Crispin and the Cross of Lead

Crispin and the Cross of Lead
by Avi
Hyperion Books for Children, 2002, Intermediate Fiction, 262 p.
Astor's son has always lived with his mother on the edge of starvation in a small town in 14th century England.  The mother has been shunned for some reason her son doesn't understand, and he shares in her status.  When she dies of illness, Astor's son doesn't know where to go or what to do, but he soon discovers that the overseer of the manor wants him dead as well.  A kindly priest gives him a cross that used to belong to his mother, tells him his birth name is Crispin, and urges him to flee the city.  Out on the open road Crispin meets a juggler, called Bear, who takes him on, first as a servant and then as an apprentice.  The juggler is also more than he seems, and soon both he and Crispin are running from the magistrates.  Will Crispin ever truly be free?

Avi gives a "warts and all" view of life in medieval England.  Crispin is an authentic character for the time period, having grown up without any hope of ever being free from servitude.  The beauty of the book is how he slowly learns to see himself as a free soul who might choose his own path. This book won the Newbery Award in 2003 and is a great choice for  a junior high age student who is required to read a historical fiction or for anyone who likes the per-renaissance.

The Boy Who Dared

The Boy Who Dared
by Susan Bartoletti
Scholastic Press, 2008, 202 pg., Youth Historical Fiction

Helmuth does not want to die. He had known the risk he was taking with the radio. He had known how dangerous it was to write his pamphlets. He does not want to die. But he did what was right. He will not apologize for that.


This story is - incredible, shocking, unbelievable - but it is based on a real boy. Helmuth was born in Germany and grew up in during Hitler's rise to power. He was a talented boy, but he was also just a boy. He used his talents to think for himself and found he did not agree with what the Nazi party preached. Even though his was taught to obey the laws of his country, even if he did not like them, he was also taught to do what was right. It is difficult to imagine what to do in moments such as that. It is even harder to realize that for Helmuth his choice came at a price. This is a fantastic book about what courage, forgiveness, and truth looks like in life's darkest moments. This is a great book for anyone who likes history, WWII, or true stories. Sensitive readers should be aware that this books deals with the harsh realities of Hitler's regime. Those who like The Dairy of Anne Frank may be particularly interested in the book.

The Alice Network

The Alice Network
By Kate Quinn
Harper Collins, 2017, 503 pg., Historical Fiction

In 1915 Eve Gardiner was asked to join a secret spy network in France. Run by a woman named "Alice" the network spied on the German's to help end the Great War. Eve became Daisy and posed as a waitress in the restaurant Le Lethe where she was able to eavesdrop on German officers and pass along secrets that could help end the war - but it all came at a price. By the end of the war the Network had collapsed and Eve is left wrecked to live out her life in London.

In 1947 Charlie St. Clair is trying to save her family from the ravages of World War II, but she feels like she is continually failing everyone. Now she has run away from her mother, who insists she must go to Switzerland to take care of her "little problem," and she is looking for a woman named Eve Gardiner. Eve Gardiner may be the only person who can help Charlie find her cousin Rose, who disappeared in France during the War.

This is a fantastic novel, which explains why it was picked as part of Reese Witherspoon's Book Club. Based on the true story of the real Alice Network and "the queen of spies" Louise de Bettignies, this is a story of two wars that destroyed lives and changed the world over and over again. It is the story of women and their friendships, heartaches, loves, and loses. It is a story of survival, sturggle, and courage in all its forms. This is great for anyone who loves World War stories, but also may appeal to fans of The Nightingale, or Secrets of a Charmed Life. Readers should be aware that this book deals with violence, drugs, swearing, death, and sex.

Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation

Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation
by John Carlin
Penguin Press, 2008, Nonfiction, 274 p.
This engaging nonfiction book follows Nelson Mandela's political path for ten years, from the time he was in prison to the triumphant win of the South African rugby team of the world cup in 1995.  Carlin shows how Nelson's charisma and political genius kept South Africa out of civil war and how he used rugby to unite a nation.  I have read Invictus before and enjoyed it, but I think I enjoyed this one more.  Invictus was more about the players, but this focuses more on Mandela and how his gentle but powerful personality won over one opponent after another.  The message of the book is so timely: forgiveness and trust can do more than hate and force to build a strong country. This is a great read to celebrate Black History Month.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
By Mildred D. Taylor
Puffin Books, 1997, 276 pg., Youth Historical Fiction

In 1933 Mississippi Cassie Logan and her family live and work on their 400 acre farm. Unlike many of their sharecropper neighbors the Logan's own their land. However, they still have to pay taxes on their land and the mortgage on the last 200 acres. Now with the Great Depression Papa has had to go work on the railroad to help make enough money. Life is still hard for a black family though. Night-riding men have been causing trouble for Cassie's neighbors and everybody is nervous. When the Logan's friend TJ starts hanging out with the Simmses brothers, the Logan's no that no good will come of it. But more important to Cassie's family is how they are going to pay the mortgage now that Mama has been fired and the loan is being called in. If they can't find a way to pay the mortgage Mr. Harlan Granger will take it all away from them.

This book won the Newbery Medal in 1977. Mildred D. Taylor wrote a wonderful story about family, friendship, history, and dignity; but it is also about segregation, conflict, and race. What I like about this book is that Taylor shows the human side of these issues. Each character is far more then the color of their skin, they are a person - a person who is relatable to the reader. For example, who has ever worried about getting dirt on their clothes on their way to somewhere important? Who has ever been excited about having something new of their very own? Who has ever worried about how the adults in their life are going to get through hard times? Who has ever worried about making friends with the right or wrong people? Who has ever been afraid of another human being? This is a great book for 6-8 graders, but adults and families will enjoy it too. Readers should know that due to it's subject matter there are instances of violence, racial slurs, and death.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The Tattooist of Auschwitz 
by Heather Morris
Harper Collins, 2018, Fiction, 288 p.

Ludwig (Lale) offers to give himself up to the Nazis in hopes that it will save his family.  He is shipped to Berkenau concentration camp where, by several chance encounters, he becomes the official tattooist, who tattoos the ID numbers on all the prisoners as they enter the camp.  His assignment gives him special privileges which he uses to try to help other prisoners whenever he can.  One prisoner means more to him than all the others, a young woman named Gita. It is his love for her that gives him the courage to try to survive and help her survive as well.

This book was one of the top ten books checked out at the Highland Library last year and that is why I read it even though Holocaust books are always hard for me to read. Though it was hard, I am glad I read it.  It is beautifully written and emotionally powerful.  I actually didn't realize until I read the author's note that it was based on a true story.   It is a great book and I do recommend it but know what you are getting into.  The author doesn't leave much out. There are horrific scenes, though the author has a good sense of how much detail to include.  But harder to read is the sadistic cruelty of many of the guards. Lale's humanity, hope, and love for Gita helps the reader get through the hard parts. This book is available from the Library in print, on CD, as an ebook and e-audiobook.

Pope Joan

Pope Joan

by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Crown Publishers, 1996, Fiction, 422 p

Joan is born to a tyrannical church leader in 814 Frankland.  Joan has an eager mind and an academic aptitude in a time when women were expected to only keep house and care for children.  She convinces her brother to teach her how to read, and catches the eye of a progressive scholar who teachers her Latin and Greek.  When her brother is killed in a Viking raid, Joan decides to cut her hair and assume her brother's identity so that she can continue her studies at a monastery.  There she learns healing lore and her medical skills eventually lead her to become the physician to the Pope.  Fate further takes her hand and leads her to be elected to the Papacy.

