Five Memoirs for Young Readers

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You’ll often find good memoirs on best-selling lists for lots of reasons:

  • They provide insight into medical, social and other issues that you may be dealing with
  • They help you learn about events or actions that take place all over the world
  • They let you see inside a well-known person’s private life
  • They can be funny
  • They often tell a good story

Good memoirs written for kids can do all of those things while appealing to a younger audience. And while memoir may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re helping your kids choose books to read, memoir may be just the thing to spark an interest in reluctant readers especially. Here’s a list of five memoirs that children and adults will find fascinating.

Boy by Roald Dahl—This one goes on all my lists for several reasons: it’s funny, it provides insight into life in the early 1900s when Dahl was growing up, and it reveals some of the real-life events and characters that make appearances on the pages of Dahl’s fictional books.

Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipovic—With the eyes of an 11-year-old girl, Zlata describes what it’s like to live in a war zone while letting kids learn about the somewhat reason conflict in Sarajevo.

Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang—Jiang’s description of life in China during the Cultural Revolution is fascinating as is watching her transition from blindly believing the Communist Party line to questioning what it promotes.

 A Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary—Cleary was born in a small community and moved into the city when she was still young. Her description of growing up, particularly her comments about school and education, should spark interesting discussions about the differences between her times and today.

Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid by Ralph Fletcher—Fletcher’s boyhood antics are funny to read about, and kids today are likely to marvel at the freedom kids in Fletcher’s youth had to roam the neighborhood on their own.

Book Review and Giveaway: Saving Each Other by Victoria Jackson and Ali Guthy

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Saving Each Other cover image

Victoria Jackson faced every mother’s worst nightmare when she was told that her vibrant, seemingly healthy 14-year-old daughter has a rare autoimmune disease and that she may only have four to six years to live. Instead of accepting that diagnosis as inevitable, Jackson set about to change the prognosis by forming a foundation that would bring together experts from around the globe to work on a cure. She and her daughter tell the story of that quest in the book, Saving Each Other: A Mystery Illness, A Search for a Cure, A Mother Daughter Love Story by Victoria Jackson and Ali Guthy.

Jackson is exactly the kind of person you would want in your corner if you were ever facing incredible odds. Growing up disadvantaged, she rebelled as a teenager and never finished high school. Yet through her savvy and tenacity, she turned her ability to work wonders with cosmetics into a career first and then into an empire. Jackson’s curiosity, her ability to focus on doing what she needs to do to achieve her goals and her tireless pursuit of those goals served her well in life. They are also the traits that let her push even harder when she is working for her daughter’s health. Yet Jackson is also candid about the demons she faced along the way, including crippling anxiety that kept her from flying for many years.

As the daughter with the illness, Ali Guthy matures through the telling of the story as she progresses from a 14-year-old girl who doesn’t want to know what she has or what it means to her life, to a young woman who is willing to face the challenges of a disease that is often painful and always frightening. After years of letting her mother lead the charge, Guthy bravely steps into the fray and works alongside her.

The Jackson-Guthy family, fortunately, has resources that many of us do not, which means they could set up a foundation and fund research that will ultimately help many other people as well. The proceeds from the book directly support scientific and clinical research for Nueromyelitis Optica, or NMO, which is the disease that Guthy lives with.

Saving Each Other is a story of love and of hope. It shows that while disease and other frightening disasters can confront any of us at any time, we can choose to respond with courage and spirit even when the odds are stacked against us.

I have one copy of this uplifting story to give away to a reader in the U.S. Just leave a comment below telling us something inspiring about your mother or your daughter (comment by midnight Pacific Standard Time on February 14 to be entered into the giveaway). Please note: the giveaway is closed. Congratulations to Carol on winning.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Easy Book Club Treat Satisfies Sweet Tooth

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In Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, Moose and Natalie like to eat graham cracker sandwiches as a treat. Whether you are reading this book for your book club or not, it’s sure to be a hit with your group’s members when you serve this at a meeting.

Graham Cracker Sandwiches

Here are a few ideas for creative fillings to go between two graham cracker squares:

Creamy Peanut Butter Filling

  • ½ cup butter or margarine at room temperature
  • 4 cups of powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons light cream or milk
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat together softened butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Add the remaining powdered sugar and the cream or milk, mixing one cup of powdered sugar followed by one tablespoon of cream or milk at a time. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla. Adjust the consistency to make it more spreadable by adding milk a little at a time.

