What to read next poll

Here are the choices for OCTOBER. Be sure to vote for as many as sound interesting. Books with votes but without a review will return to the polls next month along with new suggestions. Please add your book suggestions in the comments section to be considered for the following month.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Bestseller Picoult (My Sister's Keeper) takes on another contemporary hot-button issue in her brilliantly told new thriller, about a high school shooting. Peter Houghton, an alienated teen who has been bullied for years by the popular crowd, brings weapons to his high school in Sterling, N.H., one day and opens fire, killing 10 people. Flashbacks reveal how bullying caused Peter to retreat into a world of violent computer games. Alex Cormier, the judge assigned to Peter's case, tries to maintain her objectivity as she struggles to understand her daughter, Josie, one of the surviving witnesses of the shooting. The author's insights into her characters' deep-seated emotions brings this ripped-from-the-headlines read chillingly alive.

Found by Margaret Haddix

Haddix's latest science fiction series starts off with a bang in this nail-biter. A plane arrives at an airline gate unnoticed by radar and most personnel. There are no flight attendants, no pilot, in fact no adults at all, but there are 36 passengers—each seat is inhabited by an infant. Thirteen years later in Ohio, teenage adoptees Jonah and his friend Chip begin receiving ominous messages declaring that they are among "the missing" and that someone is coming to find them. Frightened yet intrigued, the boys begin a search for their real identities with the help of Jonah's younger sister. Their search leads them to a discovery that strains credulity and leads them into danger greater than they ever imagined possible. The story is driven by an exciting plot rather than extensive character development, and the teens act independently of the adults, who appear as "bad guys" or are basically useless. If used in a classroom, the revelation of the babies' identities can be used to kick off a history lesson or two. This book's exciting premise and cliff-hanger ending will leave readers on the edge of their seats and begging for more.—Heather M. Campbell, Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life of Bees is the story of Lily Owens, a girl who has shaped her life around one devastating memory—the afternoon her mother was killed, when Lily was four. Besides her harsh and unyielding father, Lily’s only real companion is Rosaleen, a tender, but fierce-hearted black woman who cooks, cleans and acts as her "stand-in mother." Set in 1964 in South Carolina, a place and time of seething racial divides, violence explodes one summer afternoon, and Rosaleen is arrested and beaten. Lily is desperate, not only to save Rosaleen, but to flee from a life she can no longer endure. Calling upon her colorful wits and youthful daring, she breaks Rosaleen out of jail and the two escape, into what quickly becomes Lily’s quest for the truth about her mother’s life. They are taken in by three black, bee-keeping sisters, May, June, and August, and Lily is consumed by their secret world of bees and honey, and of the Black Madonna who presides over this household of strong, wise women. Lily’s journey is one of painful secrets and shattering betrayals but that ultimately helps her find the thing her heart longs for most. The Secret Life Of Bees allows us into a world apart—in a novel whose strong, irresistible voice catches us up and doesn’t let go. The Secret Life Of Bees is a mesmerizing novel about women with extraordinary gifts coping with loss and finding forgiveness and especially, learning to forgive themselves.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

She can whisper to horses and communicate with birds, but the crown princess Ani has a difficult time finding her place in the royal family and measuring up to her imperial mother. When she is shipped off to a neighboring kingdom as a bride, her scheming entourage mounts a bloody mutiny to replace her with a jealous lady-in-waiting, Selia, and to allow an inner circle of guards more power in the new land. Barely escaping with her life, Ani disguises herself as a goose girl and wanders on the royal estate. Does she have the pluck to reclaim her rightful place? Get ready for a fine adventure tale full of danger, suspense, surprising twists, and a satisfying conclusion. The engaging plot can certainly carry the tale, but Hale's likable, introspective heroine makes this also a book about courage and justice in the face of overwhelming odds. The richly rendered, medieval folkloric setting adds to the charm.

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

It was number one on the New York Times Non-Fiction Best Seller List for six weeks. The book grew out of Pollan's 2007 article Unhappy Meals published in the New York Times Magazine. Pollan has also said that he wrote In Defense of Food as a response to people asking him what they should eat after having read The Omnivore's Dilemma, his previous book.In the book, Pollan postulates that the answer to healthy eating is simply to "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."Pollan argues that nutritionism as an ideology has overly complicated and harmed American eating habits. He says that rather than focusing on eating nutrients, people should focus on eating the sort of food that their ancestors would recognize.