I found this title on our library's "Good Reads" book list and couldn't resist.  It is a fictionalization of a real historical legend that there once was a woman who briefly became Pope.  Many scholars discount the story and the Catholic church denies it, but some scholars argue that there are enough historical clues to make it plausible. The novel has many elements that I really enjoyed.  Joan is a complex and endearingly flawed character.  Her relationship with Gerold is likewise complex and believable. I am fascinated by that time period, which the author  has carefully researched and (in an end note) calls the darkest of the dark ages.  I am a bit of a medieval humanities geek, but I think a lot of people who like historical fiction would enjoy this book.

The Library Book

 

The Library Book
By Susan Orlean
Simon & Schuster, 2018, Nonfiction, 319 p.

In 1986 there was a terrible fire in the Los Angeles Central Library.  Over 400,000 books either burned or were destroyed by water and over $2,000,000 of damage was done to the building.  Fire investigators thought the fire was the result of arson, and believed that a man, Harry Peal, was the one that held the match, but there was never enough evidence to convict him.  Thirty years later the library has been rebuilt and expanded, but the mystery remains. In this engaging nonfiction Ms Orlean has done an amazing amount of research to lay all the evidence before the reader.  She also gives an fascinating history of one of the US's most innovative libraries, and a peek into what life at the LA Library is like today. Part mystery, part love song to public libraries, this is a great choice for anyone who ever felt at home with a library book in their hand.

The Giver of Stars

The Giver of Stars
by Jojo Moyes
Viking, 2019, 390 pg., Historical Fiction

Alice was thrilled to marry the handsome Bennett Van Cleave and leave behind her dull life in England. She imagined that married life in Kentucky would be full of all the happiness she craved. But when her marriage remains cool and the locals of the small Kentucky town eye her with either suspicion, humor, and sometimes outright hatred; she realizes that she had no idea what she was getting into. Margery O'Hara is an independent woman who has never allowed herself to rely on anyone. It's how she survived her poor Appalachian family. Now she is determined to lead the new traveling pack horse library initiative inspired by Mrs. Roosevelt and funded by the WPA. Margery, Alice, and other women in the community set out to deliver books and encourage literacy to the impoverished mountain folks. But when murder stalks the library's doorstep it just might undo everything they worked for - and their lives.

This novel is a pick for Reese Witherspoon's book club, and it deserves that distinction. Moyoes' characters are deep and captivating. Their lives intertwine to form a beautiful story of love and friendship. But Moyoes went a step further and did fantastic research on not only the WPA's pack horse library, but also what personal lives for women were like in late 1930's Kentucky. This lends her story a powerful backdrop. Readers who enjoyed books such as Kirsten Hannah's The Nightingale or The Great Alone, Susan Meissner's Secrets of a Charmed Life, Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing, or Lisa See's Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane will also enjoy this title. Readers should be aware that there are scenes of death, murder, domestic violence, some language, and sexual content.

The Guest Book

The Guest Book
By Sarah Blake
Viking, 2019, 486 pg., Historical Fiction

"'Wars, plagues, names upon tombs tell us only what happened. But history lies in the cracks between. In the inexplicable, invisible turns - when someone puts a had down, pushes open one particular gate, and steps through. A man saying no instead of yes, two hands grasped on a dark street. A twenty-year-old nun in her cell, eyes closed, praying, touching the word God in a book we recover, over and over and over, so that what we have left is the trace of her devotion. In the erasing of that word' - she paused - ' is a person. That is history.'" (pg. 43-44    )

For me, this quote defines why I love this book, and what I think is part of it's message. The actual plot of this book center's on an island off the coast of Maine and the three generations of the family who owns it. The story moves back and forth between present and past, and is told from multiple characters perspectives. It can be a little confusing. But at its heart Blake seeks to show the human side of many difficult moments in history. I love how this book addresses some of the most difficult points in American history; Jews, the Holocaust, Segregation, and Feminism, but focuses on the humanity of peoples choices. Blake does not spend time criticizing her characters choices (nor does she praise them), but instead she illuminates the struggles they go through in making them - and living with the consequences. She also does not tie up all the loose ends, which I think is appropriate, because in history there are some choices we will never really know. As she points out early on, history, people, may sometimes be found in the act of erasing - in what is not there.

