#24--My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen

Gary Paulsen is a favorite with my students, especially my boys.  I remember reading Hatchet at some point in elementary or junior high and loving the adventure of it all.  As an adult I enjoy finding out about the author's themselves and if they have had personal experiences that have influenced their writing.  In reading My Life in Dog Years I discovered that Gary Paulsen has lived a very adventurous life, including running the Idiotarod a number of times.

My Life in Dog Years is autobiographical in that it recalls nine different dogs out of hundreds Paulsen has owned over the course of his life....from Snowball, his first ever puppy while the family was stationed in the Philippines to Josh, the trusty and brilliant border collie that was Paulsen's current dog at the time of publication in 1998.  There were stories that made me giggle as well as stories that made me sniffle.  This was a quick and easy read and I know it is a book that my students and dog lovers of all ages would enjoy.

Happy Reading!!

#9--Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu and Andres Vera Martinez

Every once in a while I come across a book that I just have to read, for whatever reason.  This was one of those books.  The cover intrigued me; and I also couldn't tell for sure whether or not it should be included in the collection as fiction or nonfiction.  And the fact that it was told in beautiful pictures drew me in even further.

The author, Na Liu, tells stories about growing up in China during the time period immediately after Chairman Mao died (1976-1980).  The artwork, done by her husband, is gorgeous, especially the pictures that are meant to look like Chinese propaganda from the time period.  I felt like I was in China during this time period and it was brought to life for me.  The story is broken up into several chapters that tell a continuous story.  I would love to know more about Liu's life between the time period portrayed in this book and when she emmigrated to the US in 1999 as you don't often find stories of this time and place, written for children or teens. 

I must say that I'm pretty excited to get this title on the shelf soon!

Happy Reading!!