Welcome Myri Hale!

Another contributor! Welcome! Now let's get some discussion going about what we are reading. I'm still on my Robin McKinley binge, and really enjoying it. I also have gotten my husband to re-read Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy so that he can read the newer three titles -- Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea, and The Other Wind. Those are the BEST!

Welcome to Mrs. Brown as well!

This is great -- 2 new contributors in 2 days! It's a long weekend -- whatcha readin'?

Welcome Brandi

Let's hear it for Brandi (such a fine girl), our newest contributor! What are you going to read this weekend, now that finals are finished? I would love to be reading An Abundance of Katherines, but unfortunately, it is checked out. So I guess I'll have to knit instead. Or borrow a book from Lindi.

Robin McKinley

I've just re-read The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley, and am now in the middle of The Hero and the Crown. I LOVE these books! Her heroines are smart and funny. Her writing is good and the adventures are really exciting. This is fantasy for people who like to think. They are old -- like 20 years, so some of you may have missed them, but McKinley is still one of my favorite fantasy/fairy tale authors.

My only quibble is that she doesn't write enough! And I was really hoping that these two books would be a trilogy. In The Blue Sword, she describes Damar, a desert culture resisting colonization by a large empire. The Hero and the Crown is a prequel; i.e., she travels back 500 years to the "Golden Age" of Damar to tell the story of some of the legends introduced in the first book. I'd love a story about Luthe, the oracle from both books, or a story about Damar now, or . . . gosh anything! I just want to go back to Damar, hear about Lady Aerin, find out if Harry has had songs written about her.

Alas, I am forced to re-read the only Damarian literature out there, these two books and a short story, "The Stone Fey." McKinley has other books, also wonderful, but Damar calls to me. Sigh.

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood

I'm jumping in with this title because I know some of our students have read it. As far as I'm concerned, it was the perfect conclusion to this series. I remember the first one knocking my socks off when it was published. I'm a little vague on the second and third volumes, but number four reminded me how much I love Ann Brashares' writing.

Who's going to weigh in on this one?

The Higher Power of Lucky

I recently read the 2006 Newbery Medal winner. Winner is exactly right! It is an absolutely charming book.

Ten-year-old Lucky's mom is dead, and her dad has nothing to do with her. In fact, when Lucky's mom dies, he invites his first wife to come to California from France to take care of the child -- just until a suitable guardian can be found, or so he says. Brigitte has been wanting to come to America for a long time and this seems like the perfect opportunity. Unfortunately for Brigitte, Lucky lives in the Mojave Desert, so it's not really the America/California shown on French television.

Hence Lucky's concern that Brigitte will give up and go back to France. Lucky knows from listening in on a variety of 12-step meetings that a Higher Power can help, even when you've hit bottom, so surely He? She? It? can help her keep Brigitte from abandoning her.

This is a beautiful story about love and family and the importance of punctuation. I'm eager to hear what the rest of you think!