Fascinating Bestseller

If you have not read it, I recommend Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It was on the New York Times Bestseller List earlier this year, and I finally got a chance to read it myself. It was worth the effort, and would provide interesting discussion material. Imagine a young man who can see monsters, that only his grandfather knows about. Are they real? Are they a delusion? Just where was the "home" his grandfather has talked about all these years? With his grandfather gone, will Jacob ever find the answers to free him from his relentless nightmares? Were there really children as peculiar as his grandfather talked about?

You will not easily put this down or forget it. It is a great first novel!

New Ideas

If you have not read Soul Surfer, do it now! What a great book for discussion, especially a "Read the Book, See the Movie" discussion. This young woman wrote her own story from a different perspective than the feature film. Comparing the two makes for great discussion!

Book of Miracles

Trevor's Song is the perfect book for Christian book dicussion groups. You might remember an 8-year-old boy named Trevor from Cumberland County who almost died in a farm accident a few years ago. This is his story chock full of miracles. When the specialists at Hershey were sure he would never walk, and might lose his leg, his family members raised their voices in prayer. Doubters, beware. Discussion of this book may make you a believer.

New Novel About Autism

If you are interested in autism or other developmental disorders and like Karen Kingsbury, try out Unlocked. It is interesting fuel for discussion and has a guide at the back.

Great Author for Discussion

I had to draw your attention to a new book that would provide great discussion material: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. It is set in the present and during the 18th century, taking a detailed look at the French Revolution from several perspectives. It also covers themes of grief and depression, and hope.

Jennifer Donnelly first came to my attention several years ago, when she released an award-winning book, A Northern Light, set in 1906 New York, focusing on women's rights. It is available in a book discussion tote from Franklin County Library System AA Kit 21.

Both these titles are excellent for group discussion. Jennifer also wrote The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose.

Chambersburg Reads Discussion Totes

Hi, Everyone!

I wanted to let you know that there are 3 new book club discussion totes available at Franklin County Library System on the theme of community and world service -- the young readers' edition of Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett. Each tote contains 10 copies of the book and a discussion guide. They were created for use with the 2010 Chambersburg Reads to Inspire Service program, and available to anyone with a library card.

We are currently working on 3 additional totes. Stay tuned for more information on them.

Dinner and a Book May 21, 2010

Summer Reading Suggestions From Selected Members of the Franklin County Reading Council:
(Great Friday evening discussion at the Orchards Restaurant, too!)

The Help
Kathryn Stockett
Great book!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow
Slow start. WWII setting. Series of letters. Need a cheat sheet while reading.

Pillars of the Earth
Ken Follett
Need a lot of time to read. 12th century England building a cathedral.

Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortenson
Also available in youth version


Listen to the Wind
Greg Mortenson
Beautiful picture version of Three Cups of Tea

Stones into Schools
Greg Mortenson

Still Alice
Lisa Genova
Early onset of Alzheimer

Look Again
Lisa Scottoline
A reporter sees the picture of her adopted son on a missing person poster. She needs to know if it is her son.

My People
Charles Smith Jr.
Langston Hughes poem illustrated by fabulous photos -- Coretta Scott King Award --children's

The Lion & the Mouse
Jerry Pinkney
Caldecott winner. Wordless picture book of the well-known fable.

Camel Club
Baldacci

Sarah's Key
Tatiana DeRosnay
Historical fiction in France WWII

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Jamid Ford
WWII in Seattle. Chinese Boy and Japanese Girl in all white school.

South of Broad
Pat Conroy
Setting: Charleston. Story of friendship over the decades

While My Sister Sleeps
Barbara Delinsky
Athlete has an accident and family dealing with the issues.

Saving CeeCee Hunicutt
Bethh Hoffman

People of the Book
Geraldine Books

Firefly Lane
Kristin Hannah
Friendship between 2 women

End the Struggle and Dance with Life
Susan Jeffers, PhD
Self-help

The Power of Now
Eckert Tolle

The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Muriel Barbery
Slow start. Stay with it. Narrative that tells philosophy. Well-developed characters

"Quartet" Series
Nora Roberts

Mistaken Identity
Van Ryan & Cerak
True story

Half the Sky
Kristof & WuDunn
Nonfiction: women and children in bondage across the world

Beaded Hope
Cathy Liggett
4 women who go to Africa as a mission trip to help in HIV camp. They bring their own issues to this story of helping others.

Love, Work, Children
Mendelson
Behind the scenes of the “perfect” family. The real story.

Little Earthquakes
Jennifer Weiner
Novel about 3 women and their babies

"Stephanie Plum Mystery" series
Janet Evanovich
Flawed bounty hunter. Funny and a fast read.

The Glass Castle
Jeanette Walls
Dysfunctional family

Half-Broke Horses
Jeanette Walls