Waiting for Normal

Diamond Willow

This is a really cool book, but the author definitely makes you think. It is worth 2 AR points, so it is pretty short. That's a good thing because I would like to read it again to totally understand everything that happens, since there is a lot of deep thinking necessary to understand everything about this novel. I really like it so far!

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature

I'm so glad my friend Rhonda recommended this book to me. Although I had a few distractions while reading the beginning chapters on Mena Reece's rejection and isolation, I have managed to stick with the book, and I am really enjoying it. I am on chapter 16, so Mena has met her new biology teacher, Ms. Sheperd, and she is starting to develop a friendship with her lab partner, Casey. I'm really enjoying this chapter (16). I like the part on p. 75 when Ms. Sheperd explains why "evolution rules the day," and closes with "THANK YOU, MUTATIONS." I can just picture this kinda nerdy, sorta chubby, caffeine-crazed science geek, who is totally passionate about her job, with wrinkled clothes, of course, as she says those words. For some reason, I always think of the nerdy girl from Scooby Doo when I think of Ms. Sheperd. Only I picture Ms. Sheperd to be a little heftier.



I also thought Mena's description of how Ms. Sheperd made her feel about biology (bottom of p. 76-77) was pretty cool, and I remembered times when I had felt the same way as Mena about something that I realized in a deeper sense than I ever had before that moment. I also liked the way Mena related this whole feeling and experience to the way she feels about God. To be specific, she said:

"It's just that it all makes sense. In the same way that God makes sense to me sometimes and I really think I can feel Him. I can see the order to things, His purpose behind them. I wish I felt that way more often--about God, I mean-- but whenever I do, it's like someone has pumped up my heart with helium, and I can barely keep from floating off into space."

After reading that part, I started to feel even more as if Mena was a real person that I could relate to, and I wanted to learn more about her and hear more of her story. I also wanted to discuss this quote with others to hear their thoughts.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

It is 1935 and Moose Flanagan has recently moved to the island of Alcatraz, where his father works as a prison guard. His older sister, Natalie, is autistic, and their mother is trying desperately to get her accepted into a special school, Ester P. Marinoff. It is unlikely for children to get accepted once they reach a certain age, so her mother refuses to admit Natalie's true age, which is fourteen. Because of this, mother lives in denial and celebrates Natalie's "10th birthday" every year.

After moving to the island, Moose misses playing baseball with his close friends, and he is largely responsible for watching after Natalie when he isn't in school.

Moose takes the ferry to San Francisco every day during the week, where he attends school with the warden's daughter, Piper, who is notorious for plotting and scheming. In fact, it is she who masterminds the plan to collect other children's clothing (for $$$) and have them laundered by famous criminals, such as Al Capone.

Moose, Natalie, and Piper find plenty of mischief and a couple of scary moments involving some of the prisoners on Alcatraz. Finally, when Natalie is rejected from Ester P. Marinoff for the second time and Moose watches his parents fall apart, he decides to write to the infamous gangster (Al Capone) himself, to ask the prisoner for a personal favor.

Brothers, Boyfriends & Other Criminal Minds

Characters: April Lundquist (main character); Matt (April's older brother); Bettina Bocelli (Matt's crush); Sammy (April's younger brother); Brandi (April's best friend); Dominick DeMao (April's crush); Little Joe (Matt's Friend/likes April); Larry (special neighbor); "Soft Sal" Luciano (Larry's dad/mobster); "Frankie the Crunch" Consiglione (mobster); Vincent "Gorgeous Vinny" Persico (mobster); Mr. Cornelius (English teacher); Walt and Umberto (friends who like Brandi & April)

Setting: Brooklyn area of New York; late 1970's (After Elvis died)

Exposition: April is a sophomore in high school. She likes to read, and dark, scary, eerie books are her favorite. April's parents don't quite understand her attraction to morbid things like scary books, skulls, the Mafia, or her interest in boys like Dominick DeMao. Her best friend, Brandi, who likes Walt, doesn't understand April's interest in Dominick either, and she drags April on several double dates with Walt's friend, Bert (Umberto), in hopes to keep her away from Dominick.

Plot: April lives in Brooklyn in a neighborhood filled with men who are connected to the Mafia. She and her brother, Matt, go to school with their children. Matt is secretly dating Bettina Bocelli, whose father is "Bobby the Bull Bocelli." When Matt gets the lead role as Romeo in the school play and Bettina lands the role of Juliette, April worries that her brother will be "taken out" by Bettina's father. April unintentionally and unwillingly becomes connected with the mob when she and Brandi accept payments from Soft Sal Luciano for walking his special needs child, Larry, to school each day. In return, she asks for protection for Matt, who refuses to end his relationship with Bettina. Along the way, April struggles with her own boy problems. She is attracted to the rebellious musician, Dominick, but her parents and friends have trouble accepting him. In addition, he seems to still be involved with his ex-girlfriend, Roxanne. Although April's heart is set on Dominick, she seems to be tangled in a not-so-fantastic foursome, consisting of April & Umberto, and Brandi & Walt.

Point of View: April Lundquist tells the story from 1st person point of view. She is involved in the action.

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Characters:
Steven Alper
Jeffrey (Steven's brother)
Mom & Dad
Mr. Watras
Mrs. Galley (counselor)
Mrs. Palma (Steven's teacher)
Renee Albert (hottest girl in school)
Annette Watson (math whiz)
Sam (cancer patient)

Exposition: Jeffrey is Steven's little brother. He is the blond haired, blue-eyed, adorable little angel that mother and father dote on, while Steven is in the awkward stage of adolescence. Steven loves his brother, Jeffrey, but is often annoyed by him. Steven is most passionate about playing the drums.

Setting: Near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Plot: As Steven begins his 8th grade year, Jeffrey, is diagnosed with Leukemia. Throughout the book, Steven's life is turned upside down, as a result of Jeffrey's illness. You will find both humor and sadness in each chapter.

In the end, Steven learns that although brothers can be a big pain, he really loves his brother. He also learns not to worry about the things you cannot change, but rather, to focus on the things that you can change. These are two important themes that author, Jordan Sonnenblick, develops in this heart-warming novel.

Point of View: The story is told from the first person point of view because Steven Alper tells us the story as he sees it through the eyes of a typical 8th grade American male. He places himself in the action and uses words like "I," "me," "we," and "us," so it is first person point of view.