The Year of Prime ... On the Fifth Day of December

ACK!!
I've missed four days. Four days of wonderful, phenomenal, fantastic books I'd love to recommend (great holiday gifts!), so, cheating (a bit), I'm cheating. I'm putting three-in-one here (and will catch up tomorrow with another three!) ... THREE BOOKS THAT I ABSOLUTELY a.) loved b.) really felt moved by c.) really felt disturbed by d.) and loved.

Sometimes a great book doesn't end up leaving you with a great feeling. It's uncomfortable, it makes you question yourself, how you feel about things, how you view the world. And my first rec of the month is such a book.
LIE, by Caroline Bock is totally and completely uncomfortable. A story about kids who, for kicks, go beating up Mexicans (any Latinos, really, but they just jumble them all together in the same basket) on weekends in Long Island and something goes horribly wrong. Told from several POVs of kids involved, parents not wanting to be involved, a Mexican coach, a principal who feels like this should just "go away" ... That idea of "everybody knows, nobody's talking" that we all get swept up in at time. The nuance of racism and how we often turn a blind eye to what's in front of us made me feel squirmy.
LIE is one of those books that I was SO RELIEVED I had finished but so glad I had read.

Next up on my rec list is a book I absolutely, positively loved. FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB by Antony John is simply wonder. Winner of the 2011 Schneider Family Award, this novel is about Piper, a teen misfit, who's been given the job of manager of the school rock band DUMB. She has one month to get them a payinggig. Easy, right? Except for the band's leader is an egomaniac who's invited a hot, talent-less girl on board because, well, she's hot, and the guitar players can't really play. Their only hope is a band-geek to get them in line. Basically, the band sucks. And on top of it all, Piper can't hear a thing because she's deaf. This is one of those perfectly written novels about kids being kids and overcoming insane obstacles -- not the obvious ones (being deaf and having tone deaf band members) -- but the ones that kids have to deal with everyday: acceptance, tolerance, first love, conflicts with parents and more. I laughed out loud. What a wonderful, WONDERFUL novel.

OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D Schmidt is next on my list. The Newberry Winner for THE WEDNESDAY WARS, OKAY FOR NOW has already gotten a National Book Award Finalist nod and it is so deserved. Doug Swieteck is new in town and has everything going against him: a drunk, mean father, an almost-meaner brother whose reputation makes it hard for Doug to do "anything" right at school, a brother who's returning from Vietnam a very different person, a horrible, PE teacher who's got it out for him ... basically, the list goes on and on. And on top of it all, Doug can't read. But Doug can draw, and gets drawing lessons from the town librarian, tutoring from the horrible English teacher, a job delivering groceries for his only friend, Lil's, father and somehow finds a way, through kindness, perseverance, and friendship to turn his life around. I cried many times in this heartbreaking story. It's so beautifully written. The story weaves in the themes of loss, hope, anger, abuse masterfully. Hats of to Mr. Schmidt for such a beautiful, beautiful story. He makes me want to be a better writer.

Happy reading!! Holidays and books ... you can't go wrong!