Cream Cheese and Jam Filling

  • Cream cheese at room temperature
  • Variety of jams—strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, etc.

Spread cream cheese and desired jam evenly on graham cracker halves.

S’mores Filling

  • Marshmallows
  • Chocolate bars, broken into square pieces

Layer marshmallows and chocolate between graham crackers. Heat for 10 to 12 seconds in microwave oven to soften the marshmallows and chocolate.

Other filling ideas:

  • Cheese slices
  • Fruit

Serve lemonade to drink.

Book Review: Ruined by Paula Morris

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Author Christina Hamlett is a regular guest reviewer here at Mother Daughter Book Club.com. Here she gives her take on a supernatural book for young adults set in one of my favorite cities: New Orleans. Her review ends with a hint of mystery and it’s intrigued me enough to add Ruined to my list. Here’s the review:

Title: Ruined
Author: Paula Morris
Reviewer: Christina Hamlett
Genre: YA Supernatural
Publisher: Point (2010)

Ruined cover image

As someone whose family moved a lot when I was growing up, I could easily relate to the fish-out-of-water frustrations of teen protagonist Rebecca Brown. When she’s temporarily uprooted from the familiar digs of New York City to go stay with her kooky clairvoyant aunt and cousin in post-Katrina New Orleans, life – as she knows it – may as well be over. Is it any wonder, then, that when her snooty Southern belle classmates decide to ostracize her, Rebecca forms a bond with Lisette, the only girl who seems to understand what it’s like to be lonely and motherless. For Lisette, however, life really is over…to the tune of 150 years. Murdered by a member of one of New Orleans’ most prominent families, Lisette is destined to roam the grounds of the spooky Lafayette Cemetery until such time as a prevailing curse is lifted and can set her free.

New Zealand author Paula Morris does an exceptional job of capturing the dual ambiance of decadence and decay in The Big Easy, a region that still clings as aggressively to the traditions and social mores of an earlier century as it does to collective beliefs in the sinister power of the supernatural. There’s a tendency to keep looking over one’s shoulder throughout this taut and suspenseful read, especially if such reading is done on a dark and stormy night. What was that noise just then? Is someone there? Has the room suddenly become colder?

Skillful, too, is her development of the cautious romance that starts to unfold between Rebecca and the neighborhood hottie, Anton. It’s cautious on Rebecca’s part because she has learned fairly quickly that this isn’t a city where one trusts a stranger, no matter how cute or polite he is. For Anton, it’s all a matter of society’s expectations that he not date anyone outside “acceptable” ranks. To be seen with such a pariah as the New York girl is, in Anton’s world, synonymous with social death, a risk that no one from the upper-crust Southern gentility can afford to take.

From a visual standpoint, this novel would be a perfect candidate for film. The gorgeous backdrop of the Garden District mansions, the creepy labyrinth of cemetery paths, and even the bizarre decorating scheme of Rebecca’s bedroom would be a cinematographer’s dream to replicate for the silver screen. All of the characters are well drawn, and the motivations behind their actions and attitudes are totally plausible and consistent with their respective cultures. As if these elements were not enough to commend the pulse-pounding mystery, there is also an underscore of social conscience that reminds readers of the tremendous loss of lives and property when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. It gives nothing away to say that a glimmer of optimism shines through on the final pages and suggests a sequel of a completely different—but equally compelling—genre.

www.authorhamlett.com
www.mediamagnetism.org
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christina-Hamlett/155417084517326
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPXX3p8TltI&feature=plcp

Ten Children’s Classic Books to Read in Your Mother-Daughter Book Club

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Books get to be known as classics when they stand the test of time with generation after generation of readers. Many of these classics end up becoming movies, which take the place of the written story in popular culture—think Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz. Your book club can have a lot of fun choosing one of these classics to read and watching a movie adaptation at your meeting. When you talk about the book and the movie you can make some comparisons:

Were you surprised to find out the movie was based on a book written long ago?

What were major differences between the book and the movie?

Which one did you prefer?

Why do you think the movie’s director would want to change the story the way he did?

If the book was written a long time ago, did you find it difficult to understand some of the references or words used?

