Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

There are a few authors out there that I can count on for a really enjoyable read. My criteria for this is pretty simple-lots of laughs, characters I can believe in or relate to and a good well-written story. Not a lot of details, please. I know that about myself and I’m ok with that.

Cecelia Ahern is one of those authors with the exception of she’ll often make me laugh AND cry. I heart Cecelia Ahern.  She does all of the above and she also has a way of pulling on your heart strings without you realizing it until you are knee deep in tissues and laughing out loud as you blow. Geez, I am a mess.

Joyce Conway is haunted. After a terrible accident in which she loses a most precious gift, her already unhappy marriage falls apart and she finds herself moving back in with her father. When she starts spouting off facts and figures that she has no way of knowing and when memories come that are not her own she wonders if she’s finally cracked.

Justin Hitchcock is an American architect who moves to London to be close to his daughter. When in Dublin teaching a class, he is persuaded to donate blood to impress a woman. He goes on and on about how precious his blood is and how he would hope the recipient would shower him with gifts galore.

Where does it go from here? Ahhh, you must read the book! I can’t give away all the good dirt. The pacing is fast. The story is set in London and Dublin but for the most part this is not integral to the story. Ahern is from Ireland, so there are a few terms that can be confusing to American readers. The tone of the book bounces back and forth between despair and hope, grief and chaos. It is an emotional roller coaster that most readers will enjoy. There is a touch of magic in Ahern’s books and my suggestion is to just sit back and let it flow.  2009, 371 pages.

P.S. The audio book is read with an Irish accent. It adds greatly to the authenticity of the experience.

 

Ahwoooooooooo! by Yannick Murphy

Little Wolf wants to learn to howl more than anything and with the moon bright and high in the sky-what could be more exciting? But Mother Wolf and Father Wolf are too busy to teach him how to howl this night so Little Wolf turns to his friends Owl, Frog and Whipporwill to teach him. None of his friends know how to howl and they try in vain to teach Little Wolf how to hoot or ribbit. Cold and ready to give up Little Wolf happens upon Grandfather Wolf who teaches him the magic and beauty of learning how to howl.

A sweet intergenerational story that kids and adults will both relate to. 2006, 31 pages.

 

Castaway Cats by Lisa Wheeler

What would you do if you were a cat lost on a deserted island after your ship sank? In Castaway Cats you would do what anyone would do, try to survive. Each of the 15 cats and kittens in this story has a distinctive personality that is shown through rhyming verse. As the story progresses the cats on the island move from anarchy to learning to work together to create a new home that everyone loves. A simple tale with fascinating detailed pictures. The rhyming words make this picture book fun to read out loud. Children will love the idea of kitties in paradise drinking coconut milk! 2006, 32 pages.

 

Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems

In the same fashion as previous books, Pigeon is left to the charge of the reader and this time, Pigeon wants to stay up late! How are we going to handle pigeon this time?

A fun read that will have children giggling at Pigeon and Pigeon’s crazy tricks. The quick pace and opportunity for crazy behavior and wild expressions make this a great storytime book. 2006, unpaged.

 

The Wright Sister-Katherine Wright and Her Famous Brothers by Richard Maurer

The interesting story of Katherine Wright-sister to Orville & Wilbur. Katherine had dreams of her own, but sacrificed always for her family. She became the brother’s social manager and third member of the team. She entertained clients, friends and admirers but in the end, chose love.

Actually a children’s book, I highly suggest reading for any age level due to the well-researched wealth of information provided in the book. Nicely illustrated. 2003, 119 pages.

 

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Cinderella with a twist. Ella has been given a curse at birth to always be obedient. Any order given must be obeyed directly. After her mother’s death and her absentee father’s new marriage, Ella sets out to find the fairy that cursed her and convince her to lift the curse. Throw in a prince and a fairy godmother and Ella just might find happiness and love.

Strong independent female heroine in a classic good versus evil tale. Happy ending. Mark Twain Award Nominee. 1997, 232 pages.

 

Halfway to the Sky by Kimberly Bradley

Katahdin, 12, strikes out on her own to hike the Appalachian Trail after losing her brother, Springer, to Muscular Dystrophy.  Grieving over his loss and her parent’s divorce (the met & married while hiking the AT), she is soon found by her mom.  They start hiking together and in the end help each other to heal.  A quick read that would be of interest to new adult readers.  2002, 166 pages.

 

Fluffy and Baron by Laura Rankin

Fluffy and Baron share an unusual friendship. Baron is a large German Shepard and Fluffy is a small duck but that doesn’t seem to bother Fluffy as she eats Baron’s food and swims in his water dish. Soon they are fast friends who do everything together. Then some wild ducks come to the farm and Fluffy cannot resist spending time with them. Baron is sad and finds himself on his own without his best buddy. But, when the wild ducks leave Baron adjusts to the new Fluffy who has become a mom of her own. Soon, there are lots of new little ducks around as their friendship grows and expands to include the new family.

 A cute story about the power of love and friendship and learning to adjust to changing conditions. Based on the true experiences of the author’s childhood. 2006, unpaged.