Book Review: Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris

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Bridge of Scarlet Leaves cover imageIn southern California on the eve of World War II, Maddie and Lane go against each of their family’s wishes and marry. Although Maddie is white and Lane is a Nisei, an American born to parents who emigrated from Japan, they are sure their love for each other will help them overcome the obstacles.

Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into the war changes everything in ways they could not have anticipated. Suddenly, Lane’s father is spirited away to a detention center for questioning, and the weeks drag on without his return. The rest of the family is forced to leave everything behind and enter an internment camp. But the challenges they face have only just begun, and they will continue to be taxed as long as the war is on.

In Bridge of Scarlet Leaves author Kristina McMorris returns to the time in history she brought to life in Letters from Home. In her new book, she focuses on the challenge Japanese Americans faced during World War II, and what it was like for the people who looked beyond race to see them as simply Americans. Even before the war, mixed relationships were frowned upon, and anyone bold enough to enter into one had to endure whispers, stares and disapproval. After the war began, it was even more difficult.

This sweeping tale goes behind the fences of an internment camp and a POW camp. It looks at the experience through the eyes of American soldiers in the Pacific arena, and at the lives of those back home. Through it all, the focus is on human resiliency—the inner reserves of strength that can help someone shore up when circumstances conspire to bring them down.

While McMorris’s story is fictional, it has a personal significance as well, as she is half-Japanese. The research she conducted for the book was extensive, and it shows not only in the life she breathes into her characters, but in the way she paints the places they inhabit. In Bridge of Scarlet Leaves she tells a great story that I highly recommend.

The author provided me with a copy of this book to review.

Read Across America Day Celebrates Reading and Dr. Seuss’s Birthday

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The Lorax cover imageToday is Read Across America Day, designated each year by the National Educators’ Association on Dr. Seuss’s birthday to call attention to reading and literacy. This year there’s even more attention being focused on the event, as today is the official opening day of the movie, “The Lorax.” Check out the trailer for more info on the film.

My daughter recently read the book with a group of 4th and 5th graders at our local elementary school. The kids talked about the author, who was born in 1094 in Springfield, Massachusetts. They to responded to questions like:

  • The Lorax says he speaks for the trees. What does this mean to you?
  • Why is it important to speak up for others?
  • Have you ever spoken up for someone else? Has someone else ever spoken up for you?
  • If you had the only Truffula seed given to you, what would you do?

Their answers showed how thoughtful young people can be about big issues. And they saw how discussing something you read can give you a different perspective on issues when you hear how others viewed the same thing you did.

Today, I’m finishing up a book for my next book club selection. We’re meeting tomorrow to discuss That Used to Be Us by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum. While it’s not nearly as fun to read as The Lorax, I expect a huge discussion about important issues facing our country. I know our group members hold diverse political and personal views, and those differing views will probably enhance what we each thought as we were reading.

Whatever you’re reading on this day dedicated to reading and books, take some time to talk to someone you’re close to about it. Even if you’re not in a book club, you may be surprised to find out how your perspective on what you read is enhanced by discussing with even one other person.

 

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The Darlings’ Author Cristina Alger Talks About Her Mom’s Encouragement to Read and Write

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Cristina Alger photoYesterday I featured a review of Cristina Alger’s book The Darlings. Today, Alger is here to talk about the influence her mom has been on her love of telling stories.

My mother and I have been reading together for as long as I can remember. As a child, I had an endless appetite for stories, which she was always happy to indulge. My bedroom was crammed with books, and on the weekends, we would spend many a happy Saturday at a local library or bookstore.

As my mother tells it, I was born talking. As soon as I was able, I began to tell stories of my own. I’m not sure if she thought of this or if I demanded it, but early on my mother began to record them in a spiral ring notebook. She would sit beside me as I took my nightly bath; I would talk, and she would listen. In between hair washing and scrubbing, she would write my stories down.

I wrote constantly in high school and in college; poetry, short stories, essays, journal entries. When I graduated, though, I embarked on a career in finance and writing fell by the wayside. I continued to read for pleasure, and Mom and I would often exchange and discuss books. But as much as she and my friends encouraged me, I just couldn’t find the time in my busy schedule to write.