September's Read: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally Youngblood lives in a futuristic society that acculturates its citizens to believe that they are ugly until age 16 when they'll undergo an operation that will change them into pleasure-seeking "pretties." Anticipating this happy transformation, Tally meets Shay, another female ugly, who shares her enjoyment of hoverboarding and risky pranks. But Shay also disdains the false values and programmed conformity of the society and urges Tally to defect with her to the Smoke, a distant settlement of simple-living conscientious objectors. Tally declines, yet when Shay is found missing by the authorities, Tally is coerced by the cruel Dr. Cable to find her and her compatriots–or remain forever "ugly." Tally's adventuresome spirit helps her locate Shay and the Smoke. It also attracts the eye of David, the aptly named youthful rebel leader to whose attentions Tally warms. However, she knows she is living a lie, for she is a spy who wears an eye-activated locator pendant that threatens to blow the rebels' cover. Ethical concerns will provide a good source of discussion as honesty, justice, and free will are all oppressed in this well-conceived dystopia. Characterization, which flirts so openly with the importance of teen self-concept, is strong, and although lengthy, the novel is highly readable with a convincing plot that incorporates futuristic technologies and a disturbing commentary on our current public policies. Fortunately, the cliff-hanger ending promises a sequel.–Susan W. Hunter, Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VT

Grades 6 and up

448 pages

Coraline

I haven't seen the new movie out and gratefully so. I like to read the book first before I see a movie so that I can experience it first within my own imagination. (It's always better that way!) This is a super quick read, but I really enjoyed it. I liked the eeriness of the story and am always intrigued at how authors can think up a storyline like this. Very interesting. I also enjoyed the message it conveyed. I like that Coraline decided she could never love her "other mother" even if she did give her all the things she could ever wish for. She couldn't love her because her "other mother" was evil and had no love to return. I liked that Coraline realized and appreciated her real family life after seeing what it could be like otherwise. Every child of mine should read this book and study it every night so that they can realize how good they got it even when I ignore them half the time and feed them "recipes".

Austenland by Shannon Hale

oooooooh! I LOVED this book. Couldn't put it down! If you are a fan of Jane Austen novels, you will love this story. It drew me in like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice does and was a sweet story of a girl searching for every girl dreams of: to be truly loved and adored. I loved how Jane is trying to figure out what is real in her life. And towards the end she seems to be the only real thing in a world of fake. She is able to leave the fake behind and in turn finds what is real. I realized that we all have to go through that at some point in our relationships. The story had a heart pattering romantic appeal as well as a down to earth, this is reality element. I love Shannon Hale's writing style and have read The Goose Girl, and Princess Academy which I would also highly recommend.
"Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her life. No real man can compare. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. Decked out in empire-waist gowns, stripped of her modern appliances, Jane throws herself into mastering Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen - or maybe even she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. Its all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to vanish. Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr Darcy of her own? With humor, charm and perfect sympathy, award-wining author Shannon Hale delivers a novel that will delight every reader who has ever dreamed of escaping into Austenland."

1984 by George Orwell

I've heard good things about this book from several people and so I finally got around to reading it. There are many political and social concepts explored in this book and therefore is educational but I have to say that I didn't really enjoy it. When I checked it out from the library, the library told me it was such a good book but it was dark. It was interesting but I was disappointed. I kept reading hoping for some positive resolution but it was gloomy all the way to the end. I like books that inspire or uplift me and this book did neither.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

Okay, I think this is my new favorite book. You have GOT to read it if you haven't! It was nothing like what I expected it to be. It was full of action, suspense and turmoil. This guy is innocent and gets wrongly blamed for the murder of his king by an evil, power greedy magistrate. You want Airman to seek his revenge, but he doesn't really desire to. In the end he saves the day, but not for the reasons you think he will! I loved that the storyline wasn't entirely predictable and that it was fairly realistic. A super great read and two thumbs up from me!

Millennial Glory: Hidden Light by Wendie Edwards

The Millennial Glory Series is a saga of a family set in the time leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. Hidden Light is the first book in this series. As the Second Coming of Christ is one of my favorite subjects of study, it is also one of my favorite subjects to explore in fiction. I really enjoyed the "Great and Terrible" series by Chris Stewart. When I heard there was another series written about the Last Days, I thought I'd better try it out.

