Norma's Picks

Doing proper readers' advisory when working in the library, means not favouring your personal preferences when recommending books to our patrons. We are taught to categorize the books by the appeal factors, such as genre, character, setting, pace, etc.

Well, this is a blog. This is my post. (My apologies to Susan, my tutor for the reader's advisory course.)

I am so excited about these two books that I just read, I had to share. They were picked for totally different reasons, one is a non-fiction and the other fiction. One I read in book format, the other in audiobook format. However, you'll find that they do share one common element.

I listened to The Element - Why Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. with Lou Aronica in audiobook format on both my MP3 player. I was enthralled with the topic. More importantly, his voice and manner of speaking to the listener, made me look forward to plugging those earbuds in to start my housework.

The product description summarizes this well, "The element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the element, they feel most themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels. The Element draws on the stories of a wide range of people, from ex-Beatle Paul McCartney to Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons; from Meg Ryan to Gillian Lynne, who choreographed the Broadway productions of Cats and The Phantom of the Opera; and from writer Arianna Huffington to renowned physicist Richard Feynman and others, including business leaders and athletes. It explores the components of this new paradigm: The diversity of intelligence, the power of imagination and creativity, and the importance of commitment to our own capabilities."

"The Element shows the vital need to enhance creativity and innovation by thinking differently about human resources and imagination. It is also an essential strategy for transforming education, business, and communities to meet the challenges of living and succeeding in the twenty-first century. "

I will read this book again and again. I also wish that every person working with the education system would listen to the message and then instill in all children the knowledge that they have a special purpose and success will come to those who pursue it with heart, regardless of the perceived obstacles.

I kept coming across Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant while straightening up the adult fiction shelves. It called to me with its childish drawing of a Tortoise and a flaming paper castle. The fact that it had a maple leaf sticker on the spine, telling me it was a Canadian work, further hooked me.

What a delightful, unique read this was. It made me smile and warmed my heart (which needs all the warming it can take at this point in the winter). Afterward, I read a couple reviews and publicity material and was disheartened referred to the female protagonist as an "IQ-challenged" woman....

Audrey (or Oddly as she is referred to by those that love her) is beyond that simple label or definition.

I preferred this review by Diane Baker Mason for the Globe and Mail that seemed to capture everything I needed to say about this book, in words more eloquent than mine.

She says this " Audrey might have been told by her school at one point that she had a 'low IQ', but that's not credible. She's brilliant. She's hilarious. I could read about her all day."

From the back cover of the book, Lisa Moore, author of Alligator, has a statement of praise that includes:

"This book is astoundingly unique. A novel about fathers and daughters, love and loss, the wisdom that accumulates over the ages, and that ancient instinct to come home. Joyful. A tortoise de force."

Jessica Grant won the First Novel award in April 2010 for this novel.

I didn't intentionally decide to read two books that, for me, had an underlying theme about society's misconceptions of intelligence. But now thinking about these two books, I am reminded of something that a Facebook buddy posted, "Success has more to do with your 'I CAN', than your 'I.Q.'"

Cold

I spent Family Day in cold, icy Ottawa with a wicked wind chill. Somehow, that made me reflect on two books I had read recently.

Both were set in Sweden and each author was tagged as the next Steig Larsson, of course!

However, I would like to recommend The Snowman by Jo Nesbo.

This was new to me, but is one book in a series about detective Harry Hole. This one opens very well with a solitary figure of a snowman in a garden, with a red scarf around its neck. Harry and his team delve into a murder case and discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have disappeared over the years. This, of course, leads to the discovery of a serial killer at work. I found this book an excellent thriller with a very fast pace.

The second book was Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom.

This one is about a secret operative for the Swedish police who is about to embark on a his most serious mission yet. Piet Hoffman goes deep undercover in a Swedish prison to infiltrate a gang of drug distributors. A murder occurs in the prison and is investigated by Detective Inspector Ewert Grens whose determination to find the killer may result in the exposure of Hoffman.

The writing style reminded me of Lee Child, with lots of twists and turns in the plot.

I hope you, too, might enjoy these "cold thrillers' to help keep you warm until Spring finally arrives!

Alison

Books Make My Brain Feel Better!

Oh, it's early February. Early yesterday morning, I saw -40.6 C on my digital thermometer. Car wouldn't start. Even my alpaca socks were shivering.

My family is getting cabin fever. What brainiac decided to make Family Day right smack in the middle of the Northern Ontario winter? Sure enough, if we plan to go skiing that day, you know it's going to rain. A trip planned to the big city is sure to bring on the blizzard gods.

Oh....do I need a HAPPY, "FEEL-GOOD" BOOK! Today!

You may have your own idea of what a feel-good book is, but in my definition, it's a book that let's you escape your day from a quiet corner of your world. It doesn't ask you to think about life's big dramas or the effect of an individual's personality flaws on your world.

Nope - a "feel-good" book simply puts images in your head that make your brain feel better.

Here's some suggestions...

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

It's the story of a kitten, who was rescued by the librarian, made the public library his domain and was adopted by the town of Spencer, Iowa.

The Irish Country series by Patrick Taylor are a charming read with endearing characters that will put a smile on your face. My favorite in the series is The Irish Country Doctor.

more on the list....

The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha makes you think of all those little, insignificant (or so you thought!) things that happen in your day that work to make you happier.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is a collection of letters between friends, regarding a young woman's visit to the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation. This hardly seems like a light-hearted setting, but the people live with a joy that is transferred to the reader. The eccentric characters come alive in the letter writing.

Skinny Dip by Carl Hiassen is a funny novel about a good woman getting revenge on her cad of a husband, who throws her off the side of a cruise ship as the book begins. Unbeknownst to him, she survives, and sets out to get the sweetest revenge in the most hilarious ways. Its silly and somewhat risqe humour will tickle your brain.

Don't forget to browse the picture books at the library. The juvenile section is full of 'feel-good' books and they come with beautiful illustrations. Alison says "The E Section stands for Everyone!"

One of my favourites, is "Woolbur" by Leslie Helakoski.

Picture books are great to read aloud with the funny voices. (Word to the wise...You may want to keep to this hobby when you are in your home only...or people may think that cabin fever has really struck you down...)

Now, this winter may be lasting quite a while yet. Can you give me some feel-good suggestions that you have read?