I began working on The Darlings as a side project, something I did purely for the joy of writing itself. I was working as a corporate lawyer and was in desperate need of a creative release. I never imagined at first that anyone but me would read it. Eventually, I (rather nervously) asked my mom—who always quietly encouraged me to write and express myself creatively—if she would take a look. Her face lit up with happiness.

Mom proved to be a wonderfully thoughtful editor. As the book developed, I went back to her time and time again, and she was always willing to read, critique and discuss it. When I told her that I was thinking about leaving the law to pursue writing full time, she didn’t miss a beat. She helped me work through the logistics (how much money had I saved? What would I do about healthcare?). She listened as I endlessly weighed the pro’s and con’s. Many parents would have been disappointed or unsupportive if their child decided to leave a job at a prestigious law firm to do something as unpredictable and unstable as writing.  But mom wanted me to follow my heart.

I dedicated The Darlings to my mom. I am certain it would not exist were it not for her love, support and counsel. Seeing a copy of it on her shelf is incredibly rewarding for me. But it is my collection of “early works”—the stories she transcribed into a spiral ring notebook—that really holds a place of honor in her bedroom. She keeps them tucked away in a drawer with her other “important” documents: passport, birth certificates, deeds. It was our first collaboration, and now that I am writing once again, it won’t be our last.

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Book Review and Giveaway: The Darlings by Cristina Alger

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The Darlings cover imageHere’s a review of a book I recommend for moms, and I have one copy to give away. Just leave a comment by midnight (PST), Tuesday, March 13 for a chance to win a copy of The Darlings by Cristina Alger. U.S. and Canadian addresses only please. (Please note: the giveaway is closed. Congratulations to Michelle on winning.) Here’s my review:

The Darling family of Manhattan seems to have everything: good looks, money, excellent taste in the things that matter, and a bright future. But when a close associate of Carter Darling commits suicide, the façade that was holding that future together starts to fall apart. Suddenly there’s talk of investor fraud, an SEC investigation and possible criminal charges. Everyone in the family—Carter and his wife, their two daughters and sons-in-law—stands to lose. Will their fierce loyalty to family help them through the crisis, or can they even trust each other now?

The Darlings by Cristina Alger is a fascinating look at the financial crisis of 2008 as seen through the eyes of wealthy investment bankers and lawyers as well as the secretaries who work for them and the journalists who write about them. As the story unfolds, readers get a behind-the-scenes look at the relationships and actions that could lead smart people to do things that were not so smart just to hold onto their lifestyles.

The lifestyle of the very wealthy is on display—lavish purchases, vacation homes, and charity fundraisers that are more about the women organizing them than the cause are all part of the story. That alone is fun to read about, but it’s also interesting to get a peek into the lifestyles of the working class Manhattanites and the reasons they keep living in the city.

Author Cristina Alger knows what she’s writing about. As a native New Yorker, she graduated from Harvard and NYU Law School, then worked as an analyst and attorney before becoming an author. In her novel, she shows she is also skilled at telling a good story. And while keeping track of all the players in the action was sometimes a challenge, it was worth it when it all came together at the end with nearly every character playing a critical role in the outcome.

Check back tomorrow when I feature an essay by Cristina Alger about her mother’s influence on her reading and writing.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review.

Interview With Meredith Zeitlin, Author of Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters

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Meredith Zeitlin photoYesterday I posted a review of Meredith Zeitlin’s new book, Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters. Today, she’s here to talk about the writing life and her spunky heroine, Kelsey Finkelstein.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer?

MZ: I’ve always just been one, really—since I was very little. I come from a family of writers and readers, and books were always everywhere. It sort of came naturally, I think. But my aunt Rhea (Kohan) is a novelist, and her books are hilarious. She definitely inspired me to try my hand at an actual book.

Why do you like to write fiction for young adults?

MZ: I guess I’m sort of a young adult myself, still; I’m a person who spends a great deal of time in PJ pants, watching cartoons and dyeing my hair crazy colors, after all. And I have never forgotten how it feels to be that age, and all the insecurities and excitements that go with it. I still feel them! I connect to tweens and teens really easily out in the real world—better than I do with a lot of “grown-ups,” if you want to know the truth. And while I love books in general, there’s something about literature that’s both nostalgic for adults and relatable for kids that’s really appealing to me.

