"Inside Out & Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

There is nothing better than falling in love with an assigned reading for one of your college courses which is exactly what happened to me when I was "forced" to read Inside Out and Back Again for my Children's Literature course.  This 2012 Newbery Honor book is actually a collection of poems (à la Love that Dog by Sharon Creech) and follows the story of 10-year-old Hà and her family as they flee from Saigon to Alabama when the city falls to the North Vietnamese.  Hà loves her native Saigon from the sweet snacks and smells found in the market to the papaya tree she grows in her backyard.  She lives with her three older brothers and her mother; her father was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese several years ago and is classified as MIA.  When Saigon does fall to the North, Hà and her family escape the city by ship and immigrate to Alabama where they must learn a new language and new customs.

I think what I loved most about this book was Hà's poetic style.  Many of her poems were witty and clever with a strong and natural 10-year-old voice, and some of them were truly heartbreaking.  As the book is based off of real events from the author's (Thannha Lai) life, it is no surprise that he is able to capture the images and emotions that come with being forced to flee one's homeland with truthful clarity.  I have always been interested in the Vietnam War era, but had only really read accounts from United States citizens.  This novel brought a whole new perspective to that time period for me.  I would recommend this quick read for ages nine and up, especially those readers who are historical fiction fans or have a particular affinity for the Vietnam War era.

Grace gives this book five out of five carrots!

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"The Secret History of the Pink Carnation" by Lauren Willig

This book is not technically a recent read for me as I finished it this past spring, but we've been pretty busy at The Velveteen Rabbit and haven't had much of a chance to blog about what we're reading.  Now that I finally have a chance to sit down and type out my thoughts, I'd like to first give credit to Beth for recommending this fantastic series to me.  It'd been one of her staff picks for awhile and now I can see why!  My only disappointment in this series is that it isn't a true story, which just goes to show how wonderful Willig's narrative really is!

The novel is a story within a story.  The reader follows Eloise Kelly, a smart but slightly fumbling American grad student as she works to uncover the secret identity of the Pink Carnation, the most elusive English spy during the Napoleonic wars for her dissertation.  Her search leads her to some of the descendents of the Purple Gentian, another famous spy whose identity was revealed and therefore was forced to retire.  One such descendent, a Mr. Colin Selwick, is a little more than irate to find that his great-aunt has let a perfect stranger look at their family papers and it's hate at first sight.  Of course, hate has always been rumored to be far closer to love than most would think.....

As I've already mentioned, I was more than a little disappointed that the majority of the espionage and intrigue in this novel was all fiction.  I so desperately wanted there to really be a Pink Carnation and a Purple Gentian, but that just shows how totally engrossing Willig's novel is.  It sucked me right in and didn't even let me go when I finished the book.  I had to immediately purchase the next book in the series (and the next after that and the next after that.........you get the idea).  Now, at the halfway point in the series, I'm taking a small moment to recommend this novel to readers in search of a great escape from reality.  Then I'm heading back to England with Eloise and the Pink Carnation!

Grace gives this book 5 out of 5 carrots!

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"Girl in Blue" by Ann Rinaldi

When Sarah Wheelock runs away from home to join the army, she knows that it is the right path for a large number of reasons. One is that her father physically abuses her at home for simply contradicting him. Also, if she stayed home, she would be forced to marry her horrible, abusive, neighbor. Satisfied with her male imitation, and knowing that she's a crack shot with a rifle, Sarah sets off to become a soldier. Along the way she takes chances-saving a confederate woman-that forces her to give up her identity, and becomes associated with some of the big names in spy history.

Girl in Blue is a thrilling realistic-fiction adventure. Having partially based it on the life of an actual girl during the Civil War, Rinaldi does a spectacular job of keeping the facts straight while putting her own twist on the story. Although this novel is written for kids in their early teens, I believe that it is a book that any history fan can thoroughly enjoy.

Clare gives Girl in Blue 5out of 5 carrots!

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"A Dangerous Woman: The Life, Loves, and Scandals of Adah Isaacs Menken" by Michael and Barbara Foster

A young reporter named Sam Clemens, ready to print a snarky review of a play and its famous actress, sat amidst a massive crowd in a tiny theatre. As the curtain was drawn, he--and everyone else--was instantly mesmerized by the beautiful creature on stage wearing her signature pink, flesh-colored tights (and little else). Although Sam Clemens rarely let anyone escape without a scathing review, even he was blown away by young Adah Isaacs Menken.

Walt Whitman likened his friend Adah to a meteor: a flash light that could brighten up even the darkest skies. He had no way of knowing that Adah's life faded just as quickly as a meteor, when she died inexplicably, impoverished, and virtually alone. She was the most notorious woman in the world. She scandalized the elite of London and the prudish Victorians of New York. She had five husbands and never bothered with divorce. When an unknown illness claimed her life one hot summer day, she was just thirty-three.

