December 2005: Books Read

. Avi. Poppy's Return. New York: Harper Collins Children's Books, 2005.

Poppy, the mouse, travels to Gray House, her family home, to save her family from the bulldozer. She is accompanied by Junior, her son, Mephitis, the skunk, and Ereth, the porcupine. Sibling rivalry (Poppy & Lilly), death of parents (Mephitis), teenage angst and rebellion (Junior and Mephitis), prejudice (against Ereth), and other themes run through the book. Avi uses frequent POV changes to tell the story and the feelings of the animals.


. Sparks, Nicholas. The Notebook. New York: Warner Books, 1996.

A love story that frequently changes POV between the two main characters (Noah and Allie). Simple story of young lovers who separate then refind each other. The twist: Allie develops Alzheimer's. Sparks' skill lies in being able to take a simple story of emotions and keep the reader interested. Negatives: hard to figure out how the prologue and epilogue fit in.


. Sparks, Nicholas. The Rescue. New York: Warner Books, 2000.

I liked this novel better than The Notebook. Not as confusing because it's a straightline in terms of time. Very satisfying in terms of plot and pacing--though I did start getting a little tired of Taylor's inability to communicate.