"Finding Katie--Diary of an Anonymous Teenager In Foster Care"

Finding Katie is a fast-moving book written as a diary of a 16-yr.-old girl who came from a wealthy family that was sexually abused by her own father who dumped her on Skid Row in Los Angeles to fend for herself. She was "rescued" by the Salvation Army and tells her story about being in foster homes and finally finding someone who wanted her so ends on a happy note. Even through it all, she shows great maturity and compassion for the other kids in the foster homes she was placed in. She helped several of them by tutoring them, befriending them and caring for them. She found happiness by helping others.
(Karen's review 3/7/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Christmas Blessings" by Helen Steiner Rice

I just finished reading a book of Christmas poems called Christmas Blessings by Helen Steiner Rice that I really liked.  They were all about the true meaning of Christmas, God's gift  to us, His Son, Jesus Christ.  Instead of Christmas cards she would write poems for her friends at Christmas time.  Here's one I chose that was short to share with you:

A Christmas Blessing for You

May Jesus, our Savior,
Who was born on Christmas Day,
Bless you at this season
In a very special way.
May the Beauty and the promise
Of that silent, holy night
Fill your heart with peace and happiness
And make your new year bright!

Her poems are also used on greeting cards today.  In fact, I just got one from a friend this week with the verse by her.

(Karen's review 12/23/09)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Best Friends" by Samantha Glen Made Me Want To Go There!

I would love to visit this animal sanctuary in Utah!  Best Friends by Samantha Glen tells of how this animal sanctuary got started.  It is an amazing story that I really enjoyed reading.  The love these people have for animals is boundless.  The pictures in the book are special too.  With our help, Best Friends can continue to do the wonderful work that they do.  God bless this special place!

(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Tuesday Teasers: "Best Friends" and "Plain Truth"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following:          

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser. 

Gerard's::

"We still need an identity," Michael," Steven said.  "Something that says who we are and what we're trying to do.  Isn't everybody tired of explaining us?"

From p. 79 of Best Friends:  the True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary by Samantha Glen.  The review of this one will be up tonight.


Karen's:

Glancing down, she realized that a miracle had come to pass:  the blood-soaked hay was fresh now, except for a small stain beneath her own bottom.  And the two things she'd been holding when she fell asleep--the scissors and the newborn--were gone.

 From p. 5 of Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult.

"Boot Camp" by Todd Strasser

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser is a disturbing novel about Garrett, a boy sent to Harmony Lake camp for troubled teens, by his parents because he was out of control.  It is like a prison for teens, but they use physical and psychological abuse to get teens to become obedient.  Parents who send kids there paid $4,000 a month!  Teens are separated from their parents and the outside world for a minimum of six months.  In this book, Garrett really did not deserve to be there and befriended two others who didn’t deserve to be there either.  They escaped together but it did not end there.

I liked the ending, but won’t spoil it for you.  I found myself pulling for Garrett throughout the book and although this was fiction, it is based on real places that exist in the United States which is what disturbed me most.  No one should be treated this way!   The book was gripping, a page-turner that I was anxious to see how it would end.
 (Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?