full-ride

full-ride
YA Fiction

Can you imagine having to leave home, cut ties with
friends...that is former friends, and start all over in a new town
with an assumed identity. Oh, yeah, and you're losing touch with one
parent for years at least. That's the plight of Becca, protagonist of
Margaret Peterson Haddix's full-ride. Her father has been convicted
of embezzling a lot of money. He also has antagonized a powerful
company with less than squeaky clean ethics. Aided by their lawyer,
Becca and her mother have obtained documents to start all over. They
are admonished to never reveal a shred of their former existence.
In her former life Becca was not that great of a student. But
in her new milieu there's not much else to do but study. Friends must
be only seen at school and kept at arms length. Telling the wrong
person any fragment of the truth could be a fatal error. Social media
are far too risky so Facebook is decidedly not an option. She starts
her senior year as one of her school's top scholars with college
ambitions filling her head.
Becca's mother tells her she can't apply for financial aid. Too
many chances for the wrong people tracking them down. What can she
do? The college she yearns to get into is quite pricey, nothing she
can afford without an awful lot of help...help that might come at a
terrible cost.
On a personal note, my Amber now has her masters degree. Her hooding
was last Friday and her graduation ceremony was the next day. I'm
very proud of her.
A great big shout out goes out to Amber and her fellow graduates.
Julia Emily Hathaway




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Wicked Cruel

Wicked Cruel

Most of our kids have grown up on urban legends ranging from the
simplicity of the cautionary razor blade in the Halloween apple (not
sure anyone's ever found one in real life--just gave us parents the
chance to snitch a few sweet tidbits while dutifully examining candy
wrappers) to the richly detailed Bloody Mary. If the kids in my life
are any indication they love them. In Wicked Cruel: Three urban
legends Rich Wallace brings us some of the most original, spine
tingling, beautifully crafted spooky tales it's ever been my great
good fortune to read.
The three stories are tied together by a sense of place. The
common setting is an old New England college town, richly and lovingly
described to the point of feeling familiar. Cheshire Notch is a town
of 25,000 joined during the school year by 6,000 students. Oh yeah,
if there is any truth to rumors, the berg also boasts phantoms, both
two and four legged.
Wicked Cruel involves a boy, Lorne, who moved away from town
after being bullied by just about all of his peers. One day Jordan
sees him in a video of a concert. When he replays it Lorne has
disappeared. This turns out to be only the first of a number of
unexpected nocturnal Lorne sightings. What makes them bizarre and
unlikely is that word on the street is that he has died from brain
damage caused by his many beatings.
The Horses of Brickyard Pond concerns a team drowned when they
were unable to escape a surge of water from an aquafer, but evidently
not completely gone. Some folks claim to have seen their frightening
apparition. This includes Danny's poet father who has documented his
close encounter in verse.
My favorite, though, is Rites Of Passage. A reputedly haunted
tavern is the former home of a farmer who built five barns. Under
each he buried one of his five children. They all died tragically
young, none living past fourteen. A daughter, it seems, did not move
on to another sphere, maintaining the ability to appear, communicate
with the living, and even dance.
Summer is the perfect time for late night bonfires. A few
s'mores and the reading aloud of one of these stories would make for a
perfect spooky evening. Works for me. ;)
On a personal note, last Friday was Orono Arts Cafe. My three poems
were well received, especially the one about frisbee. In Maine, it
seems, everyone loves that passtime.
A great big shout out goes out to all frisbee lovers, including those
of the canine variety.
Julia Emily Hathaway