What do you like best about being a writer?

MZ: Honestly, I just love putting words together. Making crisp or crunchy sentences that will maybe make someone else laugh, or think, or disagree… It’s so satisfying when you get it right.

What do you find most difficult?

MZ: Actually sitting down and doing it. I am the world’s worst procrastinator!

Tell us two interesting things that readers may not know about you.

MZ: Hmmm. Well, I’m a voiceover artist in my “real life,” so you might’ve heard me on commercials before you ever heard of my book—I’ve been doing that for almost a decade now. (You can check out www.mzspeaks.com if you’re interested in seeing my reels.) “The Music Man”—the original version, obv—is my very favorite movie musical. I love horseback riding. I can juggle. What else? I could easily live on ice cream. I’m learning to play guitar. (I’m not very good.) Oh—I have a pink flatscreen TV! It rules. Is that too many?

In Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters, Kelsey is determined to change her image when she becomes a freshman. Do you think it’s hard for teens to change the way others perceive them?

MZ: I think it’s hard for anyone to change how he or she is perceived, really. What might make it even harder for teens, though, is that they’re still in the process of actually forming that first “not a kid anymore” version of themselves. How do they change something that is still so tenuous, especially when everyone around them is doing it, too? At the same time, it’s also a chance to try lots of different hats on—which can be exciting and confusing. I think the truth is, the only person who is REALLY noticing those big changes at that time in your life… is yourself. And you’re really the one you’re trying so hard to impress, even though it seems the other way around. You just don’t realize it til it’s all over, do you?

What do you think is particularly challenging for teens making the transition from middle school to high school?

MZ: I think the biggest change is going from being kings of middle school to getting stuck on the lowest rung on the high school totem pole. Kids who are used to being in charge simply by virtue of their age, no matter what their social standing, are suddenly the babies again, and that’s a scary position to be in. Feeling insecure can lead teens to make some choices in an attempt to solidify their position in a new place. Sometimes those are beneficial choices… but sometimes they aren’t.

Kelsey suffers quite a few embarrassing moments, yet she keeps her sense of humor through it all. Did you always imagine she would be so resilient?

MZ: Well, Kelsey is based on me and my experiences, so I guess the answer has to be yes, simply because that’s what I’m like. But a more complex answer is that I wanted her to be an example for young readers—to see that it’s okay to get knocked down, and that sometimes it can make you stronger.  It’s really important and so incredibly hard to achieve high self esteem at any age, but especially for tweens and teens. The pressure is enormous to fit in and succeed and look a certain way… I certainly struggled with it myself. Even Kelsey spends a lot of time with a million thoughts in her head, doubting her choices and (especially after the incident with Sam at the party) thinking bad things about herself. Kels is really lucky to have a supportive network of people in her life, which helps her keep her chin up and keep trying. I purposefully gave her a lot of obstacles so that readers could see her come out the other side, no matter how hard it was for her to do it. I think that any way I—or any writer—can get the message to teens that it’s okay to make mistakes, that NO ONE is perfect, that everything can be a learning experience… is worth exploring.

What do you think is an important issue brought up in the book that book club members may want to talk about?

MZ: Well, I hope there are a few! 😉  I think the various character relationships are really important, especially how some of them change over the course of the book—particularly within Kelsey’s group of friends. Another issue that’s come up a lot is the amount of “bad stuff” in the book—drinking, sex, peer pressure, etc. These are all important things for moms and daughters to try to talk about, however uncomfortable it might be. Do the daughters think the portrayal of a typical high school was realistic? Are the moms surprised/relieved/horrified by their answers? What about the different ways those elements are responded to by Kelsey and her friends? Which girl has the “right” idea?

Do you have anything else to add for readers at Mother Daughter Book Club. com?

