Staff Picks -- May, 2011
The staff of the Antigo Public Library is willing to share their personal recommendations on books, both fiction and nonfiction. Each month, another staff member will recommend two or three books and tell you why.
This month, Tabitha Smith, one of our Library Clerks in Antigo, is sharing four of her favorites:
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, written by Eleanor Coerr, is based on the true story of a ten-year-old girl named Sadako Sasaki who was born in Japan in 1943 and survived the atomic bomb that was dropped not far from her family’s home.
Despite the extraordinary events she experienced as a result of the bombing, in many ways, Sadako is still just a very typical ten-year-old girl. However, the normalcy of Sadako’s life is soon disrupted and forever changed when odd things start happening as she prepares for a track meet.
Not only does the book offer a firsthand account of the impact of the bombing, it also offers readers insight into some aspects of Japanese culture and customs.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes offers readers a short but very compelling look into the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and the devastating affect that it had on the country’s most innocent victims; the children.
Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell -- Imagine how painful and devastating it would be for a young girl to lose her mother. Now imagine what it would be like to suffer such a loss, and then be separated from the rest of your family, your community, and everything you ever knew. This would be unimaginable to most people, but this is the reality faced by two young Mohawk sisters named Mattie and Sarah.
This novel in verse tells the heart-wrenching stories of Mattie and Sarah who are sent to live at the Carlisle Indian Boarding School in Pennsylvania, after the death of their mother.
The book alternates between Mattie and Sarah, as they each tell their story about their lives and experiences at Carlisle and their struggle to adapt and conform to an environment that is vastly different from everything they've ever known. Although the sisters have very distinct and different personalities, one thing holds true for both girls; their deep homesickness and longing to return to the safety and comfort of home.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt -- At a time when many immigrants were coming to the United States in hopes of capturing the American dream, the McCourt family makes the decision to return to Ireland after having their hopes dashed and experiencing horrible tragedy. In his captivating and deeply engaging memoir, Frank McCourt recalls his severely impoverished childhood in the 1930s, which was often marked by hunger, sickness, death, and his father’s alcoholism.
McCourt does such a wonderful job recounting the details of his life, you will often feel you are right there with him seeing and taking in the vivid sights and smells he describes in acute detail.
It is important to note that McCourt’s story is not entirely filled with darkness and despair. There are many lighthearted and humorous stories and recollections in the book which will leave you laughing out loud and wanting to know more about the life and experiences of this intriguing storyteller. For readers who fall into this category, I strongly recommend McCourt’s other books Tis’ and Teacher Man which offer a continuation of his memoir.
Night by Elie Wiesel -- In his short but extremely powerful memoir, Elie Wiesel recounts his experiences at Auschwitz and Buchenwald during World War II. In one of the more poignant events in the memoir, Wiesel is faced with the excruciating decision of whether or not to intervene when his sick and frail father is subjected to a brutal and horrific beating at the hands of Nazis. Wiesel’s life is forever altered and impacted by the decision he ultimately makes.
Although Wiesel tells his story with graphic detail, his story offers readers one of the most genuine and authentic looks into the horrifying treatment and abuse suffered by those held captive in the Nazi controlled concentration camps.
Wiesel’s story will leave readers haunted with the knowledge of the true reality that was faced by so many Jews in Europe.
Those who find themselves captivated by Weisel’s story in Night may, also enjoy the other two titles in the trilogy, Dawn and Day. Although these stories are not a continuation of Wiesel’s memoir, the fictional novels Dawn and Day offer readers a look into the diverse experiences of two Holocaust survivors as they continue to grapple with their memories and the aftermath of their past.
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