The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

Flanagan, John. The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1). Puffin, 2006.

Choosing Day has arrived at Castle Redmont and Will and his cohorts are anxiously awaiting their assignments. Will is hoping for a Battleschool appointment, but is passed over due to his small stature. Instead he is apprenticed to the grim and mysterious Halt, a member of the secretive cadre of Rangers. The core of the book is Will's training as a Ranger in the fields of archery, woodsmanship and knives. Will's skills are ultimately put to the test several times revealing both his character and his aptitude. While the ending is satisfying, it is a clear set-up for the rest of the series which presumably is concerned with the impending war with Lord Morgarath.

The focus of this YA novel is the characters, as opposed to a fantastical world populated by exotic creatures. Herein lies its greatest strength. The characters are given enough dimension and room to develop that readers come to identify with and care about Will, Horace, Halt, Alyss, Jenny and George. Written by the Australian Flanagan for his son, this is an enjoyable read, appropriate both for its younger target audience and adults looking for clean escapism.

Recommendations:

Foundling by D.M. Cornish

An orphan like Will, the foundling is Rossamund Bookchild, a boy with an unfortunate name. Assigned to be a lamplighter, he ventures into a world at war with monsters. This first in the Monster Blood Tattoo series (from a fellow Australian author) is darker than the Ranger's Apprentice series, but contains more detailed world-building and fantastical creatures for fans of high fantasy.

The Naming: The First Book of Pellinor by Alison Croggon

Featuring Maedra, a female heroine, this series from another Australian author is richly imagined and executed.

Beginner's Guide to Traditional Archery by Brian J. Sorrells

Bring out the Ranger in you!

Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior by Dick Couch

This book offers incredible insight into the making of a green beret. Readers who enjoyed the accounts of Will's training will marvel at the rigorous foreign language, physical, combat and cultural training that green berets endure.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. T. Doherty Associates, 1985.

Ender Wiggin must save the world. Ho-hum. Another fantasy plot of brilliant hero against aliens bent on genocide. But this would be selling this excellent novel short. Ender's Game transcends genre and like all good literature explores the human condition.

This amazing book delves into the life of genius Ender Wiggin who is drafted into Battle School for training to help defend mankind against destruction by the alien Formics ("Buggers"). Ender rapidly outpaces any of his classmates resulting in him being placed in Command School. His meteoric success causes resentment and jealousy among his peers, so Ender is seen as either a threat or as superior and leads a lonely existence save for his brief interludes with his sympathetic older sister. *Spoiler Alert*

In a harrowing climax, Ender is told he will have to pass a grueling final exam that consists of realistic war games against the Buggers. Not liking who he has become through his increasingly violent training, Ender decides to violate the rules of engagement in hopes of getting expelled from his program. What he does not realize is that the "exam" is reality and when he annihilates the Buggers, he has saved mankind.

I do not like fantasy. I mean, I used to not like fantasy. If this is what fantasy is like, then sign me up! This was a riveting, fast-paced thrill ride. But more than that this was an introspective work of tremendous skill. Ender as reluctant killer, Peter as sadist (for reasons he later reveals) and Valentine limited by her gender are brilliant, deep characters. Exploring universal themes such as loneliness, Card has created a classic.

Recommendations:

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

Ender's Game is most often compared to this classic of science fiction/fantasy. See what you think of the comparison. Follow a futuristic military recruit as he is trained to become one of the elite forces in the universe so that he can fight to save mankind.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

A juvenile title, this new novel offers a mysterious school for genius children as its setting. After passing a series of enigmatic tests, gifted children are asked to infiltrate a strange academy to discover what threat it hides.

Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
Readers interested in the plight of "innocent killers" like Ender being being pressed into war, might find this heart-rending memoir interesting.

Paid to Play: An Insider's Guide to Video Game Careers by Alice Rush

Want to see what it takes to play video games for a career, but not actually have inter-galactic consequences? Check out this gaming resource.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne

Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. aha Process Inc, 2005.

Written primarily for teachers, this book is a must-read for anyone working in the public sector. Packed with charts, tables and worksheets, Payne reveals how poverty is a complex issue that requires more than a singular financial solution. Showing how all socioeconomic classes have their own nuances and "culture," she demonstrates how poverty is a multi-pronged attack that forces people into survival mode and shuts down their ability to see opportunities. Not only does Payne offer a a framework for understanding poverty, but strategies for more effective ways of fighting it.

