Seen the movie? Now read the book! War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

I am again guilty of not wanting to read a book until after watching the movie.  This time the movie was War Horse.  I knew the movie was based on a children's book (someone had requested we purchase it before the movie was released) but the book didn't interest me.  I didn't see the movie until it was released on DVD but I did enjoy it.  There was one scene after Joey (the horse) is scared by the tank and runs into no man's land that I found extremely graphic and had to turn off for a few minutes before concluding the movie.  After watching the movie, I was curious: how did the two compare? I had to read the book to know.

The book is told from the point of view of Joey and you're first introduced to him after he is purchased by Albert's father. The book chronicles Joey's life on the farm and into the Great War.  He has a close bond with Albert and when Albert's father sells him to the army, Albert vows that he will one day find Joey.  For the most part the movie stays true to the book, but there are a few major differences between the two.  I don't want to give anything away so I won't go into these differences. 

The book War Horse is definitely a children's book, but the movie is not for children.  The movie is rated PG-13 and for good reason. The violent scene in the movie that caused me to pause the movie wasn't nearly as graphic in the book.  I would recommend this book to young readers (2nd-5th grade) who enjoy reading historical fiction and anyone who likes horse books.  I enjoyed War Horse so much that I checked out the sequel Farm Boy and I can't wait to read it.  

Historical Fiction booklist

I've been reading a lot of historical fiction lately. Here is a list of some of the books I've recently read.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis-Orphan Bud Caldwell is tired of being passed from one foster family to another. After a particularly bad experience, he decides to look for his father using subtle clues that his deceased mother left him. With just his battered old suitcase and the clothes on his back, he travels from Flint, Michigan to Detroit looking for his father the famous jazz musician Herman E. Calloway. This book takes place during the Great Depression. (J FIC CURTIS)


The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis-Deza Malone who is briefly mentioned in Bud, Not Buddy returns in a book all her own! Readers will love smart, optimistic Deza Malone. Originally from Gary, Indiana, Deza, her older brother Jimmie and her mother go to Flint to stay with her grandmother while waiting for her father to come home. Unable to find her grandmother, the family winds up in a Hooverville outside of Flint trying to make ends meet. Will her family be reunited? (J FIC CURTIS)


Roll of Thunder, Here My Cry by Mildred Taylor-The first book in the Logan family series takes place in Mississippi in 1933. The Logan family have it a little easier than the other families because their family own the land they live on. Many of the other African-American families are sharecroppers and are dependent upon the white families who own their land. Nine-year-old Cassie Logan's parents have taught her and her brothers the importance of family, land and respect for others and self. Her parents have protected her from the prejudices against black people, but when her family begins being harassed by the night riders, she begins to see the world as it really is. (J FIC TAYLOR)


The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine-Marlee, an extremely quiet and shy girl, is good at math and hopes to one day become a rocket scientist. When new girl Liz befriends Marlee, she helps her come out of her shell and open up. Just when things are looking up for Marlee, Liz disappears. Marlee soon learns that Liz is an African American who is able to pass as a white student. To avoid trouble Liz leaves school. Despite being told by her parents to stay away from Liz, Marlee and Liz begin to meet clandestinely continuing their friendship. This puts Liz and Marlee in danger from those who don't think they should be friends. This book takes place in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1958, the year after the Little Rock Nine were allowed to attend Little Rock Central High School. (J FIC LEVINE)

See the Children's Department staff for the exact location of these books.

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos book review

This 2012 Newbery Award winning book by Jack Gantos is a semi-autobiographical account of Gantos's 12th summer in Norvelt, PA. After accidentally shooting off his father's Japanese sniper rifle, he is grounded indefinitely and only allowed to go to his neighbor Miss Volker's house to help her. Miss Volker is one of the last remaining original residents of Norvelt who acts as the town's medical examiner and obituary writer for the town newspaper.

Norvelt was first established as a town in 1934 during the midst of the Great Depression by Eleanor Roosevelt who belived that "every American should have a house on a large enough piece of fertile property so that during hard times, when money was difficult to come by, a man and woman could always grow crops and have enough food to feed their family" (Dead End in Norvelt, 214).

There aren't too many original residents remaining in Norvelt the summer Jack turns twelve and all of a sudden, they appear to be dropping like flies. Is it coincidence or is someone guilty of foul play?

I would recommend this book to any teen who enjoys reading historical fiction or is a fan of Jack Gantos. Fans of Richard Peck's series about the Dowdel family will also enjoy this book.

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay book review

If you like historical fiction with an element of mystery, you'll enjoy Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay.

If you know anything about me, you know I don't read a lot of adult fiction. Most of my reading is comprised of juvenile and young adult fiction. But when I saw Russian Winter on the new book display, I had to read it. I'm guilty when it comes to judging a book by its cover. I know I shouldn't but I totally do. But the cover to Russian Winter just drew me in: the back of a woman with an amber necklace. Who was this woman? What was the significance of the necklace? Intriguing-I loved it. And I really enjoyed the book as well.

Russian Winter alternates between the present and the past with three main characters. Nina Revskaya, a famous ballerina who danced for the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia and later defected to the United States; Drew Brooks, an auction house representative and Grigori Solodin, a foreign language professor. When Nina decides to put her extensive jewelry collection up for auction, the three main characters' lives collide. Each character learns that life isn't always what it appears to be.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles book review

Countdown is a documentary novel that takes place in the United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Eleven-year-old Franny just wants everything to return to normal: her best friend Margie is mad at her, her older sister is missing in action, and the world could come to an end at any moment because of the conflict the United States and Soviet Union. Alternating between primary documents and the story, readers who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy this book. Countdown is the first book in The Sixties Trilogy . Recommended for ages 12-15.

90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis

90 Miles to Havana takes place during in Havana, Cuba during the Cuban Revolution in 1961. Families tried to escape from Cuba during this time period. Many families who weren't able to get out of Cuba, at least tried to get their children out of the country. This is the story of Julian and his two older brothers who are sent to a camp in Miami, where other Cuban children are sent until they can be eventually (hopefully) reunited with their parents. In many instances, families were not reunited and these children were sent to other camps, orphanages or foster families. While there is a director of the camp, adult supervision is very limited and the children are bullied by Caballo, one of the older boys of the camp and his gang of friends. When Julian's older brothers are sent to a camp in Denver, CO, Julian and his friends must fend for themselves against the bullies. This is a coming-of-age story of a young boy who has always lived in the shadows of his older brothers and just wants to be a hero by bringing his family back together again. Recommended for ages 12 and up.