I just finished a book called, A Monster Calls: a novel by Patrick Ness inspired by Siobhan Dowd and illustrated by Jim Kay. It was suggested to me by Cyndi Burne, our Teen Librarian and Assistant Director. The book is in the Teen or Young Adult (YA) section of the library. It is a superb example of the power of storytelling-- at once, a story of one young man's attempt to deal with tragedy in his life and also an allegory about how the human spirit can overcome great pain and despair. Beautifully written and amazingly illustrated, A Monster Calls, is a modern classic in the tradition of all mythic tales which seek to shed light on the human condition--truly a perfect novel.
The Book Look Discussion Group at The Highlands just read and discussed Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Louis Zamperini, a young long distance runner is shot down with his crew in enemy waters in the South Pacific. After drifting for weeks, he is found and imprisoned as a POW in Japan. This is his story of how he coped, survived and triumphed through incredible adversity. Many of us felt new admiration for all veterans and ongoing sadness for the many valiant men and women who have sacrificed so much for their country in past generations and today.
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