Bluefish

I am going to second David's nomination of Bluefish as one of the best books I have read recently. It is beautifully paced and depicts characters that we often see in schools but not nearly as often in fiction. It's a book that grows as you read it and the characters stick, particularly Velveeta and her love of words. The title Bluefish comes from something we all know, but the significance is not apparent until you read the book. Then it becomes obvious and heart-breaking. Another book that I highly recommend is Life on Mars, by Tracy K. Smith, the winner of the Pulitzer Prize this year in poetry. It's an excellent collection about life, space, and her father. I have been dipping into it for days to reread poems that challenge and delight. Happy reading.