Reading about figures from the past who have all but disappeared has always fascinated me. Adah Isaacs Menken captured the world's attention and virtually created the persona of a dangerous celebrity femme fatale--a persona that would be emulated by Clara Bow, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrichs and many other fabulous women from history. Even in a modern context, Adah's daring is astounding. She was part black (although "passed" as white, as did many men and women in the nineteenth century), bisexual, dressed frequently in men's clothes, and wore very little during her stage performances. A short review could never do Adah justice--her life is fascinating enough to fill volumes of books. The Fosters capture her life, succinctly and expertly weeding through the tall tales Adah often told to hide her past, in this biography.

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

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"The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival" by John Vaillant

A tiger crouches in the stillness of the Siberian taiga. His breaths are ragged from effort. He's spent days stalking around the cabin, his eyes trained on the man's every motion. There's a saying in the taiga--a tiger sees you one hundred times before you see it once. The man, with his sawed-off shotgun and sloppily homemade bullets, doesn't stand a chance against this four-hundred pound monster.

Vaillant uncovers this attack (and the ones that followed) piece by piece, only to discover that the tiger seemingly had a plan. Tigers are vengeful creatures--they don't hunt indiscriminately, but rather stalk and murder in premeditated attacks which sometimes last days. There are some books that take you far, far beyond any experience you've ever had in your life--The Tiger is one of those stories. Vaillant does a great job describing the poverty-struck village where townspeople are all but forced to poach for food or money. The tiger, of course, is worth an exorbitant amount of money--if he doesn't get you first. Thus, the Soviet government appointed a team of men to enforce strict anti-poaching laws. The team leader, Yuri Trush, becomes wrapped up in the mystery of the tiger and is determined to stop its reign of terror.

While telling the story, Vaillant goes on many tangents--all of which are informative, relevant, and interesting. He weaves in scientific studies about tigers as well as humans, how their behaviors have changed and evolved, and historical accounts of tigers.

This book is, quite frankly, all that is man--I can't imagine any father, brother, boyfriend, etc., not being completely wrapped up in this hunter vs. hunted tale. However, Vaillant's impeccable writing and research makes this a great read for anyone interested in nature, conservation, history, behavioral psychology, and, of course, survival.

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

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"Diamond Ruby" by Joseph Wallace

I couldn't tell you what an inning or a fly ball is to save my life, but there's something I found absolutely enchanting about Diamond Ruby, a story of baseball, family, and the tumultuous time that was the 1920's. The Spanish Influenza Epidemic struck when Ruby herself was still just a child, and she was left to take care of her two young nieces. She used her freakishly long arms to throw rocks at squirrels, just so her family could eat. But when her alcoholic older brother loses yet another job, she needed to find a source of income for her family: being a sideshow at a circus, where men would pay money to try and throw a baseball faster than her.

But no man could. And thus, Diamond Ruby went on to become the first woman pitcher in a baseball league.

Ruby is a remarkable character; her strong will resonates throughout the book in every action she takes. Her life is anything but charmed: she is constantly surrounded by shady characters who have no respect for women, let alone a "freak" who can pitch 90 mph. Yet as Ruby meets real historical figures like Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey, Diamond Ruby becomes an interesting journey through the 1920's, complete with rumrunning, the Great Bambino and more.

This would be a fabulous book to discuss in a reading group or book club!

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

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"Made In America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States" by Bill Bryson

This is my first Bill Bryson book, and I'm as excited and giddy as a little girl discovering ice cream for the first time. His writing style is a series of wonderful contradictions: light and funny while still thought-provoking, intelligent while still completely comprehendable, irrevelant but yet...so not. I picked up Made in America because of my interest in linguistics, and found a fascinating history of America drastically different (and much, much more interesting!) than any history textbook. Those interested in language will be in complete heaven as they read through the origins of some words, as well as the rejects (among my favorites: hot-dogatorium and bounceberries, the original name for cranberries). Those who love history will be delighted to see a different side of it as Bryson debunks some common myths. Anyone who loves a good writer will become obsessed with Bryson's voice. It's hard to think of anyone who won't love this trivia-filled, anecdotal history of the United States--but maybe that's because I enjoyed it so thoroughly.

By the way--this would make an excellent gift!

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

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"For The Thrill of It" by Simon Baatz

I am completely and utterly obsessed with Chicago history. I devoured the fantastic Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and, more recently, was sucked into the sinister side of the city with Sin In the Second City by Karen Abbott. "For the Thrill of It" is a compelling portrait of a heinous 1921 murder of a young Chicagoan boy by two incredibly intelligent, well-bred college students. The murder shocked the city--why would two young men with sizeable trust funds kidnap, ransom, and brutally kill a 14-year-old boy? Baatz delves not just into the crime itself but--intriguingly--the trial and its cast of fiery lawyers and politicians, including the famed lawyer Clarence Darrow and his bitter enemy, state's attorney Robert Crowe. Weaved in betweeen the crime and the courtroom drama are plenty of anecdotes about Chicago at the turn of the century that will delight any history lover. Any fan of true crime will enjoy this eerie, well-written read.

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

Click here to buy For the Thrill of It by Simon Baatz at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!