River Readers

The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years.

Nantucket is only two and a half hours away from Martha's Vineyard by ferry. But the two islands might as well be worlds apart for a set of identical twin sisters who have been at odds for years. When a family crisis forces them to band together — or at least appear to — the twins slowly come to realize that the special bond that they share is more important than the sibling rivalry that's driven them apart for the better part of their lives.

In the tradition of The Paris Wife and Mrs. Poe, The Other Einstein offers us a window into a brilliant, fascinating woman whose light was lost in Einstein's enormous shadow. This is the story of Einstein's wife, a brilliant physicist in her own right, whose contribution to the special theory of relativity is hotly debated and may have been inspired by her own profound and very personal insight.

It is the summer of 1964. In Tupelo, Mississippi, the town of Elvis's birth, tensions are mounting over civil-rights demonstrations occurring ever more frequently-and violently-across the state. But in Paige Dunn's small, ramshackle house, there are more immediate concerns. Challenged by the effects of the polio she contracted during her last month of pregnancy, Paige is nonetheless determined to live as normal a life as possible and to raise her daughter, Diana, in the way she sees fit-with the support of her tough-talking black caregiver, Peacie.

"The Tattooist of Auschwitz is an extraordinary document, a story about the extremes of human behavior existing side by side: calculated brutality alongside impulsive and selfless acts of love. I find it hard to imagine anyone who would not be drawn in, confronted and moved. I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone, whether they'd read a hundred Holocaust stories or none." - Graeme Simsion, internationally-bestselling author of The Rosie Project

As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with him and accepts his proposal of marriage.

At the advent of the violence in Syria, Jude's parents make the difficult decision to send Jude and her pregnant mother to the United States to stay with her uncle. Jude's older brother has become active in the resistance and won't leave his country and her father couldn't bear to leave his business. It was gut-wrenching to leave part of her family behind and go to a new country, whose language she barely spoke. The struggle to fit in at her new school and make new friends was a difficult one.

Caleb Franklin wanted to be extraordinary. He wanted nothing more than to escape the small town sameness of his hometown, Sutton, Indiana. His big brother (by one year), Bobby Gene was a bit more content and ready to follow the rules and expectations of his parents. This all changed, however, when 16 year old, Styx Malone came into their lives.

This graphic novel takes on a variety of issues that arise in middle school. Body image, mean girls and bullying, honesty and secrets, and first dates. I thought this was an honest look at some of the issues that teen girls experience. It was divided into individual stories and at the end of each story was a sort of summary and fact sheet sometimes in the form of an interview or a letter. I thought it was informative and age appropriate.
 

The fourth in this series focuses on Sophos, heir apparent to his uncle for King of Sounis. Sophos has been sent away after a succession of tutors, to prepare for his role as successor. When he is kidnapped and sold into slavery, he must fight his way back to freedom.

While Eugenides plays a minor role in this fourth book in the series, the intrigue and adventure never wains. Sophos becomes a major character who endears himself into your heart and you will root for him to be successful in all his endeavors.

Eugenides, The Thief of Eddis, conspired to take the position of King of Attolia but now that he is there, he finds himself mired in a web of controversy and resentment that is seemingly impossible to escape.

This third book in the Queen of Attolia series is as filled with intrigue, deception and plot twists as the first two. I couldn't wait to find out the fate of the Thief, his queen and the countries of Attolia, Eddis and Sounis.

In the second of this series finds, Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, once again taunting the Queen of Attolia. When Eddis and Attolia find themselves on the brink of war, Egenides risks all to once again steal from Attolia.

Filled with intrigue and deception, this second in the Queen of Attolia series does not disappoint. I had forgotten how much I love this series and am so glad to re-read it in order to prepare to read the last one. I am sure I'll be sad to see it end.
 

Charlie is nearing the end of her middle school career. For her final music class assignment she has to find the perfect song. One that embodies her spirit and makes her feel “at home.” They have explored all types of music in class but nothing quite fits for Charlie. Not until they listen to opera and Marie Callas. Suddenly, Charlie identifies with a genre of music but also with the artist.

We Were Witches, at its heart, is about a single mother in the 1980’s trying to make it in the world despite all the obstacles in her way. But it is so, so much more. It is such an anomaly that I can’t explain it or put it into a genre. It is a feminist manifesto, it is a history lesson in the suppression of women. It is mystery and magic and yes, witches. It is brilliant and I loved every minute of it.

Emoni Santiago had a baby her freshman year in high school but that didn't stop her dreams of becoming a chef. Her mother died in childbirth and her father was largely absent so she depended on her grandmother, 'Buelo for help. For the most part, she was doing fine, juggling being a mother, a full-time student and a part-time job. Often her school work suffered and she was beginning to worry about how she was going get into a college, let alone pay for it. Her dream of being a chef only intensified when she enrolled in a cooking class at her school.