Whatcha Reading??

I just finished reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson and what an exciting adventure story as we follow young Jim Hawkins as he leaves his seaside village to take to the high seas and then to search for buried treasure on Treasure Island. He meets some most interesting characters along the way such as an old seaman named Billy Bones, Black Dog and of course Long John Silver himself. The search is on for the treasure buried by long dead Captain Flint, "the bloodthirstiest buccaneer that ever lived," and along the way young Jim learns some things about himself and his fellow crew members. It is a coming of age sort of story and filled with adventure. In this story, Stevenson gives us our popular perception of pirates with treasure maps where x marks the spot to the buried treasure, and the one-legged pirate with a parrot on his shoulder.

So, what are you reading? Stop by the desk sometime and let me know of the stories you've read and liked. I'd love to hear about them and also any stories you think we should add to the collection at our library.

Recommended reading:

Anything by Richard Peck. He is one of my favorites and I especially love his Long Way from Chicago, A Year Down Yonder, and A Season of Gifts--three books in which we meet his wonderful character, Mrs. Dowdle. Mrs. Dowdle is the grandmotherly type with lots of spunk and gumption. Just hilariously funny and heartfelt all at the same time.

Also, I'm a big fan of Vivian Vande Velde. Her books have kind of a spooky element about them and two of my favorites that we have are Stolen and Curses, inc.

You might like to listen to The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick which is about a boy who runs off to try to rescue his brother who has been sold into service in the Civil War--another lighthearted adventure in which Homer tries to be truthful about the retelling of such events, being the chronic fibber that he is.