Reminiscent of The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, Bambert’s Book of Missing Stories is a collection of stories that has mysterious origins. A back story was created about the mysterious Mr. Bambert, a man whose deformity causes him to become a recluse. His only outlet is sitting on the roof and talking to the moon. The moon gives him ideas for stories and Bambert writes them. Finally, Bambert decides to set his stories free to find their own settings. He sends out the stories, including the last four pages of his book which are still blank in the hopes that the last story will write itself, and requests that the people who find the stories return them with the finder’s address to Bambert so he can learn each story’s proper setting. This book is the story of Bambert’s life, the collection of the stories with the places where they were found, and Bambert’s notes about each story and its setting. There are stories about princesses and court jesters, Tsars, revolutions and wax museums. The illustrations are charming. This book is fantastic; it could be used as prompts for a creative writing class, and it has a place in every library.
Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type
The Lions of Little Rock
In 1958 Little Rock, Marlee Nesbitt is painfully shy and not very unhappy. Then she meets Liz, the new girl at school, and finally Marlee has a true friend. And that friendship is put to the test when Liz leaves school abruptly and the rumors are that it is because she has been “passing.” But Marlee will not give up on her friend. The two meet in secret, which could end disastrously for both. Although it is Liz who is the outspoken, never at a loss girl at the beginning of the book, by the end it is Marlee who finally finds her voice and the courage to stand up for what she believes in. appropriate for age 10 and up.
The Book of the Gods
A wonderful, tongue-in-cheek encyclopedia of gods from all over the world by the creators of godchecker.com. The book is set up by region and provides a short biography of all of the most important gods of the area with loads of dirt, too. The Celtic goddess Sheela-Na-Gig? The goddess of fertility is “lewd, rude, nude and very crude, displaying her most intimate parts to scare away death” and there is picture of her doing just that. Not a bad reference for high school mythology students.
The Vampire Stalker
Three high school friends wait in line for the next book in their favorite vampire hunter series to come. Luisa and Kat are in love with James, the charming, kind vampire hunter who has fallen in love with a vampire. But Amy is in love with Alexander, the brooding, tireless hunter whose entire family was murdered by the vicious vampire Vigo. And then one night, Amy is attacked by Vigo and saved by Alexander. Time/space portals, literary physics and a bad ass librarian as well as a totally improbable (almost silly) plot line and love story almost certainly guarantee that teen girls who can’t get enough vampires will love this one.
The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars
This reference opens with a quotation by Jimi Hendrix, “Once you’re dead you’re made for life – you have to die before they think you’re worth anything,” followed by an introduction that details the death of Blues pioneer Robert Johnson by strychnine poisoning. This event is listed as a “timeline of death in popular music.”
The book is a true encyclopedia, divided into sections by date rather than alphabetical order by name, beginning with pre 1965, then month by month each year after that. It includes greats like Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, including a key to symbols used to denote what kind of death each victim suffered. For students who just want to read about various artists to those looking for a particular star, this book should find a niche, but I doubt it will circulate a lot
Sleepless
Students from Saint Opportuna High School go down to New Orleans to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. But when they return, many of the students start having nightmare. Soon they begin sleepwalking and then students begin to turn up dead.
While many of the characters are likable, this book definitely plot driven – you want to figure out what will happen. It is not too difficult to figure out what is at the bottom on the problem, and the end wraps up too neatly and too quickly. However, students who like suspense will probably enjoy this. A little bit of language, a little bit of sex – recommended for grades 9+ for those reasons.
Love Bites: The Unofficial Saga of Twilight
What is there to say? It is Twilight. The wish fulfillment of many teens. The book begins with background on the author and the next chapter focuses on how the idea for the series came to her in a dream. The remaining chapters are about the actors and their roles, the settings for the movies and how the books were adapted to screenplays. An oversized book filled with glossy photos that fans of the series should love, but I do not think it is a necessary purchase.
Recommended only as additional purchase
Get Free Cash for College
This reference on how to get scholarships for college is easily accessible and a guide any graduating senior should be able to read and follow. The book includes chapters like “Find the Best Scholarships You Can Win, Avoid Scholarship Scams, Create Stunning Scholarship Applications, Secrets to Writing Winning Essays,” and more. Each chapter begins with a page that list what you will learn in that chapter. There are lists that have boldface subtitles, sidebars, clipart – lots that will make this book not appear too intimidating to teens. I particularly like the section in Chapter 2 “Find the Best Scholarships You Can Win” that advises student how to choose the right scholarship for them, such as heeding the words of the sponsors and being realistic about how good you are. This practical guide is a book I wish more seniors would read.
How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay
This reference focuses on how to write the best possible scholarship application for college and is another easily accessible guide by the Tanabes that any graduating senior should be able to read and follow. The book includes chapters about essays that bombed, sample winning essays, interview strategies and more. Each chapter begins with a page that list what you will learn in that chapter. There are lists that have boldface subtitles, sidebars, clipart – lots that will make this book not appear too intimidating to teens. I particularly like chapter that is a judges’ roundtable, where judges and sponsors answer questions. This practical guide is a book I wish more seniors would read.
Here’s How I See It, Here’s How It Is
Every summer, June works at her parents’ theater and dreams of a career on the stage. But this year is different: her mother has moved in with her grandmother and June is living with her father and older sister. June’s mother doesn’t seem to think her daughter’s aspirations are realistic – June really is just a gopher even though her father was a “real” actor (one appearance on Broadway). June’s biggest problem is learning to deal with life and how to talk to the people around her about her life.
Each chapter begins with June’s thoughts – about her fantasy – how she sees it – and reality – how it is. An interesting device that reflects June’s desire for her broken family to be fixed and what she dreams of doing with her life; students who enjoy Wendy Maas and Sharon Creech should enjoy this one. No sex, no language, could go as low as 7th-8th grade.