Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature

The first thing I have to say about this book is that although it discusses religion, science, and the confluence of the two, I do not believe that this book is trying to espouse a certain view or to make any of the readers believe a certain thing. Really, this book is about examining one's beliefs, rather than just following what someone has told you, be that a religious view or a scientific one. It also reminds us that human beings are complicated and complex and sometimes believe more than one thing at the same time.

That being said, on with the book review.

This is the story of Mena, a high school freshman, who finds herself starting the school year with no friends. We get the idea that Mena has done something to alienate her former friends and to anger her parents, but we dont find out what that is. (At least not right away.) Mena soon finds herself caught in the crossfire between her former friends, who attend a somewhat conservative Christian church, and her science teacher, whom Mena really likes. The students (influenced by their pastor) demand that Intelligent Design be included in the biology curriculum, along with the theory of Evolution. The teacher (whose name I have totally forgotten) refuses, on the grounds that she does not believe that Intelligent Design is based on science.

When I began reading this book, I had expected a fairly rote tale telling us that science is good and religion is backwards and stupid. This book was much more complex than that. Through Mena we an investigation of this issue that was thorough and thoughtful. Books can have the luxury of making things simple and reducing life to formulas. This book resisted that temptation and instead reflects the complexities of real life.

When I was in high school this was not really a hotly debated topic. Times may have changed, though, and I suspect that some of you may find resonance in this book or recognize certain characters.

This was a book I couldn't put down and one that I thought about long afterwards. I hope that some of you read it so that we can discuss it.

The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous

Merilee, whose last name is really Monroe, leads what she calls a Very Ordered Existence. She has a schedule that she must stick to at all times. Merilee wears the same clothes every day. And she doesn't talk if she can help it. And then along comes Biswick into her life. He is a very friendly little boy who decides she will be his new best friend. Merilee's family is thrilled that she has a friend. Merilee is not thrilled.
This is a book about friendship and the compromises and sacrifices that have to be made for friends sometimes. Merilee does not relate to others the way most of us do and that made the book difficult to read, at times. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. It is neither short nor long, but a good sized story that you can get settled into.

Caudill 09 review #1

Since many of you need to read the Rebecca Caudills for school, we have started a new series reviewing the titles. 2008 is mostly over (in terms of the Caudills) so we are starting on the new 2009 titles. Keep an eye out throughout the year as we review all 20!

Oh Rats! by Albert Marrin

This is the first RC for 2009 that I read, although I have read most of the RC nominees for the past 4 years. Oh Rats! is, I must say, one of the most disgusting books I have ever read. Although it is short, Oh Rats! made me feel nautious more than once. It's really, really gross.

Oh Rats! tells the history of rats in the world - the good and the bad. Since this is a pretty short read, I dont want to give away mahy of the details. Let's just say that rats have done more than you can probably imagine.

I know many of you like to look for the short Caudills, so you can get your requirements out of the way. This book would probably be a great way to do that, but be aware of the gross factor.

Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Do you like the age -old story of King Arthur? The Song of the Sparrow takes the legend of Arthur and Camelot and adds a new twist- that of Elaine of Ascolat- the lady of Shalott. Okay, so I couldn't remember who she was either but it really didn't make a difference when I read this great book. It reads in poetry form- very easily and yet lurical. For me, this meant that it flowed beautifully. Told from young Elaine's point of view while living among the knights in military camp, you get it all- love, betrayal, and war. Lancelot is actually in the book too! I hope you check out this retelling of a great epic - you won't be disappointed!

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Hello fellow book bloggers: Just wanted to let you in on a great read: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. You might have read this already, but if you haven't you should really pick it up. Jeremy receives a locked box from his deceased dad a month before his thirteenth birthday. The box is supposed to be open on his thirteenth birthday and contain the answer to the meaning of life. He and his best friend, Liz, search all over New York City to try to find the missing keys that will open the box. They get them themselves in to strange situations and meet interesting people along the way of searching for the missing keys. If you liked MVP*: *Magellan Voyage Project by Douglas Evans, you will really like this book. If you have read the book, you should let us know if you liked it or not!
Here is some more information about the book:
http://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafeClient/ContentCafe.aspx?UserID=MLS90879&Password=CC83320&Display=ReviewSummaryByItemKey&ItemKey=0316058297&Options=Y

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

I actually read this book quite a while ago, when it came out, in 2004. It is Australian, so there are some cultural differences, but I don't think they are anything you can't move past. This is the story of Francesca who is starting her junior year of high school. She is starting at a new school - a boy's school that just went co-ed. There are very few girls attending and the boys aren't very excited to see them. She's met a boy she thinks could be "the one" but he has a girlfriend already and is sending very mixed signals. On top of this, her mother, who has always been the rock of the family, is taken by depression and can't make it out of bed most days. Between all of this, Francesca is making great friends at school and has the lead in the school play.
This was a book I couldn't stop thinking about. Even when I wasn't reading it, I found myself thinking about the characters and the story. It was very realistic, seeming like something a teenage girl would actually go through. Because everyone's life gets a little complicated sometimes.

LibraryThing

Check out www.librarything.com


This website will allow you to catalog your home library, so that you can keep track of your books. You can even add tags and search other catalogs. It is a pretty neat website. I signed up last night, but have not done much with it yet. It has a limit of 200 books for free, but since I know you get most of your books from the library, 200 should be no problem!