The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
This was one of those books that will stay with me. Not because it was one of my favorites, but because the dystopia that was created was so alarming and disgusting to me. Women are treated like farm animals, and unless they can breed they are nothing in society. The author picks on Christians as those responsible for such atrocities, and I think that is an "easy out" for many authors. I will say this book, written in the early 80s, was a bit ahead of its time in the portrayal of certain American attitudes/events today. The author describes the destruction of the government, putting aside the constitution for the sake of the greater good, and stereotyping of Middle Easterners. I found these tidbits interesting. So would I recommend this book? There are definitely hard passages to read, and it wasn't my favorite novel because of some of the nature of the book, but it was definitely interesting. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger as well, and I found myself wishing for some resolution which made me realize I was emotionally invested in the characters.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Super easy read, but I didn't "get it" nor do I understand why my library considers it a classic. I suppose I was looking for a book with a beginning middle, and end (I ask for so much!), but that wasn't present here. The short chapters were like vignettes of the character's life that didn't usually relate to each other. It was almost like putting together a quilt with fabrics that someone picked out because they were the same color palette but entirely different in every other way (pattern, fabric, material, etc). There are definitely a lack of novels that focus on people of races other than Caucasian, but I have a hard time believing this is the best of Latino literature available.
Adopting After Infertility by Patricia Irwin Johnston
This novel was written from a perspective that I can obviously relate to. I though the author was sincere, candid, and the book was well written. My only dislike was it was written almost 20 years ago, and some of the ideas she discusses, mainly open/closed adoption, have drastically changed in that time period. I would recommend this book for someone in my situation.
Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother by Jana Wolff
This book was extremely interesting because it covered so many of the questions I have in my head about becoming an adoptive parent. What is the homestudy like? How will I deal with the stupid comments from other people about our adoption? How does it feel to be sized up by my social worker? birth mother? others? about being fit to parent when millions of people never have to face these types of inquiries. How can I best meet the needs of a child that isn't of my ethnic background? The list goes on and on. This was a very easy read for me, and the author really "got" where I am at.
Children's books:
Alone in an Untamed Land: THe Filles du Roi Diary of Helene St. Onge by Maxine Trottier
This is a historical fiction series for young adults, and albeit not very popular at either Copper Ridge or Gatewood, I finally got a chance to read a book in this series this summer. The main character was 13 years old, and I think she would be relatable to a lot of girls that age even though she lived in the 1600's. The book was an easy read and although predictable it was well done. There was a bit of an ick factor for me (and I know a teenager would feel the same!). The main character got married at 16 to a man who was 30! Now I realize that was probably common then, but it really bothered me that Helene married her best friend's father. Just a little too close for comfort to me. Nevertheless, I would recommend the Dear America/Canada series to girls who enjoyed historical fiction.
Hayley the Rain Fairy by Daisy Meadows
I would have loved this series as a little girl, but I had to try very hard to appreciate it as an adult. The story took about 15 minutes to read, and plot conflict was minor and easy to solve (like most 80's family sitcoms). However, the little girls at my school are going crazy for this book series, and I understand the appeal because of the girly nature of this book. Fairies, adventure, and intelligent young female heroines...this is book candy for little ones in all its glory.
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