My boss recommended this book to me after I was baffled by an encounter with a patron who wanted me to waive her fines just because she was on public assistance. I am so glad that I have read this book. It has given me a more compassionate and fully-developed view of the many faces of poverty. More than that it offers hope and realistic ideas for beating it down.

Recommendations:

Growing up poor: a literary anthology edited by Robert Coles and Randy Testa

Essays, stories and poems are offered from literary giants, incarcerated teens, high school students and accomplished professionals who have experienced poverty. This collection offers a broad perspective of this major social ill.

Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt

From poor Irish school boy to successful American high school teacher, McCourt documents his hard-scrabble upbringing in this approachable Pulitzer Prize winner.

Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools by Jonathan Kozol

A modern classic in the field, Kozol's book reveals the inequities of the American school system.

The Thread That Runs So True by Jesse Stuart

An older classic in the field, Stuart's touching memoir of being an educator in rural Kentucky is enchanting.

Human Smoke by Nicholson Baker

Baker, Nicholson. Human Smoke. Simon & Schuster, 2008.

Controversial author Baker does not flinch in this new look at the causes of WWII. Written in a choppy style more evocative of newspaper clippings, this is a "blurb-style" book with no clear story line or narrative, but a clear thematic thread nonetheless. Baker seeks to blow open the notion of the "Good War" by revealing some of the more hidden roots of anti-semitism both in the United States and Europe.

Baker has a clear pacifist agenda and is attempting to alter perceptions about history that most Americans hold dear. Are those perceptions so much myth? Is there ever such a thing as a "good war"? I don't ultimately side with Baker on the entire anti-war premise, but in light of current events, the questions he raises are legitimate for public discourse. I found his unique perspective enlightening and useful for providing a thoroughly rounded view of WWII.

Recommendations:

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

Compelling, haunting and lyrical, these two novellas offer an interesting glimpse into the occupation of France by the Nazis. It is is a fascinating character study showing how hardship brings out peoples' true natures. (The author lived in France during this time and died in a concentration camp before she could finish her intended four novellas.)

Days of Infamy by Newt Gingrich

For a different perspective on the start of WWII, readers might like this novel of Pearl Harbor.

Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World by Patrick J. Buchanan

Another controversial tome with another viewpoint of how the West was drawn into conflict. While Buchanan and Baker might not agree on the details, they both would agree that war could have been avoided, but was a juggernaut that took on a life of its own through a series of hidden and seemingly minor decisions or beliefs. Fascinating!

The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns

This is the most recent definitive work covering the entire conflict from the United States' perspective.

Crown of Fire by Craig & Janet Parshall

Parshall, Craig & Janet. Crown of Fire. Harvest House, 2005.

Set in 1546 during the Scottish Reformation, Ransom Mackenzie witnesses a reformer being martyred. This causes him to search out the truth about this movement that is sweeping the land. His quest ultimately lands him at the feet of John Knox himself, but also at court where the glitter and intrigue of politics threatens to beckon him away from his calling.

Masterfully weaving historical and fictitious characters, the Parshalls have crafted a fascinating look into a chapter of church history perhaps less well-known than others. Meticulous research, credible characters and complex plot lines are the hallmarks of this team. This is the first in The Crown & the Thistle series which follows the MacKenzie clan through to colonial America.

This is an excellent book that would appeal to fans of historical fiction. The faith of the characters shines through, but in a realistic manner, not a cloying preachy one. This is, after all, a book about the Reformation. There are elements of action and romance to further the draw of this book.

Recommendations:
First Light (A. D. Chronicles, Book 1) by Bodie and Brock Thoene

The first couple of historical Christian fiction, the Thoene's are known for outstanding historical research and are respected even outside of Christian circles for their incredible accuracy. The AD Chronicles offers insight into the first centuries of the Early Church.

The Game of Kings (Lymond Chronicles, 1) by Dorothy Dunnett
Set in Scotland in 1547, this first of the historical romance series the Lymond Chronicles, depicts Francis Crawford and his quest for redeeming his reputation and fighting for his country. While this book is not of the Christian genre, fans of the Parshalls will appreciate the historical accuracy, plot twists and literary quality of this series set in the same period.

For Kirk & Covenant : The Stalwart Courage of John Knox by Douglas Wilson

Readers interested in learning more about John Knox will enjoy this biography which specifically looks at him in light of his leadership qualities and courageous stand against both the religious and political establishments of his day.

