Ms Rush Reads

copyright date: 2011 primarily marketed for: young adults (high school) Every once in awhile a book this good finds its way into my hands.   Every once in awhile.   I hope it may find its way into yours.   Everything about this book is appealing:   ·       The fact that it is by Daniel Handler, perhaps better known as Lemony Snicket.   ·       The fact that each chapter is illustrated with wondrously fun art by Maira Kalman (illustrator also of 13 Words and Fireboat - two of my picture book favorites).   ·       The fact that it begins: “Dear Ed,” and ends: “ Love , Min”.   ·       The fact that the pages are a heavy glossy paper that makes the weight of the book as substantial as the story inside and just plain feels good to touch.   ·       The fact that it is written in the form of a list of objects that fill ...

copyright: 2011 primarily marketed for: young adults (high school) If you know me, you know I am a HUGE fan of So You Think You Can Dance.   Dance is an art form I have a deep appreciation for—an art form where I am much better left to be an audience member than a participant!   So, it is no surprise that I fell in love with Bunheads by Sophie Flack, which my friend Ruth recommended to me.   Bunheads is the story of Hannah, a ballet dancer with the Manhattan Ballet company.   To be a ballet dancer, Hannah has had to give up normal high school and college life to dedicate herself completely to dance.   Her dance world is easy to be envious of, and Hannah couldn’t be happier than she is when she is dancing on stage.   Given that the author was a ballet dancer herself, the story has an authenticity to it that would be nearly impossible for a non-dancer to duplicate.   As a reader you are entirely immersed in the vocabulary of Hannah’s da...

The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han: Ever since I first read Shugby Jenny Han (her first book, completely separate from this series, but just as good), she has been on my list of all-time favorite authors.   Recently, at the NCTE convention in Chicago, I got to meet her!   Twice!   I could write a stellar review of the trilogy, but if you click on the links to Jenny Han’s fabulous author site by clicking on the books above, you can see that’s already been done!   When it comes to growing up as a girl in America, Han just has a way of getting it right.   Apparently, I am not the only one who sees it that way. When I heard her speak at a workshop about culture at the NCTE convention, Han mentioned that she is often asked why she didn’t write about a protagonist who is Asian-American, since she is Asian-American herself.   Her answer was something to the effect that her story is not just a story about growing up Asian-American...