Comments on: Jen’s 2008 Top Ten Books

By: bjneary

bjneary — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:11:29 +0000

Shannel, Hunger Games will be followed by Catching Fire in September and these books are awesome! I like the Ellen Hopkins books (Crank and Glass), they are in free verse and long! Twilight books are really good for a series, too.

By: Shannel

Shannel — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:09:46 +0000

i read “the disreputable history of frankie landeau banks” and i thought it was a bit predictable. it was ok for the first few chapters but the rest of the book was boring. im haveing a really hard time finding another book to read. ive just finished reading the harry potter series and i just cant seem to find another book or book series that is as interesting. itd be really nice if someone could help me! thanks anyways

By: Simone

Simone — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:31:32 +0000

Jen,

I am an 8th Grade language arts teacher looking for a new title for my students. Is The Story of Edgar Sawtelles appropriate for 8th graders? Are there any inappropriate words/scenes/etc. that we should be aware of?

Thanks in advance!
Simone

By: Jen Hubert

Jen Hubert — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:45:23 +0000

Cindy, try this:

http://www.readingrants.org/?page_id=517

For some reason, the link isn’t showing up for some people.

By: bjneary

bjneary — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:54:33 +0000

Of course I read your review & LOVED IT BTW–I live to read your reviews and then order the books for our library or run out and get them!!! It is being read by our faculty book club and so many teachers just don’t see Claude as evil right away (like I did). I have to prod them with some details about how the dog dies in the beginning, Edgar’s father’s reluctance, the white stuff in the lawn, etc. It was such a great read, so much tragedy and I so loved Edgar & Almondine and all the other Sawtelle dogs (can you tell I am a dog-lover?) and really wanted to see Edgar vindicated, back with Almondine, exposing his uncle and showing his mother she had so misjudged her own son – but books & life don’t always end that way, do they?

By: Cindy Dobrez

Cindy Dobrez — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:12:00 +0000

I don’t see the 2008 list in your links….help.

By: Jen Hubert

Jen Hubert — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:20:12 +0000

I too hated Claude and didn’t want it to end! Did you read my review?

http://www.readingrants.org/2008/08/10/the-story-of-edgar-sawtelle-by-david-wroblewski/

By: bjneary

bjneary — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:07:40 +0000

I just loved The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and in my conversations with people as they read the book, they didn’t really see Claude as completely evil and not to be trusted (I hated him!!!). What did you think as you read the book of his character, and also Edgar’s mom (I ended up really being disappointed in her—she soooo did not know her son!) Amondine and Edgar were such great portraits of man and his best friend, but even Claude tested their bond of unconditional love. I just loved the way DW wrote the book, the dogs were so amazing and as I read it, I didn’t want it to end!

By: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lauren Baratz-Logsted — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:02:01 +0000

Oops, I have another one to add from 2008, because I just finished it and it’s great: CRACKBACK, by John Coy. And I hope it’s OK to give a shout-out to my husband Greg Logsted’s debut YA novel, SOMETHING HAPPENED – obviously I think that one’s terrific too.

By: Jen Hubert

Jen Hubert — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:21:46 +0000

Lauren and BJ, thanks for leaving lists of your top tens–I wish more people would use this space for that purpose and start more discussions about their favorites of the year!