Here is the summary of the book, taken from the Millennial Glory website: "A strange plague breaks out among a rebellious segment of society. The sickness is related to a mysterious man who claims he is the resurrected Savior of the world. His intent is to hide the light of the truth as he stands in its stead. His words are hypnotic. His message is deadly. Corrynne Rogers is an Intensive Care nurse who cares for the dying. Through her hospital association she uncovers a destructive plan to implant computer chips under the skin in any who worship the false Christ in an effort to control the followers. Some followers are killed by a flesh eating bacteria as they turn away from the religious leader. Eventually, Corrynne exposes the deadly plan but not in time to protect one of her own from the lethal chip. The Zulu countdown has begun. Fire is prophesied to rain from heaven to punish those who refuse to accept the false Christ. But will it? Time will only tell."

I really enjoyed this book. It is set in Provo, Utah, a place I am very familiar with. It was easy to picture the places that the story takes place in. I also liked that the story revolves around a large LDS family that is truly unified and trying to live the Gospel. I enjoyed reading about their relationships and seeing their love for each other through their reactions to what is going on around them. I loved to get to know the characters as they are easy to love and as conflict arises, they arise to the occasion to demonstrate strong character and inspire hope.

I also enjoyed that this book is so well documented. Although it is a work of fiction, there are footnotes throughout the chapter. At the end of each chapter, the author documents her sources of information, whether it be from scripture, actual events, or science, the references are there for easy perusal and further study. I found this book to be very fun to read. At 422 pages (many of which are documentation) I found it quick and exciting. Last night I was at the climax of the story and simply couldn't put my book down until it was over. I love books like that. I will definitely be reading the next in this series, and found out that the 9th installment of Millennial Glory is to be released in October of 2009. I look forward to becoming immersed in this series.

The Omnivore's Dilemma

At the beginning of this book, Michael Pollan begins with a brief overview of our recent eating culture in America. He mentions how we are quick to buy into the latest diet fads and have such a pre-occupation with being "healthy" despite our growing eating-related diseases.
The subtitle to the book is: A Natural History of Four Meals. He then takes a journey, one at a time into the history and current production of four different types of meals:

Industrial
Pollan begins with a deep exploration of the food-production system from which the vast majority of American meals are derived. This industrial food chain is largely based on corn, whether it is eaten directly, fed to livestock, or processed into chemicals such as glucose and ethanol. Pollan discusses how the humble corn plant came to dominate the American diet through a combination of biological, cultural, and political factors. The role of petroleum in the cultivation and transportation of the American food supply is also discussed.
A fast food meal is used to illustrate the end result of the industrial food chain.

Organic
The following chapter delves into the principles of organic farming and their various implementations in modern America. Pollan shows that, while organic food has grown in popularity, its producers have adopted many of the methods of industrial agriculture, losing sight of the organic movement's anti-industrial roots. A meal prepared from ingredients purchased at Whole Foods Market represents this food chain at the table.

Local
As a study in contrast, Pollan visits Joel Salatin's small-scale ecological rotation farm, where natural conditions are adhered to as closely as possible, very few artificial inputs are used, and waste products are recycled back into the system. He then prepares a meal using only local produce from nearby small-scale farmers.

Personal
The final chapter finds Pollan attempting to prepare a meal using only ingredients he has hunted, gathered, or grown himself. He recruits assistance from local foodies, who teach him to hunt feral pigs, gather wild mushrooms, and search for abalone. He also makes a salad of greens from his own garden, bakes sourdough bread using wild yeast, and prepares a dessert from cherries picked in his neighborhood.
Pollan concludes that, while such a meal is not practical on a regular basis, as an occasional exercise it helps to reconnect us with the natural origins of food as well as human history.

I really liked how the author seemed to be honest about his feelings and kept an open mind throughout all 4 journeys he went through. It is one thing to learn about new things, but to explore the feelings and associations that go along with our culture gave the book and even more applicable slant. Throughout the book, I tried to find biased opinions or maybe an "agenda", but I was impressed that he seemed to be pretty objective and let the reader come to his own conclusions about the discoveries of his journey. After reading the book, I came away feeling the importance of local food, supporting the small farmer, and a desire to be more self reliant.

I was fascinated with the "Local" meal journey and the week spent on Joel Salatin's farm. I was moved by his philosophies and his method as he strives to become a "caretaker of creation." As we are seeing with America's incredible rates of preventable diseases, the low costs of our food in reality are costing us a great deal more than we realize. I will be reading Michael Pollan's next book, "In Defense of Food"