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And We Stay

And We Stay

Jenny Hubbard's And We Stay starts off like one of those
headline news stories that horrify (and fascinate) so many people
until something new and gruesome replaces them. A high school student
with seemingly everything going for him points a gun at his girlfriend
and then turns it on himself. One young life is ended; another is
deeply scarred.
Unlike the viewer/reader who can dismiss the tragedy with maybe
thank God that wasn't me, bereaved Emily, Hubbard's protagonist, must
go on day by day, navigating a drastically changed emotional
landscape. Not to mention a drastically altered physical landscape.
She has been pulled from the high school she and Paul had attended and
placed in a boarding school where she knows no one in the middle of
her junior year.
In a skillfull alternation of poetry and prose, looking back to
the tragedy, ahead to the future, and inward, And We Stand gives a
poignant picture of a young woman struggling to survive and recover
from a life altering tragedy. "...Fine means no highs or lows. Fine
means no troubles, no conflicts..." Who can she trust? How much must
she hide of her past...even from herself. This is a gem in the
realistic fiction genre and a must read for all high school guidance
counselors.
On a personal note, this year Easter was really good. I started off
with a sunrise service and church breakfast jointly put on by my two
churches. Then I went to the in-laws' abode for a family
celebration. What put me in mind of Easter? The Easter basket I
received just last Friday when it was donated to Black Bear Exchange.
All the goodies including a good sized chocolate bunny. Never will be
too old for that.
A great big shout out goes out to both my church families.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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Two From Tilbury

Two From Tilbury

One of my absolute favorite publishing houses is Maine's own
Tilbury House. They carry a small line of some of the most distinct
and memorable books around. So it was much to my delight that one
day, shelving picture books, I found two of their imprints from 2010.
To those of us who reside in northern states like Maine snow is
pretty much taken for granted. This year, in fact, in nearly
everyone's minds, the cold, white stuff wore out its welcome by
weeks. Can you imagine, however, how exciting and mysterious it would
be if you had never seen it?
Amadi, protagonist of Katia Novet Saint-Lot's Amadi's Snowman
lives in Nigeria. His mother is always after him to have Mrs.
Chikodili teach him how to read. He has no idea why. He already
knows numbers. He wants to be a trader, a man of business. What does
he need the written word for?
One day at the market he sees an older friend, Chima, at a book
stall. Chima is holding a book with a picture of a very strange
creature with a carrot nose. What exactly is it? What will the boy
in the picture do with it?
Could books and reading actually have some relevance in his life?
In Jan West Schrock's Give A Goat curiosity goes in the other
direction. A class of Maine students is fidgity because of too much
rain. Their teacher, Mrs. Rowell, reads them a book about Beatrice, a
girl in Uganda, whose dreams of going to school come true when her
family receives a goat from Heifer International. The students are
inspired. They want to give a goat even after Mrs. Rowell warns them
that it will take a lot of hard work.
This book is a great one for teachers, scout leaders, and other
folks who influence and inspire the next generation. The process from
inspiration to achievement is broken down very clearly. If you want
people to care about global problems, to feel empowered rather than
indifferent or overwhelmed, the earlier you get to them, the better!
On a personal note, as I look forward to my September birthday I think
way across the globe. The celebration will consist of a supper and
silent auction to raise money for education for little girls in far
away nations. So far everyone I want involved is excited. YOWZA! My
mom who was big on person to person diplomacy would be so happy!
a great big shout out goes out to all who look beyond their nation's
borders with curiosity and caring.
Julia Emily Hathaway



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The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate

The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate

Juvenile historical fiction
"...So I didn't like to talk patterns and recipes and pour tea
in the parlor. Did that make me selfish? Did it make me odd? Worst
of all, did it make me a disappointment?..."
Calpurnia, narrator of Jacqueline Kelly's The Evolution Of
Capurnia Tate, is the exact middle child of seven. She's also the
only daughter of a very proper, very traditional woman whose life
revolves around house, church, and family. She's often painfully
aware that she's probably not what her mom anticipated on the day she
gave birth to her one and only girl child.
Calpurnia has very strong passions. They just don't revolve
around cooking and cleaning. Her tatting and embroidery leave much to
be desired. Baking lessons are an ordeal.
As the story begins Calpurnia and her retired grandfather, the
family patriarch who lives with them, become unlikely allies. He's a
naturalist, a formidale seeming fellow, a free thinker who debates the
then new Origin Of The Species with the family's minister. One day he
is horrified to discover the deficiencies in her education. She is
only studying reading, spelling, arithmetic, penmanship, and
deportment. ("I got an 'acceptable' for Posture but 'unsatisfactory'
for Use of Hankie and Thimble.") She's never heard of Sir Isaac Newton
or Sir Francis Bacon!
From then on he introduces her to a new and wondrous world, one
much more fascinating than tatting lace collars. He shows her to find
the most cleverly camoflauged of critters. He describes the
scientific method. They observe a deer and calf. He gives her a
fragile hummingbird's nest.
In my favorite passage from the book her grandfather shows
Calpurnia a drop of river water under a microscope. "Something with
many tiny hairs rowed past at high speed; something else with a
lashing tail whipped by; a tumbling barbed sphere like a medieval mace
rolled past; delicate, filmy ghostlike shadows flitted in and out of
the field. It was chaotic, it was wild, it was...the most amazing
thing I'd ever seen."
Even as they grow closer, there are forces at work to end or at
least weaken their partnership. Calpurnia's mom has decided she's old
enough to learn how to manage a household. There are socks to knit,
recipes to learn from the cook...and that all important debutante
season where her family can formally notify eligible bachelors of her
availability. Calpurnia likens that ritual to a slave auction.
Looking ahead to the only future society seems to allow her,
Calournia feels like a trapped beast. But the world is on the verge
of not only a new year, but a new century. Surely there must be just
a glimmer of hope.
The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate is a must read for every girl or
woman who has ever fought to define herself in a still too stereotyped
society. Calpurnia is a spunky articulate heroine you can't help
rooting for. Each chapter starts with a quote from Darwin's Origin Of
The Species that cleverly ties natural history in with the workings of
her family and community.
On a personal note, Calpurnia and I would have been chums. The
natural world has always fascinated me. I could sit for hours
watching, drawing, and writing descriptions of environs like tidal
pools. As soon as I was allowed to handle sharp instruments I began
to dissect animal specimens, including a 5' great white shark, in the
bathroom. (Mom would just say, "Clean up after yourself." I suspect
Calpurnia's would have required a strong dose of Lydia Pinkham's for
her poor shattered nerves.). In fact, in a delightful sort of irony, I
became so engrossed in writing this review the shortcake biscuits I
had in the oven nearly burned before I thought to pull them out.
Calpurnia would have appreciated that!
A great big shout out goes out to my sisters in spirit past, present,
and future.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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Paperboy

Paperboy

Juvenile fiction
When the hubby and I moved to Veazie in anticipation of our
first baby, one of the first folks who knocked on my door was 11-year-
old P. J. (Peter Junior) Munn. He let me know that he would really
appreciate the chance to deliver the Bangor Daily News to my door.
That was an offer I could not refuse. P. J. and his little sister,
Heather, came through beautifully. When I was able to grab my first
coffee of the day my paper was always right at hand. And my carriers
were some of the most courteous young people I saw on a regular basis.
Maybe you've had that kind of experience. Maybe you were the
young woman or man bundling the newspapers and heading off in the wee
hours on your appointed round. Maybe your growing up years were
effected by your on the job training and close encounters of the
customer kind. Vince Vawter captures the essence of this coming of
age ritual beautifully in his first novel, Paperboy.
Stuttering is a torment for 11-year-old Victor. So many words
containing problem sounds are difficult for him to say, including his
own name. In baseball he's a pitching star. Off the mound just
answering seemingly simple questions or expressing thoughts is a
serious challenge. In 1959 speech therapy was not as state of the art
as it is today.
Needless to say, when he takes over his vacationing best
friend's paper route for a month, Friday afternoon collections are
what scares Victor. Just anticipating telling someone he or she owes
ninety-five cents gives him the heebie jeebies. Deliveries seem
easy. All his practice in precise and powerful throwing would be a
decided asset. What he is not at all prepared for is the knowledge of
some of his customers he gains. A beautiful red haired woman has him
fearing for her safety. A retired merchant marine shows him new and
fascinating ways in which to view the world.
Oh, yeah, and simmering in the background is a very real danger
posed by a neighborhood junk man with a penchant for theft and violence.
After reading Paperboy, it came as no surprise to learn that
Vawter had to overcome stuttering in his own life. His protagonist's
voice is too authentic to be based on anything other than personal
experience. This poignant coming of age novel, combining memoir and
fiction, is a good summer reading list selection.
On a personal note, last Saturday was the long awaited first session
of Orono Community Garden. We cleared beds and did the first seed
sowing. I was quite proud of being able to shovel out a whole truck
load of mulch without the slightest ache or stiffness.
A great big shout out goes out to kids and adults who struggle with
speech impediments and the professionals who help them find their
voices.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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The Power Of Habit

