A Curse Dark as Gold

I may need to amend my favorite books of 2008 list! This wonderful book, A Curse Dark as Gold, slipped by me, but thanks to the committee at the Morris Award for Debut YA Author it was brought to my attention. Having finished it yesterday I can definitely support this book as the winner, it was fantastic!

An historical novel with hints of magical realism, fairy tales, and folklore, A Curse Dark as Gold, is the story of Charlotte Miller, a young woman in roughly the 18th century, who has inherited a cursed woollen mill, Stirwaters. Determined to believe the curse is merely superstition, Charlotte and her sister set to work on keeping the mill running. But when a series of strange incidences occur Charlotte must answer the question who, or what, is sabotaging Stirwaters, or risk losing everything she loves.

Filled with amazing details about the woollen industry and the folklore of Britain in the 18th century, this first novel by Elizabeth C. Bunce is full of mystery, romance, and excitement.

More Award Winners

Two great teen book awards were announced today...the Printz Award for outstanding YA fiction and the Morris Award for best new YA author.

The Printz Award winner is Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.
The Printz Honor books are:
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume II, The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson

The Morris Award winner is A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce. The Morris shortlist books are:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne
Madapple by Christina Meldrum
Me, the Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine

In other award news The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman won the Newbery Medal.

Happy Reading!

The Knife of Never Letting Go

There are times when I pick up a book and get so completely involved in the story I have to pull myself out of the fictional world in order to function in the “real world.” Those are also the books I’m most unhappy to see end. I love to find out what happens, but can’t bear to leave the characters. Luckily, The Knife of Letting Go by Patrick Ness is the first in a series; so, feel free to get involved knowing there are more stories to come.

Set in a world filled with “noise” Todd is constantly bombarded by the thoughts of men. Todd lives in a secluded community of only men as the women have died from a mysterious disease that allows the men to hear each other’s thoughts and killed all the women. Or so Todd has been told. When Todd meets Viola, a girl his age, alone in the swamp, he begins to question everything he knows. Where did Viola come from? Why hasn’t she been infected? Why can’t he hear her “noise?” After Todd saves Viola from being killed by a man from his town, the two set off to find another community that may protect them. Accompanied by Todd’s faithful dog, Manchee, the two must learn to trust each other if they hope to survive and find answers to their questions.

A truly extraordinary novel. Let me know what you think!

Morris Award for New YA Authors

The American Library Association has a new award, the Morris Award, that will honor the best work of teen fiction by a first time author. The 2009 shortlist includes two of my favorite books of 2008, Graceling by Kristin Cashore and Madapple by Christina Meldrum, along with three other books that sound great! The winner from this shortlist will be announced at the end of January.

And if you like to read award winners, don't forget the Printz Award will also be announced in just a few weeks. While you wait for the results try one of the Teens' Top Ten winners or one of the National Book Award winners.

Art & Writing Contest

Here's your chance to win great CASH prizes, have your art work displayed, and your writing published! The 5th annual Art & Writing Contest is going on right now; submit your original art or writing to the library for your chance to win $50, $25, or $10 cash and gain some recognition.

Complete rules and entry forms are available in the library and online.

Good luck!

Milwaukee Bucks Reading Challenge

Do you love BASKETBALL? How about READING? Did you know you can get a FREE TICKET to a Milwaukee Bucks basketball game just by reading?!

Simply sign up at your local library for the Milwaukee Bucks Reading Challenge. Then get reading to earn a free ticket to a Bucks home game! The program is open to all students in 3rd-10th grades.

Become an ALL-STAR READER in the Milwaukee Bucks Reading Challenge!