Christian History Made Easy: 13 Weeks to a Better Understanding of Church History by Timothy Paul Jones

Readers wanting to brush up on church history after having their appetites whetted will appreciate this user-friendly guide.

Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins

Jenkins, Jerry B. Riven. Tyndale House, 2008.

In this modern-day parable that reads like a movie, Thomas Carey is a frustrated and depressed prison chaplain who is clinging to his faith. Brady Wayne Darby is the trailer-park kid who finds himself in and out of trouble and prison. Their stories are told in alternating chapters until their lives intersect. The hyperbolic and sensational conclusion requires readers to suspend disbelief, but most readers will willingly do so as the riveting and moving drama grips them.

Jenkins, most famous for his Left Behind series, has said that this tome is his magnum opus. This is not the suspense drama of that series, so the pacing is much slower, the writing more literary and evocative. People who read Christian fiction will find this novel to be of the highest caliber. People who don't read Christian fiction for the seeming lack of quality available would do well to search this book out if they are interested in a very thought-provoking read. Quality Christian fiction exists. You just have to look for it. In Riven you will find it.

A patron recommended this to me and I am so glad I read it. It is lyrical, haunting, gripping and thought-provoking. The end will leave you breathless.

Recommendations:
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

One of the more literary and quality authors of the genre, Rivers is an excellent choice for anyone looking for well-written inspirational fiction. Readers interested in the redemptive themes in Riven will like Redeeming Love, a more modern retelling of the story of Hosea, the prophet of the Bible who married a prostitute. Set in the 1850s Gold Rush, Angel is a woman who as a child was sold into prostitution. Michael Hosea is the kind-hearted farmer who pities and marries her.

When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

From another literary author, this story will appeal to readers who are interested in the theme of the intersecting lives of two hurting people. The Christian message of this book subtly permeates, but is not overt.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Rob Hall & Denver Moore

(This is one of my favorite books!) Rob Hall is a white international art dealer whose wife dragged him to serve a meal at a homeless shelter. Denver is a homeless black man who Rob met there. This is a true story of two people, how they met and how they changed each other's lives -- and it's not how you think! You will never look at poverty the same way again.

Jesus Mean and Wild: The Unexpected Love of an Untameable God by Mark Galli

Think Jesus is a kind-hearted, but kind of milk-toast wimp? Galli explores several passages from the New Testament that show just the kind of sometimes stern, confrontational man the real Jesus was. If people thought Christian fiction was boring, but were gripped by Riven, they may enjoy a book about Jesus that also shakes some cobwebs loose.

Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain

Sherrill, Martha. Dog Man: An Uncomon Life on a Faraway. Mountain. Penguin Press, 2008.

During WWII, the Japanese were so desperate, they began slaughtering their dogs for meat and pelts to line soldiers' coats. By the end of the war only sixteen Akitas, the magnificent national dogs of Japan, existed.

At the start of the war, Morie Sawataishi had never even been interested in dogs, but as the war dragged on and it became illegal to own a dog, his desire for them increased. When he first brought home an Akita puppy acquired on the black market, his wife Kitako was livid. Morie was forced to hide it in a shed. But as these noble dogs began to flourish under his care, Kitako came around to Morie's way of thinking. Woven together by their desire to live a traditional Japanese lifestyle, Morie and Kitako, now in their nineties, live in the remote mountain country of Japan breeding and raising champion Akitas. Morie is now credited with almost single-handedly saving the breed from extinction and increasing its popularity throughout the world.

Anyone interested in animals will enjoy this book. There are chapters dedicated to several of Morie's individual dogs and the book is full of black & white photos of Morie, Kitako, their dogs and their natural lifestyle. Sherrill capably views her subjects through an unsentimental lens, but her portrait is nonetheless moving and evocative.

Recommendations:

Nop's Trials: A Novel by Donald McCaig

Dog lovers will enjoy a romp with Nop a border collie trained for sheepdog trials. Nop's real trial begins, though, when he is stolen from his devoted master. Excellent insights into dog behavior and border collies.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

A modern spin on Hamlet set in rural Wisconsin, this debut novel features mute Edgar Sawtelle whose grandfather bred a unique breed of dog the Sawtelle.

Akita: Treasure of Japan by MIP Publishing

At over 500 pages and weighing six pounds, this is THE manual for everything Akita!

Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman

Readers wanting to know more about the most famous Akita will want to turn to this award-winning juvenile title.