On a wet Saturday morning, we met together at the flagship library of the Auckland City Council - the Central Auckland Library. It was a surprise to see how much had changed, and we were sure that the number of books especially in the children and teenage section had struck. Nonetheless, we found a space to sit, and talk through the books we had read in the past 3 weeks. They were
The wee free men by Terry Pratchett
When Tiffany Aching sets out to become a witch, she faces ominous foes and gains unexpected allies. As she confronts the Queen of Fairies and battles an ancient, bodiless evil, she is aided (and most ably abetted) by the six-inch-high, fightin', stealin', drinkin' Wee Free Men! Laugh-out-loud humour and breathtaking action combine in the books that launched the unforgettable adventures of a determined young witch and her tiny but fierce blue friends.
Not a popular choice as only 1 person had read it.
The witch in the Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
A young woman brought up in Barbados comes to live with her uncle in Connecticut, and finds their Puritan way of life difficult after her unconventional upbringing. In 1687 Kit Tyler, feeling out of place in the Puritan household of her aunt, befriends an old woman considered a witch by the community and suddenly finds herself standing trial for witchcraft.
A definite favourite, as was the other book we had read by this author (The Bronze Arrow).
Joey Pigza swallowed the key by Jack Gantos
To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his prescription medications wear off and he starts getting worked up and acting wired.
There was a mixed reaction to this. Some liked the funny side of it all. It is interesting from an adult point-of-view to understand how the world may seem from the view of an ADHD boy.
