"Handle With Care" by Jodi Picoult

Can't Put It Down--Jodi Classic (100 stars!) First off, for anyone who has Osteogenesis imperfecta (O.I.) and their families and friends, my prayers and thoughts are with you.  As for Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult, I loved it!!  This is a hard-to-put-down book.  I went back and forth with how I felt about the people in this book.  So many twists and turns and story lines everywhere.  It's just awesome!!!!  It left me wanting more, and then, if that's not enough, the last 50 or so pages were even better!!  I finished it three days sooner than I expected I would.  Nineteen Minutes is the standard I judge Jodi's books by because I really liked it a lot! That was one awesome book and this matches it.  I cried at the end, hated the ending!!!  Read this book, you will never forget it!
(Gerard's review 5/09)

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult is about a family who has a baby girl, Willow, born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) and each member has a different way of protecting the girl.  OI is a rare bone disease where the slightest bump can cause factures.  In an effort to get more money to pay for her care and special needs, the mother sues her best friend who also the mother’s ob-gyn.  This book is very thought provoking and shows how far a mother will go to help her daughter.  It gives insight into how this disease can affect the entire family and really all who know the person.  The book deals with the issue of is that life worth living or would it have been better if the girl was never born.  It ended very differently from what I expected and held my attention, but not one of my favorite Picoult books.
(Karen's review 5/09)

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"The Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf is a page-turner that grabbed my attention right from the start.  A young girl is abducted and her friend, Calli is also missing.   Calli is seven but hasn't spoken since she was four. I liked this book because it wasn't predictable and deals with a lot of different issues such as family dynamics, alcoholism, old flames, police investigation, selective mutism and friendship.  It is a fast read and contains discussion questions at the end.  I recommend this book if you like contemporary fiction about families.
Karen's review posted 2/11/10

The Weight Of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf is a real page turner!  I suggest not reading the Prologue first.  I never do until I finish reading the book.  Wow!  This book was just awesome.  It reads just like a Jodi Picoult book, which is not a bad thing at all.  The book got my attention right away and kept it all the way to the end.  All the characters are very good.  I especially enjoyed their stories of early times in their lives.  I do not think you will be able to guess the outcome.  I didn’t.  Enjoy this book--it is REALLY, REALLY GOOD!

(Gerard's Review 1/30/10)

comments received moved from our other blog:
I Just started a book blog and I am discouraged. Then I found you guys and I realized that you seem to read the same type of books that I do. I just finished The Weight Of Silence, Have also read The Art of Racing in the Rain and Columbine, The Book Thief and My Sisters Keeper. I am on my library's wait list for Going Rogue. However, your kitties choice of Where the Wild Things Are is my favorite. I's like to ask you a favor, just because I am starting out and your tastes run similar to mine. If you have time would you just drop by my site and give me a critique or two. Since there are so many holidays in February I was going with a theme and a giveaway almost everyday. I am discouraged as I am not having much luck. Mainly just friends and family. I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you very much! Lesa  skyroxy@bellsouth.net

By Lesa on February 15, 2010

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"Somebody Else's Kids" by Torey Hayden

I liked Somebody Else's Kids by Torey Hayden because it was pretty amusing but yet sad too when you realize that this isn't fiction. Claude was a pregnant 12 yr. old who ended up giving her baby up for adoption and becoming valedictorian of her class. Lori had some brain damage so couldn’t read but a warm heart. Boo was autistic and would take of his clothes and flap around. Tomaso was violent because was angry his dad died and had to be in foster homes but was intelligent. Acted tough but showed concern for other kids, especially Lori. Lori got stuffed bear for Tomaso for his birthday and he tore it up but then had Torey sew it back up. This is a touching book.
(Karen's review 10/05)

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"Twilight Children: Voices No One Heard Until a Therapist Listened" by Torey Hayden

Twilight Children by Torey Hayden is one of best books Gerard ever read. Very good! Really interesting how she was able to help multiple personality Cassandra who was a real terror.

A child psychiatrist helped Cassandra (7 yr. old) who was abducted by her father for two years and was sexually abused. She developed multiple personalities but did get better eventually. Also about a 4 yr. old, Drake and Friend (his stuffed tiger) who couldn’t talk but who was thought to have selective mutism. Mother was only one who knew the truth until she confided in the psychiatrist who tried to help Drake speak. 

This is quite an interesting book that both Gerard and I liked very much.  I found it very fascinating.  It is the first book we read by Torey Hayden.
(reviewed 9/05)

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"Beautiful Child" by Torey Hayden

WOW! A really GREAT BOOK! My favorite of her books. Cried at the end.

In Beautiful Child Torey Hayden shares about her challenging special ed class and how the teacher struggled throughout the year and turned it around. Venus was the most challenging of all because had very serious abuse in the home and was mostly unresponsive except when attacking other kids when they accidentally bumped her. Finally got the help she needed after the hospital treated her for hypothermia, had to amputate her toes, and found 22 broken bones that had healed or were in various stages of healing. 

It also revealed the struggle Torey had with her aide who was totally on a different page philosophically and really undermined what she was trying to do.
Some of the things teacher did that worked was behavior modification with traffic lights, singing between activities or to refocus kids when they started fighting, closed eye journey, special one-on-one time at recess with Venus —held her on her lap.
(Karen's review 9/05)

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"Front of The Class: How Tourette Syndrom made me The Teacher I Never Had" by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky

Front of The Class:  How Tourette Syndrom made me The Teacher I Never Had by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky is about Brad Cohen and his Tourette Syndrome which is something that causes him to make strange noises and movements that he cannot control.  Growing up, he was bullied by his dad and his schoolmates, yet had a burning desire to be a teacher.  This book tells about how he overcame so many obstacles to achieve his goal and is truly inspiring.  Front Of The Class was so good that they made a Hallmark movie about it.  I enjoyed both the book and the movie very much recommend it to anyone.
--Gerard's review 2/25/10 (5+ stars) Karen enjoyed the movie too but did not read the book.

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"Looking For A Miracle" by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Looking For A Miracle by Wanda E. Brunstetter is about Rebekah, an Amish young woman who had an accident as a girl and was confined to a wheelchair.  It is a slow moving story about how Rebekah struggles with trusting God for her future and is somewhat bitter because of her handicap.  I liked how she found a way to become more self-supporting and finally found romance and love.  It gives some insight into the Amish community which I found to be interesting and includes a recipe for home-made root beer in the back.  I recommend this for anyone who likes to read about the Amish and enjoys a light, predictable read. This is the 2nd book of the "Brides of Lancaster" series.

(Karen's review 1/9/10)

 
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Stranded by Ben Mikaelsen

Stranded by Ben Mikaelsen is a young adult fiction book about a Jr. High girl who has lost her foot in an accident and finally gets accepted at school when everyone hears about her saving two whales.  The story delves into her feelings about her parents separation, school, fears of what others think about her and how she finally accepts herself.  In reading this book, I learned a bit more about whales and liked the theme that was not to judge people by how they look on the outside, but to look deeper at who people really are.  Her special relationship she had with the whales was interesting.  I enjoyed this light, fast read very much.  I think the author did a fantastic job at getting inside the head of a young girl.

 (Karen's review 11/20/09)

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