I checked this book out because it kept getting stolen from the library, which usually is a sign it's pretty good. It was. I didn't like it quite as much as some of the other books I've read for the MSBA.

Martine's parents die in a fire and she is sent to South Africa to live with a grandmother she has never met. Martine is fascinated by the legend of the white giraffe. Her grandmother tells her that the giraffe doesn't exist, but one stormy night Martine sees it. Why is it a secret? Does someone want to steal it?

I really liked this book. It's the story of Peak Marcello, a boy who loves to climb more than anything else. He gets caught climbing a skyscraper, and ends up being bailed out by his father. There are other motives to his father's rescue: he wants Peak to be the youngest boy to climb Mt. Everest, no matter what the cost. Will Peak survive?

I enjoyed this book a lot, although I wasn't sure I was going to at first. It interweaves the story of a hound dog and cats with a mystical bayou story of a mysterious voice and an alligator. I don't want to say much more than that, because I think one of the best parts of the story is discovering all of that for yourself.

2009/2010 nominee for the Chickadee Award (best picture book as voted by the children of Maine.) Personally, I don't see how this is going to have a ton of appeal for Maine kids, seeing as it's the history of Manhattan. Maybe if they really like history. Also, I know my tastes tend to not agree with the rest of the state, because I was blindsided by this year's winner.

MSBA Nominated in 2008-2009. Newbery Honor 2007-2008. I had never read a book by Woodson before, and I picked this one up because it was a MSBA nominee and because it had an Emily Dickinson quote on the cover. I liked it. It's not going to be a favorite, but it was good.

Frannie is trying to deal with a lot of things: a mom who has lost two babies and is acting funny, a new boy in her class who looks white but says he is not (and is called Jesus-boy), a best friend who is acting increasingly holy, and the usual trials of being 11 1/2. I really liked how the 1970s were incorporated into the book with the language and small bits of politics seeping in. It was a three hour long audiobook, so I think it would be a relatively quick read.

Nominated 2009-2010 for the Chickadee Award. Pretty good. I'm not convinced all the people aren't scary though. :)

Nominated 2008-2009

Another one I reviewed for the collection and really enjoyed. A beautiful story about growing up and letting go. Nominated for the Maine Chickadee Award 2009-2010

I have a really hard time fitting myself into the Myers-Briggs test, so that could be why I had a hard time with the book. I bounce back and forth between E/I and F/T a lot.