Literacy is Hot

In my continuing quest to celebrate all the special holidays in the month of September, I would like to honor Read a New Book Month today. Because September is Read a New Book month. But you knew that, so I'm just being patronizing here. In honor of this month-o-literacy, I will highlight a few of my favorite books I've read in the last year.

First, there is The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

This book reminded me slightly of The Lottery. You know, that short story we had to read in high school that I will never, ever forget. If you've read The Lottery you will know what I mean. It's a fantasy book, based on a post-apocalyptic type world where the US is split up into "districts," where the survivors reside, and there is a capitol city where the ruling class lives. Each year, for the entertainment of the elite and to keep all the district people from rebelling, their children are entered into a lottery, and two from each district participate in a reality show of competition called the Hunger Games. Super good. I felt like the world Suzanne Collins constructed was complete and fascinating. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. I believe it's a trilogy, and book number two is out, waiting for me on a bookshelf somewhere and calling my name.

Next on my list is A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray. I swear I don't read that much fantasy, but this is also a fantasy book. A fantastic fantasy book.

The main character, Gemma Doyle, lost her mother at a young age, and then was shipped off to a boarding school for girls. There, she begins to discover these magical powers she seems to possess. She also makes some good friends, and they have adventures, discovering a whole world together. Like Hunger Games, I was fascinated with the way the author constructed a complete world, incorporating the world we know with her own magical world. It was also a good girl power kind of book, with strong female teenage characters, and strong friendships. And it's a trilogy, which means the fun is multiplied by three! The only bummer was that by the end of the book I was hooked on this author, and I discovered that she has not written that much, and the other books she has written don't seem to fall in the same category as this trilogy.

Next in my literary line-up is The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, by Shel Silverstein.

There is much symbolism to be found here. I read this book to my teenagers at the leadership retreat we just had, and I felt like it was a really good message for them, as teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, and for me, as an adult on the cusp of... adulthood. Parallels can be drawn to relationships--both friendships and romantic relationships--quite easily. But I also have drawn parallels to other parts of my life. The, "if I meet this career goal I will be happy," part of me. And the "if I move (insert geographical location to escape to here) I will be happy," phenomenon I have been observing in young adults I know.

The last book I would like to recommend is At Home in Mitford, by Jan Karon. This is a nice laid back book with happy thoughts and sunshine infused into the pages.

Pastor Tim serves a small flock in a small town. We keep him company as he goes about serving his flock, and the thoughts he has. If you like a thoughtful scripture reference thrown into your reading here and there, this is the book for you. I really like the way he will ponder how to help people struggling in the story, and to be the best person he can throughout the series. It inspired me to examine my own thought process and try to intentionally visit and revisit in my mind how I can be the best friend and sister and aunt and daughter I can be. And sometimes I even do nice stuff . Look at me, all growing and stuff.