Here are some classic titles to look for:

  • Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • Peter Pan by James E. Barrie
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  • The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
  • Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
  • Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
  • The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

 

 

Book Review: Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge by Ramey Channell

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Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge cover image

In Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge, Ramey Channell has painted a picture of simpler times when families lived close together and helped each other out, children were free to play and spark their imaginations without close adult supervision, and communities came together during hard times.

Lily Claire lives in the small town of Eden, Alabama where she spends most of her time with her cousin, Willie T. The two of them were born on the same day and they like to have adventures together. The two have an extended family of eccentric characters, including a “great-granddaddy” who kept possums in the house and a Cajun “Paw Paw” who could play the fiddle.

The stories of the two children playing games together can be funny, while other stories of dealing with family loss and helping find a missing baby are touching and sweet. Dialogue will have you hearing a southern twang in your head as you read along.

There’s a touch of mystery and magic in the air on Moonlight Ridge, and Channell has worked her own magic in creating this new series for young readers. (Note: there are a few swear words in the beginning of the book, but other than that nothing is inappropriate for readers starting at age 9).

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

January is National Soup Month: Try This Recipe with Your Book Club

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It’s no surprise that January is National Soup Month. Most of our nation experiences cold weather during January, and having a bowl of soup for dinner is a good way to warm up. That goes for book clubs too. This recipe has been a hit at my neighborhood functions, where we have soup parties every year, and it’s a good one for book clubs too.

Chicken, Potato, Artichoke Soup

  • 1 lb. boned, skinned chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp. capers, drained
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-in cubes
  • 2 8-oz. pkgs. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered, or 2 15-oz. cans, drained
  • 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup pitted medium green olives

Cut each chicken thigh into 2 or 3 chunks. Add flour, salt, and pepper to a plastic, resealable bag and shake to mix. Add chicken thighs, seal, and shake until chicken pieces are well coated.

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat for abut a minute. Carefully take chicken from bag and place in the pot in a single layer. Discard excess flour in the bag. Cook until chicken pieces are brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Working over medium heat stir in garlic, capers, and lemon zest and cook about 30 seconds. Add dry white wine and simmer until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add broth, water, potatoes, and chicken and return to a simmer. Turn heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

Add artichokes to pot and stir to incorporate in. Cover and cook another 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with  fork. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and olives. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed according to your own taste.

This hearty soup is great served with crispy French bread and a green salad.

 

 

Book Review: Wish You Were Eyre by Heather Vogel Frederick

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Wish You Were Eyre cover image

I don’t read many continuing books in a series for review on this site. My review philosophy is that if the first book in a series is strong enough to stand on its own, then it’s a good choice for book clubs to read and discuss while letting individual members decide whether to continue with the series.

I occasionally make exceptions and the six-novel-strong The Mother-Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick is one of those. How could I not read a fictional series about the very real life topic I dedicate this site to? And yet, I may not have continued if Frederick hadn’t made it so easy for me to fall in love with her characters and want to continue to read their stories book after book.

With the release of the last book in the series, Wish You Were Eyre, I am sure I will not be the only reader conjuring up images of what happens next with Emma, Jess, Megan, Cassidy and Becca as well as all their families. Alas, “next” will have to remain in my imagination.

That desire to follow characters through to the next step in their lives is the mark of a great series and a skilled writer who can bring the people in her stories to life. In all honesty and disclosure I have to say that I have come to call Heather Frederick a friend over the years she has been writing this series, but I certainly would not have continued to read and review them if I didn’t believe they were a great choice for mother-daughter book clubs and young readers everywhere.

Frederick manages to capture the daily issues that pre-teens and teens may face while also giving readers things to hope for and dream about, like international travel, successfully identifying passions for careers, starting businesses, and more. She has a skill at helping her characters speak up for themselves and solve their problems, even if they stew in them for a while. Her latest installment and last book in the series, Wish You Were Eyre, is another delightful example.

Once again Frederick weaves the reading of a classic novel, this time Jane Eyre, into the story line of her modern-day girls living in Concord, Massachusetts. There are problems to be solved, misunderstandings of other people’s actions and intentions, and strained mother-daughter relationships to be found for sure. But you will also find different characters of all ages exploring what it means to be in love, supporting their friends, exploring new adventures and more. It’s a satisfying finale to a beloved series.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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