Ms Rush Reads

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher copyright date: October 2007 primarily marketed for: young adults (12 and up) This is one of those books I heard people talk about for so long that I thought I knew what it was about.   I knew it was the story of a girl who committed suicide, but had left behind cassette tapes explaining the thirteen reasons why.   I knew it was moving.   I knew it was powerful.   I knew it was about a girl who was bullied.   I knew reading it changed people. But I had no idea. First of all, it is not really the story of Hannah.   It is really the story of Clay.   Clay receives the 7 cassette tapes Hannah left behind in an anonymous package in the mail.   He has to hunker down in the garage to listen to the tapes because it is the only place with an old cassette player.   As he listens to the tapes, Clay learns that all 13 people who make up Hannah’s story, who played some part in the events that led her to take...

copyright date: 2011 primarily marketed for: young adult (7 th grade and up) I have been thinking lately about the way I am drawn to books that are told through lists of some sort.   Once I got started thinking about it, I came up with quite a list (imagine that) of books that involve a list or series of some sort.   I think this may have to be another blog post sometime soon.   In this case, You Have Seven Messages contains a series of messages left on a cell phone.    So, here are my seven messages about this book: 1.      The basic premise is totally intriguing: Luna’s mother died when she was hit by a taxi.   A few months later, Luna comes across her still activated cell phone (plot details like this are pretty well accounted for and feel realistic in the context of the story) and finds there are seven messages.   The seven messages help Luna uncover more information about her mother’s death, reveal some of her fam...

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 ...