Summer Reads

The Summer Reads series includes books recommended by students, staff and faculty from Avonworth Middle and High Schools. This week we feature Incantation, recommended by Dr. Varley, Curriculum Director for the Avonworth School District, and The Simarillion, recommended by Beth Benner, an Avonworth graduate (class of 2015).

Incantation by Alice Hoffman

Often when we think of anti-semitism we think of the Holocaust and the modern era, but discrimination against Jews has happened throughout history. Incantation is set in Spain in the 1500's, and focuses on the DeMadrigal family and their daughter Estrella. Estrella and her family are Marrano - Jews who refused conversion and practice their faith secretly. The secret is so well-guarded that even Estrella doesn't know the truth about her heritage and her family. The unraveling of this secret causes unimaginable consequences for Estrella and her family. She learns of the true nature of her family, her best friend Catalina, and the boy she loves in this beautifully written tale.

Thanks to Dr. Varley for recommending this book!

The Simarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

After writing The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien's publisher requested a sequel. Now, before you say "well, yes this is how we ended up with The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson and a global appreciation for the staggering beauty of New Zealand, " you should consider that LOTR (as devotees call it) is the OTHER sequel - the one Tolkien wrote because his first attempt was rejected without being read. The Simarillion is the original first attempt.

The Simarillion was ambitious. Tolkien wanted to "set the stage" for The Hobbit, so he wrote the mythology of the world where Bilbo and the rest lived. The book has five parts: a creation myth of Ea, a description of the supernatural powers of Ea, the prehistory and early history of Ea, the Downfall of Numenor and "Of Rings and Power in the Third Age", which directly sets the stage for the events in The Lord of the Rings. 

If you are a Tolkien fan, or enjoyed the movie versions of his novels, The Simarillion could be for you. Be warned, however; critics panned this when it was first published for lacking "a single, unifying quest" and for being "too Celtic" (since Tolkien wrote this intending it to be an mythology that provided the basis for English culture).

Thanks to Beth Benner for recommending this book!

Summer Reads

The Summer Reads series includes books recommended by students, staff and faculty from Avonworth Middle and High Schools. This week we feature Still Alice, recommended by Dr. Varley, Curriculum Director for the Avonworth School District, and The Orphan Train, recommended by Mrs. Cahill, secretary for Avonworth High School.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Alice Howell has a wonderful life. She's worked hard to build a great life - she's a psychology professor at Harvard, has a great husband and has successfully raised three kids. This is supposed to be the "easy" part of her life - until she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Her diagnosis and subsequent struggle with the loss of her memories leaves her in a difficult place. If we are shaped by our experiences, who are we when we lose the memories of those experiences? The book is heartbreaking and speaks not only to those who have suffered from a disease, but also to the experiences of the family and friends who are affected as well.
Genova is a neuroscientist herself, so her insights and understandings of Alzheimer's lend credibility and weight to the fictional story of Alice.

Thanks to Dr. Varley for recommending this book!

The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Molly Ayer is in a tough spot. At 17 years old, she is just about to age out of the foster system where she's lived most of her life. Her foster mother isn't the warmest woman, and she's in trouble with the law for theft. She is given the option to perform community service, and she's helping an elderly woman named Vivian clear out her attic in order to fulfill her debt to society. As she cleans up decades worth of material, she comes across information about Vivian's experiences on an orphan train - a government program that moved orphaned or abandoned children from the population dense East Coast to the Midwest in order to give them new opportunities. As Molly learns about Vivian's experiences, she and Vivian connect and come to understand each other. If Molly can help Vivian answer questions about her past, it may help Molly come to understand herself better.

Thanks to Mrs. Cahill for recommending this book!

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” - Henry James

As we finish our school year here at Avonworth Resource Center, I wanted to let you know what to expect from the blog over the summer. I have planned a few "Summer Reads" posts over the summer - these will feature books that teachers, administrators and students recommended to me for fun, interesting summer reading options...just the things to fill your summer afternoons (or evenings, or mornings for that matter).

These materials may not be available through the Avonworth Resource Center, but you still have a few options for finding something to read from my lists or from any of the other summer reading lists you may stumble across in your internet travels. 

Libraries are a great place to start when tracking down a book you're excited about - it's free, easy to sign up, and you have lots of helpful librarians ready to help you find what you need or to give you suggestions about other things to try. Locally you can go to Avalon Library, Bellevue's Andrew Bayne Memorial Library, Sewickley Public Library, or you can catch the bookmobile in Ben Avon. You can also access the Carnegie Library/Allegheny County Library Association's digital collection (through OverDrive) on your device.

If you are looking to purchase a book, think about visiting Around the Bend Books in Bellevue (they also house a cafe!), Half Price books on McKnight for a great selection of used books, or the book section at Target. Any of these vendors should have what you are looking for!

For those of you looking for new Makeshop Monday and Digital Resources posts, these will be occasional but infrequent and irregular - I will just create them as I find new things to share. They will be back regularly when we get back to school in the fall!

Thanks again for reading, and have a great summer!