#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!!

#29--They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

During the summer I always have great aspirations to getting lots of reading done....as is evidenced by the piles of books I pack anytime I go anywhere.  However, life, and this year, the Olympics, gets in the way. 

I finished They Almost Always Come Home several months ago, but never posted it....so, here goes....

The story opens with Libby fretting over whether dead people wear shoes....it seems like a waste since no one will see them, but "no outfit is complete without shoes".  Every time her husband goes away on one of his Canadian wilderness trips, Libby tends to over-dramatize if he is even the tiniest bit late....but Greg has never been this late before, and he has never been in the wilderness alone...

When he doesn't return home within a few days of the anticipated time, Libby files a missing persons report....and waits, and waits, and waits.  Her father-in-law, Frank, and her best friend, Jenika (Jen), are there by her side.  During her agonizing wait for Greg, Libby waffles between wishing she had left Greg before his trip, to wishing he were home again and by her side.  Part of her indecision lies in the fact that their daughter died a few years ago, and then everything changed. 

Jen is convinced that God wants Libby and Jen to find Greg....Libby's not so sure about that.  She is convinced that Greg is either dead or he has found a convenient way to leave her.  The fourth day after filing the missing persons report, Frank announces that he wants to go up to Canada to take a look around...hoping to see something the authorities missed, or to find "his boy".  Much to his chagrin, Libby and Jen insist on tagging along--two inexperienced and anti-outdoors women--to the wilderness of Canada.  And they only have one week to find him.

Along the way, Jen, Libby and Frank come across clues that indicate they are on the right trail....empty sunflower seeds, Greg's paddle that he made in high school wood shop.  And Libby also has one of Greg's journals that she reads at night while questioning God the whole time.

Two-thirds of the way into the book, the perspective switches to Greg's side of the story.  I don't want to give anything away....but I loved his side of the story just as much as Libby's and the ending was fantastic as well. 

Christian fiction can sometimes come across as preachy or trite, but this one doesn't.  Will definitely be checking out her future works.

Happy Reading!!

#5--A Conspiracy of Decency: The Rescue of the Danish Jews During World War II by Emmy E. Werner

When I was a senior in high school I had the opportunity to hear Thomas Keneally speak at Mount Union College when I was there for a visitation day.  For those of you unfamiliar with his name, Keneally is the author of Schindler's List.  Up until that point, I knew about the Holocaust, but I don't think I had given it too much thought outside of history class.  Mr. Keneally made events and people come alive during his presentation and made me want to learn more about the people and the time.  After that, I made a more concerted effort to learn about this period of our world's history.

As a freshman in college I had the privilege to travel to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., as part of an educational trip I took with several of my classmates.  We had a few hours to spend in the museum.  While it was emotionally draining, I found that I could have easily spent the entire week there, absorbing everything.  The following year I took a Holocaust literature class as one of my English electives.  I found this class fascinating while also taxing.  The more I read about this time period, the more interested I became.  Which brings me to today's book.  My mom picked it up for me at the local library's semi-annual book sale this fall because she knew it would interest me, and she was right. 

During 1943, Hitler had decided it was time to take care of the "Jewish problem" in Denmark.  A German named Georg F. Duckwitz learned of the plan and warned the Jews of the impending action.  Almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark was saved by their fellow Danes and the Swedes who gave them asylum.  When many of them returned to Denmark after the war, they found that their homes, belongings, and even pets, had been taken care of.  This book tells the story of many of the rescuers and those they helped, based on first-hand accounts. 

I had learned somewhere along the way that Denmark was an anomaly during World War II in this respect, but I had never gotten the full story, until now. 

If you are interested in this time period, or reading about heroic acts, this was a fascinating read.  There is also quite a bit of literature available, written by those who lived it, if you want to check out something new.  I'd suggest heading to your local library for more information.

Happy reading!