The Power Of Habit

Adult Nonfiction
According to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power Of Habit: Why
We Do What We Do In Life And Business, much of our life is conducted
on autopilot. A decision or action that takes conscious intent
becomes something we do without thinking--a decidedly double edged
sword. On the good side it streamlines routines so we can accomplish
more. Remember how much concentration parallel parking took when you
first learned it? On the bad side it can lock us into practices that
we can't seem to break even when we come to regret them. I know my
mom used to wonder if I would jeopardize my future honeymoon by thumb
sucking when even the bitterest of substances had no effect on that
annoying practice.
Fortunately for us, Duhigg is quick to assert that habits do not
have to be destiny. If you become aware of the componants of habits
and analyze how they manifest themselves in your life you can replace
them with better responses to the cues that elicit them. Notice he
does not say giving them up because the cues are still there. Let's
look at that thumb sucking. Mom's just say no approach did not work
because I still went to bed every night. It was when I substituted
another way of getting to sleep (well before the honeymoon) that I was
able to keep my thumb where it would not deter a future husband.
Duhigg does a great service to all of us who would like to at
least tweak a habit. Rather than give one of those annoying my way or
the highway lists, he encourages self examination. What is it about a
cup of coffee that necessitates a cigarette? Why, despite best
intentions, do we often flop on the sofa and turn on the tv istead of
at least taking a walk? The kind of insight he encourages can become
a very workable action plan. One success can be the motivation for
more attempts in a positive cascade.
However, Duhigg gives us a whole lot more to ponder. He shows
us how his principles apply very well to marketing and movements.
He's got everything from why and how Target determines which of their
customers are pregnant to why Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus
seat triggered the Civil Rights movement. He uses a very readable
blend of research and anecdote to create a book most of us would do
well to read. You might just want to blunt the power of marketers to
reel you in with their highly researched tactics. And if you're at
all like me, yearning to change the world, you will find a real
treasure.
On a personal note, Duhigg shows that changing just one keystone habit
can lead to almost automotic transformations in others. That affirmed
something that had happened to me not long before I got my hands on
the book. I had some money my college professor mother had left me.
I decided to not only leave it alone in my savings account, but to add
a little each week. Even though I have no regular paying job I
decided it would happen. What I deposit is often just what I glean
from deposits on cans and bottles people throw out or toss on the road
side. By conventional standards it's highly unimpressive. I've heard
it quipped that: oh, wow, I have enough to buy one textbook. Just
having and adding to that small sum makes my goal of grad school feel
attainable. I've set a target year, attended an open house, gathered
information, and begun documenting my relevant school board vice chair
achievements (and arranging for really challenging ones) that can give
me an edge over the fresh-out-of-college competition. I walk taller
and speak with more confidence. I've told enough people my plans to
make chickening out not an option. Last but not least, walking has
gone from a bus fare saving obligation to year round Easter egg hunt,
thanks to those beautiful cans and bottles I can collect and cash in.
YOWZA!
A great big shout out goes out to all who strive to change the habits
that make their lives less fulfilling.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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