I had already read and liked "
Running Out of Time" by Margaret Peterson Haddix, but "
Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey" has made her one of my very favourite authors. In Mrs. Dunphrey's class, students are writing in a journal for a school assignment. Mrs. Dunphrey promises she won't read any entries marked "Don't Read." For Tish Bonner that is not enough. Tish's life is falling apart in every way possible, the bills can't be paid and her mother is useless. Tish tests Mrs. Dunphrey by writing rude comments about her and other teachers. When Mrs. Dunphrey passes, only then does Tish start trusting in her journal and her difficult life starts to unfold entry by entry.
Tish's mother acts more like a child than an adult. All she does is sit and cry all day over her abusive husband not being home. In order to keep herself and her eight year old brother, Matt, fed and clothed, Tish Bonner has to work part-time at a restaurant, Burger Boy, with a lecherous boss. She also has to juggle school and her own typical teen problems such as boys and friends. Tish is very skeptical of the teachers and councilors at her school. She doesn't trust them with knowing the truth of how precarious her life is. Her brother Matt is all she has and she can't bear the thought of being separated from him.
One day when Tish returns from work, she finds her mother has left them to go to California to find their father. Now, Tish and Matt are in danger of losing their utilities, house, and even each other.
Throughout this book I kept feeling like I couldn't read fast enough. I was so worried about what would happen to Tish and her brother. Though this book is only 125 pages long, it has definitely made it to my list of books "you must read before you die." It has made my outlook on my life a little less gloomy. I grant it the full five daggers. If I had more, I would gladly give them up.
--Twyla Lee
Manuel Ramos
SAM QUINONES
We received the following note from the University of New Mexico Press:
Sam Quinones' Antonio's Gun and Delfino's Dream (UNM Press, 2007), a book of immigration vignettes, picked up great reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal, among other publications. The newest feature of Sam's website is a link where the public can tell their True Tale, based on Sam's first book, True Tales From Another Mexico (UNM Press, 2001).
Here's the link: http://www.samquinones.com/other_stories.asp
You can read La Bloga's interview with Quinones, by Daniel Olivas, here.
And a review of Antonio's Gun and Delfino's Dream, by R. Ch. Garcia, here.
GENERATION TO GENERATION
Stories on Stage (Theater of the Imagination) begins its 2007-2008 season on August 26 with a program entitled Generation to Generation. Stories on Stage has taken a great concept and turned it into a great series of entertaining events. The concept? Excellent literature read by accomplished and acclaimed actors. Not plays, not performances: readings. The motto for Stories on Stage is Adults Deserve a Great Story ... and Cookies & Milk, Too!
Generation to Generation features four selections: The Queen of Mold by Ruth Reichi, My Son the Fanatic by Hanef Kureishi, Vanderbilt Genes by Augusten Burroughs, and an excerpt from Migrant Souls by Arturo Islas (William Morrow, 1990). The Islas piece will be read by Adriana Gaviria, who performed last year in Hermanas at the FringeNYC and the 52nd Street Project's Power of Ten: Plays That Count at the Public Theater in New York. Her other credits include Anna In The Tropics, September Shoes, and The Birds. She's worked with numerous theater companies including the Immigrants' Theater Project, Young Playwrights, Inc., and Pregones and Repertorio Español. Other readers are Annette Helde, Joshua Coomer, and Shishir Kurup.
Migrant Souls has an excellent reputation. The Library Journal's review of this book said: "Continuing the saga of the Angel family that began in Rain God, Islas explores the effects of life on the border. Burdened by the pride of matriarch Mama Chona, all her children and grandchildren are raised to hate their Mexican, dark-skinned heritage, valuing a mythical light-skinned Spanish ancestry. Islas contrasts rebel Josie Salazar, dark and divorced, who fights the family on every front, with Josie's widowed aunt, Jesus Maria, who attempts to maintain Mama Chona's values despite the scorn of her children. The author displays consummate skill in portraying the anguish of Hispanics living on both sides of a literal and figurative border in the second volume of a proposed trilogy. An excellent addition to fiction collections."
Generation to Generation is scheduled for August 26, 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, Stage Theater, Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
ELVISHey -- how about this:
The
Elvis Presley Tribute is this Sunday,
August 19, at
Rick's Tavern, 6762 Lowell Boulevard, Denver. The folks at Rick's are inviting everyone to stop by for a good time as
The King of Rock 'n Roll is honored: Elvis music, costumes, and impersonators. More info about the event and
The Rick Garcia Band on
the website. Rick Garcia and his band will perform some of Elvis' songs - in addition to their signature blend of Tex-Mex, New Mexico, country, rock and oldies music.
That's all I got.
Later.
This is an amazing book...one of the best I read last year. :)
Twyla! you're not...dead!
or invisible or intangible or whatever.
crazy.
I love Margaret Peterson Haddix, but I hadn't even heard of this one. Wow...I am so out of the loop. Grazi, Twyla.
Wow, now I definitely need to read this. It's sounds so good!
Ooo, I must read! -goes to tackle bookstore- Great review. ^^
Ok, so Twyla welcome back. And now, please, post something new, and change the title of your latest post. It is not new and it's bugging me to death. Please.
~Medeia Senka~
I completely agree. I read this book last summer I think, but I still remember it. It was amazing.
you've been meme tagged!
you don't have to do it if you don't want to, but the rules can be found Here at Plenty of Paper
I hope that link works, if not, I'll just put the url in another comment.