Sandia Prep School Library
Sandia Prep School Library
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The Lightkeeper’s Daughter by Iain Lawrence. F LAW
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to grow up totally isolated from everyone except your immediate family? Squid and her brother Alastair spent their entire childhoods on Lizzie Island where their father is the lighthouse keeper. Their father is an odd man, a true loner, who can see no reason to associate with other people. He believes everything he and his family need is right there on Lizzie Island. As the children get older and begin to question their lifestyle, the trouble begins. A chance encounter with a young kayaker leaves Squid pregnant, and Alastair sinks further and further into depression. The story begins with Squid’s return to the island with her young daughter, after a 3 year absence. Alastair is dead. Through flashbacks and conversations and the discovery of Alastair’s journal, the reader puts together the pieces of these broken lives. Lawrence’s lyrical novel paints a picture of a wild, beautiful place haunted by mystery and sorrow.
Black Juice by Margo Lanagan. F LAN
This collection of unusual short stories is both fascinating and spooky. Lanagan is an incredible writer who can create whole worlds in a very few pages. Each story is unique, but all share an element of fantasy. In “Singing My Sister Down”, the community punishment for murder is to be placed in the tar pits where you slowly sink until you disappear forever. In “Sweet Pippit”, a group of elephants rescues their beloved handler from hanging. In “Yowlinin”, horrible creatures periodically rise up out of the ground and attack any living thing they can find. These are just a few of the tales from this book. They leave a lasting impression.
Postcards from No Man’s Land by Aidan Chambers. F CHA
This book tells 2 parallel stories, one in the present day as 17-year old Jacob comes to Amsterdam from England to meet Geertrui, the woman whose family helped hide his grandfather during World War II. She is now elderly and terminally ill and her daughter and grandson spend time with Jacob, telling him part of her story as they introduce him to Amsterdam. The other is Geertrui’s story, of a time long ago when she was very young and fell in love with an injured British soldier taken in by her family. Jacob’s and Geertrui’s lives are intertwined in ways that Jacob never guesses until he finally meets her and she gives him the manuscript that tells her life story.
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. F ZUS
Ed’s a cabdriver. At 19, he doesn’t have much of a life, just hanging out with his friends, playing cards, and driving the cab. Then the first card shows up. The ace of diamonds. It has 3 addresses on it. Ed begins a quest to figure out what he is supposed to do at each of those addresses. As soon as he finishes, another ace appears, this time clubs, with a saying written on it. Ed must work his way through all 4 suits before he finally meets the person who is sending him the cards. Along the way, he touches many lives and leaves them better, perhaps none more than his own.
Sleeping freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar. F LUB
Scott is starting his freshmen year of high school and life has suddenly become very complicated. His best friends are drifting away, each pursuing his own interests, and Scott is getting to know people he would never have imagined being friends with. Julia, a girl he’s known since kindergarten, has morphed into a drop-dead gorgeous beauty, but she’s dating a senior jock and doesn’t even know Scott exists. In his quest to get Julia’s attention, Scott joins the student council, the newspaper, and the school play. On top of all this, his mother is having a baby and life around his house has been turned upside down by this news.
Scott begins to write a journal for his unborn baby brother, with tips and guidelines for surviving high school – and life in general. At times touching, at times hilarious, Scott’s turbulent year is a good, quick read that will have you laughing out loud in places.
For more choices, see the orange folder in the library.
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Return to top of page Student Reviews (with apologies to the authors, some reviews have been edited for brevity's sake)
Absolutely, Positively Not by David Larochelle. F LAR
In Absolutely, Positively Not, we follow the story of a young man on an amusing quest to discover his sexual orientation. From the very beginning, we realize the plot, and although there are not any big twists, it is well worth reading. He puts himself through hilarious tests to try and convince himself that he is not gay. His conversations with his unconventional best friend and telling his parents that he is gay are some of the funniest conversations in any book I have read recently. This refreshing, insightful comedy should be enjoyed by anyone who has time for a quick, delightful read.
Julianne, Class of 2009
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