MZ: Thank you so much for checking out this interview, and hopefully the book as well! The main reason I wrote this book, ultimately, was to put another character out in the world that would make some girl somewhere think: “Ok. I’m not the only one. I don’t have to be perfect, and I can still totally get through this high school craziness.” And I think that girl’s mom would want her to get that message, too.

www.kelseyfinkelstein.com

@zeitlingeist on Twitter

www.facebook.com/FRESHMANYEARBOOK

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Book Review: Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

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Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters cover imageAs she heads into high school, Kelsey is determined to change the way people see her. It’s not that she doesn’t already have a lot going for her already—including great friends and pretty good looks—but she wants to kick things up a notch. But right away, things don’t turn out quite like she planned.

She makes an enemy of her soccer captain, gets into a conflict with one of her best friends, botches her first kiss and fights often with her mom. And someone on the photography staff of the school newspaper seems to have it out for her, because photos of her in embarrassing positions keep showing up in print.

Through every setback, Kelsey is even more determined to make things better. You’ll admire her spunk, her sense of humor and her tenacity, even when she’s being what her mom calls a Typical Adolescent.

Issues to talk about in mother-daughter book clubs include handling conflicts with friends, first dates and kisses, mother-daughter relationships, and underage drinking and drug use. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up.

Click here to watch the book trailer. Also, you may want to check back tomorrow when I’m featuring a great interview with author Meredith Zeitlin. In it she talks about why she likes to write fiction for young adults, issues you can discuss in a book club and lots more.

You may also want to visit Read These Books and Use Them on Monday for a review and giveaway.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review.

Mother-Daughter Book Club Game: Trivia Questions

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Playing games before you start a book club discussion is a good way to get everyone to loosen up and have a little fun before you settle down to talk about the book. A fun and easy game to create is a list of trivia questions based on what you read.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you create your questions:

  • Keep it fun. No one wants to feel like they’re in a classroom taking a pop quiz while the teacher waits to collect them.
  • Don’t be too obvious, like asking the name of the author of the book. But don’t be too hard either. If the questions all focus on obscure details, your members will lose interest.
  • Keep it short. Ten to 15 questions is a good amount to consider. Anything shorter doesn’t make much of an activity; longer can get too tiresome.
  • Read the questions out loud and either take turns answering or let book club members shout out the answers.

When you’re done, give everyone an A+ for effort and transition into your book discussion right away.

Book Review: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

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The Queen of Kentucky cover imageRicki Jo is determined to move from a plain old country girl into popular, sophisticated Ericka when she starts 9th grade at her local public high school. She figures there will be lots more opportunities at the larger school than the small, Catholic school she attended through 8th grade.

Right away she makes friends with a few popular girls and she feels she has to start changing to keep up with her new group, particularly since good-looking David Wolfenbaker (Wolf) hangs out with them too. As she morphs into “Ericka 2.0,” she begins to wonder if she can keep what she likes most about her old self while also becoming someone different.

The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker will resonate with anyone who has ever felt the desire to change her circumstances. Ricki Jo is a down-to-earth girl who is best friends with her neighbor Lucas and who spends time working to help out around her farm, even if she doesn’t feel like it. Ericka wears more stylish clothes, studies hairstyles and advice columns in Seventeen magazine, and will do things she’s uncomfortable with if it means going along with the crowd.

It’s not easy for her to keep up: her new friends are wealthier than she is, which means they spend money more freely on clothes and entertainment. Ericka goes back and forth between feeling like she’s making friends and feeling like they’re making fun of her. Plus, she finds herself ignoring all the crass remarks Wolf makes just because she’s dazzled by his good looks.

As she navigates the halls of her high school, Ricki Jo makes some mistakes, but she also gets a better feeling for what’s important to her. I liked that each of the characters was nuanced, and didn’t fall into a stereotype. Wolf has a lot of bad points, but Ricki Jo can also see some of the good points and vulnerabilities he tries to hide. Some of her new girlfriends seem shallow much of the time, but they also show they’re capable of being there for her when times are rough.

While the outcome at the end of The Queen of Kentucky may not be a mystery, the journey to get there goes down as easy as a glass of ice tea on a hot day. Ricki Jo is a protagonist you can root for, identify with and ultimately cheer on. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 13 and up.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

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