What We're Reading Wednesday

Today, to beat my pregnancy-brain blogging block, I decided to join Jessica of Housewifespice in “What We’re Reading Wednesday.”

The simple answer to that, this week as usual, is: way too much. I have a problem with reading too many books at the same time, especially when the giant belly makes it difficult to go up and down stairs retrieving my books. So I NEED one nearby every comfy place in the house.

I’m presuming you want more specifics, though, huh? :) So here goes:

1. Rose under Fire, by Elizabeth Wein.

I’ve read a lot of reviews stating that this wasn’t as good as Code Name Verity, but so far I emphatically disagree. Even though CNV’s gimmick worked incredibly well, I don’t think you need a gimmick to write a great book. Rose is straightforward and beautiful. The characters are real and complicated and show the best and worst of human nature--sometimes in the same person. Like CNV, it takes place in WWII and centers around the life a female pilot--obviously the author had a lot of “fun” researching the topic, and it completely fascinates me. Also like CNV, the themes are very mature and there’s some (quite justified) strong language, so it seems more like an adult book than a YA book--but mature teens could handle it.

2. Ben and Me, by Robert Lawson.

I’m reading this aloud to the girls, who are studying Franklin in American History. It’s told from the delightful point of view of Amos, a clever mouse who takes up residence in Ben’s fur cap and is generally responsible for all his most brilliant accomplishments. (Yes, yes, I know: another mouse book.) I never noticed it while reading it to myself as a kid/teen/adult (I liked it that much), but Lawson’s storytelling breaks all kinds of grammar rules and voice rules and totally gets away with it. For example, he uses both past and present tense in the same paragraph. But Amos’ voice wouldn’t be the same without it. It’s really genius storytelling, and we all love it.

3. Invitations to the World: Teaching and Writing for the Young, by Richard Peck.

This was a gift from my lovely friend Thea Guidone, and I’m so grateful for it--especially as the fact that Richard Peck had written a book on writing had somehow escaped my notice all this time. I love everything I’ve ever read by Mr. Peck, and I'm very much enjoying this so far.

4. Vendela in Venice, by Christina Bjork.

Another read-aloud to the girls, as a supplement to their study of Italy. They like this one much more than I do. To me, it reads more like a kids’ travel guide to Venice than a story, but they are so entranced by the fairy tale world of the city that they beg me to keep reading. I think perhaps it suffered slightly in the translation to English, as well; I wish I could read every book in its original language!

5. The Dark Frigate, by Charles Boardman Hawes.

Still plugging away at this early Newbery medalist. It’s SO much better than The Story of Mankind. But it got a little bogged down after the first several chapters, and I got a little distracted by the life of a fictional girl transport pilot, to be honest.

6. I told you I was reading way too much at once! #6 is Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo.

I just started this one so can’t say much yet, except that I’m pretty sure Kate DiCamillo is incapable of ever putting a word out of place. It’s funnier than her books tend to be, and it’s neat to see how good she is at humor on top of everything else.

So what are you reading?