was alive today, talk show hosts would be fighting to get him to talk. The press would have a field day about his private life, but this man changed American architecture and he didn't even have a college education. His buildings were so wanted by people that he could get away with not listening to his clients and even staying in budget. The home you live in may have been different if not for his ideas. Look up Fallingwater  or the Guggenheim Museum or the Robie House or any other of his masterpieces online to see why. Maybe this is why he could be such a cad and still be designing buildings 65 years after he started.

Aviary Wonders Inc. by Kate Samworth

This is for all of you who miss picture books. Set in the future, a future that we hope doesn't happen when birds have all but disappeared. It isn't just a catalog, it is also an instructional manual that started renewing the world's bird supplies since 2031. Founded by Alfred Wallis, who must have wanted this ancestors to roll in their graves - you will have to read it to see why. You can page through and choose the parts to make real birds or make up your own.  The only rule is that these birds cannot be caged. Would you be able to teach your bird to fly or sing? Just be careful, or you may end up with a problem that only Alfred can solve.

Nobody's Secret by Michaela MacColl

Emily's life is full of limits. Limited by the social practices and expectations of women in the 1840s. Limited by her mother's health and her mother's worries about hers. Limited by the fact that everyone in her small village knows her family, the Dickersons. So when she is out in the fields, she meets a young man who refuses to tell her his name so she calls him Mr. Nobody. She sees him in town. The next time she sees him, he is dead in her family pond. Because she is not the only one who doesn't know his name, he is laid out in the church basement to see if anyone knows who he is. Emily makes it her quest to find out who killed him. As she tries to follow the clues, she has to keep all the adults in the dark about her doings, especially her mother. As the clues lead closer and closer to the killer, the danger grows. Whoever did it has killed once and will kill again to keep from getting caught. Will Emily really risk her life and maybe the lives of her family to just bring Mr. Nobody's killer to justice? If she does, will she finally learn his name? Maybe you should not wish that your life is too boring just like Emily did. You might not like the excitement that may come your way.

Far North by Will Hobbs

If you love the Hatchet series, try this and you will find a new author who you will love. Gabe is in boarding school in Northwest Territories of Canada to be closer to his only parent, his dad. His roommate Raymond is one of the First Nation people but comes to school with an electric guitar and a hockey stick.  When Raymond's great uncle Johnny Ravin leaves the hospital to go home, the boys join him on the plane. When the pilot decides to show the boys some of the beauty of the wild country without letting air traffic controllers know, the trouble begins. It will be up to the boys to get themselves and the other survivor out, but being modern teens do they even know how? Johnny Ravin's worries about how the old ways are being lost may be right - how do you survive if you have lived your life dependent on others to supply all your needs? How many ways are there to die in the wilderness of Canada? Read this and you will learn about too many.

How to catch a Bogle by Catherine Jinks

Your life must have been hard if you think you have it made if you are used as bait to catch supernatural demons that eat children. Birdie is an orphan who thinks she has it made because she isn't in the workhouse, begging, or stealing for a living. Alfred makes a living as a Bogle catcher and Birdie's special talent makes a good living for both of them. When Miss Eames, a rich society lady, learns of their activities, she wants to learn more about how they work. She also wants to give Birdie a better life but Birdie is loyal to the man who found her after her mother died and gave her a home. When some pickpockets come up missing, the trail leads to one of the most evil men in London and this man will kill to keep his "experiments" a secret! As Birdie, Alfred, and Miss Eames get closer, the more danger everyone is in. Will Birdie's new friend come in time? And if she does, will Birdie take the path that leads to a better life if she lives to do it? If you like fast paced mysteries with lots of clues, you will love this.

