The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. by Kate Messner

Confession:
I heard of Teacher's Write! (the oh-so-fabulous summer writing camp I'm participating in) through an email on a librarian's listserve I belong to, so I went to author Kate Messner's site for more details.  I knew I had recently put her books in my library, but I hadn't actually read them yet. 

I know, I know...it's hard to believe, but there you have it.

I resolved that issue last night.  I made a late-evening trip to my library and picked up The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z.   It was a lovely short break from my all-day-at-home-with-both-kids-whining life yesterday---I was the only one in the school, the only one in my library=utter serenity!

So I brought this little jewel home and thought I'd just start it so I could count it in my #summerthrowdown #teamlibrarian reading (check out twitter for more info)---not really intending to finish it.  After all, it was rather late when I got started (about 9ish) and it had been a really long day.
But, my!  I really, really (can I add another really?-yep, I think I will) REALLY loved this book.

Gianna is a 7th grader--an awesome runner and an artist.  Gianna and her family (including her beloved Nonna, and her joke-loving little brother) live above the funeral home where her dad works.  Her best friend Zig has been around pretty much forever--he's a brainiac and an all-around good guy. 

Gianna has an assignment---to collect, identify, label, etc. 25 different types of leaves--for her science class.  She's procrastinated a bit (okay, maybe a lot) getting it down---but in all fairness, she's had a lot going on.  I mean, to stay ahead of that Bianca in track takes practice (not to mention she loves running), and an artist must create art, right?  Plus, she's beginning to worry about her Nonna.  She doesn't seem quite herself these days--forgetting and misplacing things.  Who could concentrate on a stupid leaf project with all that going on, I ask you? 

Time is running out, though, and she must finish this project or lose her spot at the upcoming meet (to that Bianca--ugh!) and that just CANNOT happen.  Zig--great friend that he is-- offers to help her finish the project. 

The utter realness of the characters is striking.  Messner really gets this right!  The newly developing bits of tension between Gianna and Zig--- that we're-friends,-we've-always-been-friends-but-hmmm...I'm-starting-to-see-you-in-a-whole-new-light-and-I-don't-quite-know-what-to-do-with-these-feelings deal is greatness.  Sweet, not saccharine.   And I so feel the pain in the family over Nonna's failing health. 

With all that being said, my favorite part is the ending which, if you've ever read one of my book reviews you know I'll never give that spoiler!  But I really, really love that Gianna is true to herself. 

I highly recommend this read!  It was comforting and lovely and brilliant and real. Just like Gianna herself.

Read on, Gentle Readers; Read on!

Mrs. S

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Apparently I'm on a kick lately---a preternatural mixed with historical fiction kick, and I am in LOVE with this new book.  I ran up to my school a couple of weeks ago and ---like a magical Christmas kind of moment--a new Junior Library Guild box was in the mail room.  Yippee!  I grabbed a couple that caught my eye---and how could this one NOT?  Look at the utter gorgeousness that is this book!  How lovely!  It called to me and begged me to read it first, and so I did.

The first in a trilogy which was originally published in Germany (forthcoming titles are Sapphire Blue & Emerald Green), revolves around 16-year-old Gwen, and her rather eccentric English family whose lineage carries a time-traveling gene. The family has expected cousin Charlotte (also 16) to be the next in line--the final time traveler of the destined twelve, and  has gone to great lengths to instruct her in everything from costuming to weaponry to etiquette in given time periods. Gwen, on the other hand, is the ordinary cousin.  She has lived practically her entire life in Charlotte's shadow, and now they are just waiting for her first time-shift to occur.  Everyone is on pins and needles and expecting it to happen at any moment.

As you might have guessed ---Charlotte is not the chosen one.  Gwen is given this gift--one she doesn't particularly want and is in no way prepared to deal with.  After trying to hide it, inevitably the truth becomes known and not only does Gwen now have little time to be instructed in the arts of  time travel, but she has to deal with the wrath of Charlotte and her mother, neither of whom wants to believe the truth.

And so the dreaded lessons begin---lessons to instruct and prepare her quickly for her new life--and her role in changing history.  Enter the villains, enter the maybe-villains, enter the oh-so-handsome Gideon--the dashing and arrogant time traveler she must work with to solve ancient  mysteries and locate particular objects, such as the all-important chronograph.

With loads of suspense, a tinge of romance, lovely villainous characters plucked from real history such as the Immortal Count--Comte St. Germain, toss in some sword and highwaymen action, this book is a fantastic adventure.

I adored it.  This is absolutely one of my favorite books of the summer, and perfect reading for those *all-too-rare-this-summer* rainy days where one feels like celebrating by curling up with a fantastic book in an over-sized comfy chair, tubby cat purring contentedly beside you, warm cookies in hand, and imagining yourself as part of this grand adventure.

Here's a book trailer I found done by the publisher, Macmillan:



and another that I deduce using my muy mal Espanol is from someone in Spain.  I think the style is interesting on this one:



one from Italy, too.  I feel so...intercontinental...right about now.



Read on, gentle readers; Read on.
Mrs. S.