Follow up on "Jim the Boy" ~ now he's 17

The Blue Star. By Tony Earley. (Little, Brown, $23.99.) The caring, thoughtful hero of Earley’s engrossing first novel, Jim the Boy, is now 17 and confronting not only the eternal turmoil of love, but also venality and the frightening calls of duty and war.

FWD ~ Follow-Up Read

Because I read The Freedom Writers Diary last year, I didn't read it with the Book Buddies in September. But I had hoped to read Erin Gruwell's memoir Teach With Your Heart: Lessons I Learned From the Freedom Writers instead.


As is more often than not the case in my life at present, I was running behind schedule - so I didn't get to Teach With Your Heart until October. I did want to let those who enjoyed The Freedom Writers Diary know that I enjoyed Teach With Your Heart just as well. It's the same story but more from Gruwell's viewpoint than from the students'. (I've posted a brief review on my book blog.)

Last chance to vote on a year's worth of books

Voting has been open since the end of August, and you have only one more day to vote. Anyone reading this blog is welcome to vote, so click on your favorites of these twelve ... and also your least favorites in the next poll down the sidebar.

From The Other Side of the Bridge to The Freedom Writers Diary, we've traveled the globe together. Help me remember (in the comments) where we've been.

The Other Side of the Bridge (OSB)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (BSP)
Cold Comfort Farm (CCF)
Pictures of Hollis Woods (PHW)
In Lucia's Eyes (ILE)
People of the Book (POB)
The Camel Bookmobile (CB)
Windfalls (WF)
The Devil in the White City (DWC)
Jim the Boy (JTB)
Suite Française (SF)
The Freedom Writers Diary (FWD)

We have completed a year together, but I think that's enough ... at least for me. I'm sorry, Shirley, but the interest just isn't here. Thanks, Marylyn, for your major effort to make Book Buddies work during August. Thanks to those of you who have read and commented on books we've shared. For now, however, I have decided to devote more time to writing ... and to leading the writers in the Chattanooga region who (foolishly?) try to write the draft of a novel in the 30 days of November. Read about it on Bonnie's NaNoWriMo* 2008 blog.

Essencia Island will continue to be a place for book buddies to talk to each other, so drop by there anytime you want to chat.

Superstar Teachers

In reading the Freedom Writers, I was quite impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm of the author. She is the teacher everyone would have liked to have had for themselves and their children. Has anyone had or has one of their children had a teacher that made such a difference in the life of themself or their child? I have had some good teachers and mainly mediocre ones which was the experience for my children as well with none being truly outstanding. This is the same way with coaches. I have read stories and seen movies of a coach that makes a difference in the lives of the team, but again none made the mark of the ones in the lives of my children. Of course, if such teachers were the rule rather than the exception, it wouldn't be worth reading a book about her.

October Book

While visiting on the phone with Bonnie last night about the next month's selection, I suggested that until our group becomes more active again that we just go with the selection that she is reading as part of her face to face book club. For October, they are going to read Profiles in Courage. I read that years ago, but am game to reading it again. How does that sound to the rest of the crew?

FWD ~ Freshman Year

1. Why do you think Ms. Gruwell refers to the Nazis as the most famous gang in history? Why does this comparison make the students listen to her?

2. Why are the students so unwilling to associate with anyone outside their own ethnic or racial groups? Where does this intolerance come from?

3. Why is trust such an important part of a teacher-student relationship?

4. Respect and trust are not only a problem among the students. Teachers and administrators at Wilson High School don't support Ms. Gruwell's teaching methods. Why do they refuse to trust her?

5. Why are the students so filled with anger at the beginning of the book? Do you think their anger is reasonable?

6. Have you ever kept a diary or journal?

Suite Francaise ~ how far did you get in it?

Jennifer said, "I am currently enjoying Suite Française but I am only done with the first book so far. I like it cause I don't know much about WWII in France and I like puzzling over people's actions and reactions."

Shirley said, "I am now reading Appendix II of Suite Francaise. I enjoyed the book and it is eerie reading it knowing that it was being written as she was living (and later dying) through this historical time. The Appendices have been enlightening both about the author and the book. It was interesting that one of her notes was that the people like reading about the rich. Maybe that was why she included so many, but she sure doesn't give much respect to them."

You both got further than I did ... the book was overdue at the library and had to be returned. But August was a nice break for me because Marylyn did the work for us this month. Thanks, Marylyn! Is everybuddy ready to move on to the next book?