Call of the Klondike: a True Gold Rush Adventure by David Meissner & Kim, Richardson

What would make sane men suddenly leave and travel to the cold up north at a time when our modern warm clothes did not exist even in their dreams? Was it the economy that was even worse than a few year ago? Or was it gold fever that seems to strike out of the blue? In their own words, Stanley Pearce and Marshall Bond tell about how they got their fathers to foot the bill so they could find their fortunes. Both were college educated and had mining backgrounds so they were able to get to the Klondike in northern Canada ahead of those who also watched miners bring a ship full of riches to Seattle. Real pictures from the time help you understand what really happened and the dangers they faced. What supplies did they need to survive and how hard was it getting there in the first place? Maybe part of the trail leading to the gold fields called Dead Horse may tell you part of the story. Can cold really freeze your nose and how could you not even know it? How did the book Call of the Wild get involved in all of this? Did they get rich? The bigger question is why sometimes you really need to lie to your mother and have to get away with it or else. If you are ready for a real life adventure where life and death get too close, enjoy this one.

Colonel Theordore Roosevelt by David A. Adler

If you saw the PBS documentary by Ken Burns about the Roosevelt family and want to find out more about one of the most unique characters that even Hollywood could not have thought up, you will enjoy this. Maybe I am a little biased since after watching the PBS show, my husband agrees that I am too much like him. What would cause his daughter Alice to say that her father "wanted to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral?" Why would a senator be clearly upset enough to say "Now look, that damned cowboy is president of the United States?" Whatever he was, our country would be much different without him. If he was alive today, he would be still fighting some the same battles he fought years ago because he started most of them. But to really understand him,  you need to understand what made him the way he was. To do that, please read this book. To see why he is responsible for our way of life, click on the Biography label to find the other biography about him on this blog. I told you I had a little bias about him.

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School Book the First) by Gail Carriger

You think your parents don't understand you. Sophronia doesn't want to be like all the other young ladies in her world of 1851 England (if you watch Downton Abbey you may understand). When she finally gets her mother so angry, she is shipped off to a finishing school -Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Qualities. That is the last place she wants to be, or so she thinks, but on her way she learns from her travel companions it is not your "normal" finishing school and she is what they call a covert recruit. As she is trying to find out what that is, the stagecoach is attacked by something you will not find in our history of England. This is only the start of surprises and quickly she learns that she may fit in more than she thought. If you think your teachers are weird, you have not met the faculty of this place. I would fit in easily. But there is a more pressing problem than learning how to curtsy and teatime manners while knowing how to hide the knife in your dress. Something has turned up missing and if the school doesn't hand it over, it might not be around much longer and its students may go with it. If you love a fast paced story full of the unexpected and humorous twists, this is for you. All I know is I want the pet dog she hides in her suite at school. I know I am a cat person, but I think that dog is the coolest dog in any book I have ever read. 

Suggestions on how to use and why I limit the amount of books

Five years ago, I started this book blog to help users find a good book to read. I looked at other book blogs and found too many were hard to use. They were just titles and authors, or had hundreds of books that could overwhelm. While this year, this blog will cross the 100 book mark, I choose to add only 11 books a year so it will grow slowly. I have a list of subjects that will allow users a way to call up only the books they are interested in reading. When you do, don't start at the top -- please go to the bottom where the 1st books listed will be found. Those are the ones I have given students for many years. That is why you see older books on this; once Scholastic moves on to new books, the ones which were loved can be forgotten. But some of the newest ones have made my top 25 list of my favorites. When you have been a librarian for over 28 years, you cannot have just a top ten. Those who know me from the small school district will tell you that long hair and hair dye hides my age very well.  All my other users, maybe some day we will meet.

Siver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Are you still having Twilight withdrawal? Long before Edward and his friends were created, there was Simon. Zoe's life is slowly coming apart. Her mother is sick, he dad is in his own world and her best friend is leaving. Simon is on a mission to end the life of the vampire that killed his mother centuries ago and made him a vampire. When this vampire almost gets her friend, Zoe's and Simon's worlds meet. Can Zoe help Simon end the evil in his life without losing hers? Can Simon fill the need of someone who loves you when Zoe needs someone to support her as her life crumbles? Can two hurt people find each other for a happy ending or does the relationship end without hope? To find out, enjoy this read. Is it better than than the better known book? Will I ruin another by helping you find a better written book again?