This would be a great book for those who enjoy complex plots and characters. Historical fiction fans may enjoy it as well. Readers should be aware that there is some swearing, death, and sexual content.

The Hired Girl

The Hired Girl
by Laura Amy Schlitz
Candlewick, 2015, Young Adult Fiction, 400 p.

14-year-old Joan lives on a farm in 1911 with a cruel father and several brothers.  Her mother has died, and Joan is expected to do all the cooking and cleaning for the men.  Her only solace is a few books that a beloved teacher gave her before her father forced her to leave school.  When, one day, her father burns her books and tells her she is worthless and never likely to marry, Joan plots her escape.  Being large and strong for her age, she is able to pass as an 18-year-old and is hired by a wealthy Jewish family , the Rosenbachs, as a "hired girl"--a cook and maid. They are good to her and for the first time she has a little spending money to buy books and small luxuries. Things get complicated when she finds herself falling in love with the youngest son of her employer. Could things every work out between a poor Catholic girl and a rich Jewish boy who, against his father's will, would love to be an artist?

This title got a lot of positive reviews and won several awards when it came out in 2015 and it deserves every one.  Joan is funny, intelligent, and very much an authentic 14-year-old. All the members of the Rosenbach family are well drawn and interestingly complex.  Schlitz weaves both rye humor and serious issues into a delightful and meaningful tapestry.  This book is found the the Young Adult section, but adults who like historical fiction will enjoy it, too. 

Lovely War

Lovely War
By Julie Berry
Viking, 2019, 468 pg., Historical Young Adult Fiction

1942 : Hephaestus set the perfect trap. He would catch his wife, Aphrodite, and his brother, Ares, in their affair and place them on trial. But he is surprised when Aphrodite decides to defend herself by telling the stories of two of her greatest masterpieces. So begins the stories of Hazel, a quite piano player from London, James a brand new British soldier off to fight in the Great War, Colette a heartbroken orphan from Belgium, and Aubrey a African American Ragtime playing soldier. Aphrodite describes how she helps each of these young people to find and build their love stories. Through it all she seeks to make her husband see her for who she really is. She strives to show that what makes human love so great is their ability to love beyond and because of their scars.

This is a great romance. Told from multiple perspectives the characters endure the struggles of the Great War (WWI). I loved how I was able to get pulled into the stories and had to keep reading to find out what the characters were going to do next. A book that can pull you in like that is special. I also liked that this was such a clean romance, no sex scenes. This would be a great read for anyone who is a fan historical fiction or romance, fans of books like Blackmoore or Edenbrooke, older fans of The War That Saved My Life, or even fans of stories involving Greek Gods (Percy Jackson anyone?).

The Island of Sea Women

The Island of Sea Women

By Lisa See

Scribner, 2019, 365 pg., Historical Fiction

"No one picks a friend for us; we come together by choice, We are not tied together through ceremony or the responsibility to create a son.; we tie ourselves together through moments. The spark when we first meet. Laughter and tears shared. Secrets packed away to treasured, hoarded, and protected. The wonder that someone can be so different from you and yet still understand your heart in a way no one else ever will." (pg. 36)

See's story of  Young-sook and Mi-ja is a masterpiece. It follows the lives to two girls as they grow up and become women. They are tied together by their love of the sea, but are torn apart by war. They face unbelievable choices and heart-ache, but ultimately their friendship survives through their shared memories, their love, and the sea.

I have been a fan of Lisa See's book for sometime. She invests so much research into each of her books, and then crafts emotional stories of women's lives, love, friendship, and tragedy. Typically her stories revolve around Chinese history, but this new book takes place on a small Korean island called Jeju and the fading historical tradition of the haenyeo. The characters are so life like readers will find themselves growing attached to them. Fans of Lisa See's other books such as The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane or Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will enjoy this new book, as will fans of Kristen Hannah's The Nightingale. 

Readers should be advised that this book contains violence, swearing, and adult sexual content.

Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Olsen
J.P. Putnam's Sons, 2018, Fiction, 379 p.

Kya is the youngest of a large family in the marsh lands of North Carolina.  Even though she has a loving mother and siblings, her father is abusive.  In the face of his violence the members of her family leave, one by one, until only Kya and her father are left.  Then he leaves and Kya, age 10, is left to fend for herself.  She learns to survive on her own, leery of establishing relationships because of fear of further abandonment.  Then Tate enters her life, teaches her to read, and opens for her the world of science and love.  Years later the body of a local hotshot is found on the ground below a fire watch tower.  Kya becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation.  Can Tate, and the others who have come to know Kya, overcome the town's prejudice against the "Marsh Girl?"

Here is another book that has been on the top of the reading charts for months. It is an atmospheric murder mystery/romance with a lot of lush detail and a twisting plot.  Most of all it is a"coming of age" novel that tells how Kya learns to stop being a victim and take control of her own destiny. 

(Readers should be aware that this book contains images of physical and sexual abuse that might be offensive to some.)

Fever 1793

Fever 1793
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Maddie is a young teen living in Philadelphia in 1793.  Her father has died, but she helps her mother run a successful coffee shop.  One day in September one of their serving girls dies suddenly of a mysterious illness.  Soon others around the city are dying and word gets around that it is Yellow Fever. Maddie and her mother try to keep the coffee house open, but then her mother falls ill. Maddie flees the city with her grandfather, but when they both fall ill, they are left to the winds of fate.

This is a vivid look at a brief, but devastating flu epidemic. Although the story is fictional, it is based on a real event and Anderson uses carefully researched detail to put the reader into the experience.  Maddie is a strong and appealing character and her story is both exciting and harrowing. 

Bushnell's Submarine: The Best Kept Secret of the American Revolution

Bushnell's Submarine: The Best Kept Secret of the American Revolution
By Arthur S. Lefkowitz
Scholastic Nonfiction, 2006, Nonfiction, 125pg.


David Bushnell is a little known American inventor. At the age of 31 he entered Yale College in 1771 and graduated just as the American Revolution began. His invention is considered one of the earliest submarines, and was one of the first to be used in combat. Designed with the intention of helping the rebel American's fight off the British Navy (the most powerful Navy in the world at that time), Bushnell's submarine was a example not only of advanced scientific engineering, but of American patriotism. Though his submarine never succeeded in blowing up a British ship, it's tale is one of heroism and the fascinating question of "What if it had worked?"

This really is a interesting story of history and Lefkowitz does an excellent job of telling it. Though his writing is steeped in research, it does not take on the erudite tone that can make a nonfiction history books terribly boring. It is told in a simple easy to read language. It is also not incredibly long. However, readers are able to walk away feeling like they have learned a great deal about the war, the people, science, and what the early patriots were will up against in their battle against Britain. This is a great book for history fans in general, but especially early American history buffs. This would also be a great title for anyone who want's to read a nonfiction book, but doesn't want to get bogged down in a large tome filled with unfamiliar terminology.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
by Alan Bradley
Bantam Books, 2010, Fiction, 385 p.
Flavia is an 11-year-old girl who lives in a venerable old house in England. Her mother has died, and she lives with two sisters, her father, and some domestics.  Flavia is obsessed with chemistry and is never happier than when she is distilling poisons in her great uncle's laboratory.  One day she hears an argument in her father's study, and then finds a man dead in the house's culinary garden. Could her father be a murder?  The police think so and it is up to Flavia to prove them wrong, if she can.

The charm of this book is Flavia's complex personality.  She is at once intrepid and vulnerable, cold blooded and compassionate.  Bradley has caught the essence of per-pubescent exuberance, still unfettered by hormones or social consciousness.  On top of that, Bradley has created a host of other interesting characters, a charming setting, and a well crafted plot.  This is an older book, but definitely worth trying if you haven't already.

Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing
By Delia Owens
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2018, 370 pg., Fiction

Kya remembers the day her mother left. After that, one by one, so did her siblings and finally her father. Alone in the marsh she learns how to survive on her own. The marsh is her home. It is her family, her world. No one knows the marsh like her. Kya only ventures into town when she has to and people there call her "the marsh girl." Very few ever reach out and even less care about her - until Chase Andrews shows up dead. Suddenly the whole town focuses on Kya, Chase's murder, and the brutal quest for justice.

There is a reason this book has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for 50 weeks.  First let's talk about the setting. This book is set on the marshes of the North Carolina Coast in the 1960's and 70's. It is a time of racial and social prejudice. It is also a remote landscape - human wise, but the animal and plant life abound and the marsh is a character in itself. Now let's talk about the language. Owens is practically poetic in her descriptions of the marsh. Sentences echo their subject - from lush march grasses, the flapping seagulls, to rhythm of ocean tides. Owens has captured the what the human senses would describe were the reader to actually visit a marsh - and she has put it on paper. Next let's discuss her characters. Kya is of course the main character and much of the book focuses on Kya's character development, but she also builds each and every other character alongside Kya, piece by piece. While it may seem to be aggravatingly slow each character emerges so complete that they are all but tangible. Owens tops this off with a rich and captivating story line. Chapters move back and forth between the present - Chase Andrews murder - and the Kya's past in order to tell the story. Both story lines move side by side until they intersect; the overarching question being "who killed Chase Andrew's?" I was positively captivated by this book. There is no other way to describe it. It is a must reader. Readers who enjoy historical fiction/drama, mystery,  or coming of age stories.
Reader's should know that this book does contain mature romance, abuse, and strong language.

Sold on a Monday

 

Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris
Sourcebook Landmark, 2018, Fiction. 352 p
Ellis is a want-a-be reporter in Chicago during the depression.  He is stuck writing for the society page, but dreams of getting his big break.  He is also a budding photographer, and when he snaps a picture of two boys with a sign that says, "2 Children for Sale" he has no idea where the picture will take him. Lily works as a secretary at the same paper, but she, too, has hopes of a more illustrious writing career.  She also has a secret and when she starts working with Ellis to find out what happened to the kids in his picture, her own life threatens to unravel.

I picked up this one because it was a New York Times Best Seller when it came out last year.  It started out feeling like a straight forward historical fiction, but turned into a mystery with a little romance at the end. The author has a great way of throwing in historical details that put the reader right into the depression era.  The main characters are interesting and appealing.  There are a lot of complicated and sympathetic relationships.  If you are a historical fiction lover, this may be your next favorite read. (2018, 352 p.)

Beyond the Bright Sea

Beyond the Bright Sea
By Lauren Wolk
Button Books for Young Readers, 2017, 304 pg., Youth Historical Fiction

It is human nature to want to know where we came from, where we were born, and who our parents were. For many, these questions can be easily answered; but there are many for whom these questions may take a life time to figure out. Crow is one of these latter people. All she knows is that Osh, her adopted father figure, found her washed up on the shore of his little island in the Elizabeths. The boat she was in was small and barley sea worthy and she was only hours old. Up until her 12th year this was satisfactory for Crow, but now she wants to know more. Where are, or were, her parents? Why did they send her away? Does she have family somewhere other then Cuttyhunk?

Wolk has written a touching and poignant tale. The characters are wonderful and the reader becomes attached to them. This attachment pulls the reader into the story; making them want to know what happens next, what are the answers to Crow's questions, and what is she going to do about them? Wolk has done some excellent research about the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts in the 1920's. Readers will learn things they may never have known existed. As far as reading level goes this book is good for children 5 grade and up, and adults will enjoy it as well. As far as content is concerned, readers should know that this book may shock or upset sensitive readers. A major plot point revolves around a serious illness, and while it is not necessarily frightening, it is sad. That being said the book resolves into a contented, though not perfect ending. I for one was pleased with it's bittersweet story. This would be a great read for those who enjoyed Wolk's Wolf Hollow.