Ten writers for children. All with something to say.

5/12/12

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.

3 comments:

Lauren said...

John, I just got BLUEFISH on cd for my car ride to pick up Ruby at Oberlin in a little over a week. Thanks for the second vote-- I cannot wait to start driving! And I have been meaning to pick up LIFE ON MARS. I look forward to it more with your recommendation. Thanks.

Christy said...

I just reserved Life on Mars at the library. Thanks for the recommendation!

Mark said...

Always looking for new poetry to read. Thanks for the recommendation, John.