This is undoubtedly the best fantasy book ever written about unicorns. The story begins with a fiery young unicorn prince, Jan, who more than anything, wants to prove himself to his father, Korr. Although Jan's curiosity and love of pranks and tricks gets him into trouble, a valiant fight to protect his people from a vengeful griffon helps encourage his father's decision to let him go with the other soon-to-be warriors on their pilgrimage across the Great Plain. The journey shows Jan that there is far more to the world than just that within his people's ring. He begins to question his destiny and what he is to become. Little does he know what future lays before him, how the wyverns who took over his people's lands and the prophecy of the Firebringer will affect his life and of all unicorns.Meredith Ann Pierce brings a rich history, language and culture not only to the unicorns, but to all the mythical creatures in her book. Her writing style, great imagination and wide diversity of incredibly detailed characters makes her unicorn's world so believeable, it is difficult to read other author's books about them. This book has a powerful message about following your heart, personal triumph, responsibility, selflessness, standing up for what you believe in and much more. Once you pick up this book, you'll not want to put it down. I highly recommend obtaining a copy of Birth of The Firebringer as well as the other two books in this captivating trilogy. Since, once you get started, you'll not want to stop until you've read this series in its entirety. It should never have been taken out of print. This is one story that would make a great animated motion picture. Give this book a chance. You will not be sorry!

I bought this book when I was 7 years old, and it has been my favorite ever since. I had no idea there were sequels until coming online 3 years ago, and since then, I've been taking part in the great dance of trying to find them. Even without ever reading "Dark Moon" and "Son of Summer Stars", I would say this is a superb standalone legend. I look forward to the day they are all reprinted for a new generation of dreamers and doers. Judging that the "Darkangel" trilogy, in my opinion a far less well-thought-out 'practice' work for "Birth of the Firebringer", has been reprinted, these books must be reprinted as well. If you can find it, read the first adventure of Aljan the Dark Moon, Korr his sire, Telkella, Dag, the Free People, and all those under the watchful gaze of Almharat. It's been on my summer reading list for over half my life, it never gets old.

I'll even admit it right off the bat: I still like unicorns. As a child, I was into anything unicorn-related--even the airbrushed, mass-media-image ones you saw given away as prizes at the State Fair. (You know which ones I mean, with the pink manes and everything. Admit it, you had them, too.) Now that I'm older, my unicorn-stuff collection has thinned out quite a bit. I've grown out of most of it...but there are keepers.

If you ever--EVER--had an imagination, this is your book. I've had my battered copy since it was published in 1985, and haven't gotten tired of it yet. The story centers around Aljan, Prince of the Unicorns. Aljan's journey takes you into a believable world full of legend and lore that will draw you in and hold you until the very last word. And then you'll want to read it again.

This book is part of the "Firebringer Trilogy," which includes "Dark Moon" and "The Son of Summer Stars," all by Meredith Ann Pierce. (Incidentally, all three will be re-published by Firebird Books in Summer 2003--a long time in coming, if I may say so!) While the second and third books are good in their own right, they don't come close to the first. This is the one you're going to keep.

I'm writing this after rereading the Seer and the Sword for the 5th time. This book is one of my all-time favorites. The best part is definitely the plot.(Just so you know what I'm doing, I'll use the first letter of their name to identify a person.)

After Torina's father defeats a neighboring kingdom, and brings home the prince, Landen, as a slave, T sets him free and he begins learning to fight in the barracks. T's father also gives her a crystal ball which he brought from L's kingdom as spoils of war. T and L become friends over the years as T learns she can see the past, present, and even future in her crystal. Then tragedy strikes. T's betrothed, Vesputo, murders T's father. L must run away because he is thought to be the culprit and T (who saw it happen)is imprisoned in her rooms by V. T escapes (I won't tell you how)to the kingdom of Desante. Over time she becomes an informer of King Dahmis, high king of Glavenrell. Meanwhile, L is also in Desante, under the name of Bellanes. He becomes the ringleader of a band of criminals under the command of King Ardesen, King of Desante.
Now that's not the end of the story - there are plenty of other twists. But I can't tell you any more, so if you want to find out if Landen and Torina ever reunite, or if Landen or Torina ever recover their kingdoms, you'll just have to buy the book and find out. But, believe me, it's an awesome book, it has an intricate plot, and it's full of action. It's a great book for teens and adults. If you never read it, you're really missing something.

This is the kind of book that you read over and over, no matter your age. I read it first from the library, and the next time I went to the bookstore I bought it. (Well . . . I ordered it and picked it up when it came in, but same diff.) It starts when the young Princess Torina is given a stone and a slave when her father comes back from a triumphant war. The slave is the only son of the former king of the conquered country, and a few years older then Torina. Landen, the boy is called, is set free by the impulsive princess, and sent to live in the barracks. And when Torina looks into the crystal, she sees the baby her mother is carring being born a boy, and stillborn.

That is what happens.

Torina is a seer, a great one, who are very rare. She uses her crystal to see the future - though she can not see her own. As you can guess, she and Landen fall in love - but not before an evil falls upon the kingdom. Thhis is a book of love, betrayal, war, and despair - and hope. Read it.

You'll love it.

I recently read The Seer and The Sword, by Victoria Hanley. It begins with a young princess, Torina, awaiting her father comming home from a war. When he gets there, he gives her 2 things: a crystal ball and the son of the king he had defeated, Landen, as a slave. She sets him free immediately and he is put in training to fight in the King's army. Secretly, they become friends. She discovers she is a seer, which is one of the many things they talk about. However, the King's 'right hand man', Vesputo, is planning to marry the princess. Landen warns her about him but she only gets angry at him and remains vulnerable to Vesputo's evil plan. Read along as the evil Vesputo plots to gain the throne and make Torina's life miserable. But don't worry, she and Landen make it out all right!

This is a totally awesome book for readers my age (13 and up)! OMG. If you like mystery, suspence, magic, or stories of royalty, this book is a mixture of them all! Read The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley today!

Juniper By Monica Furlong By Sam Levine

Juniper by Monica Furlong is an adventurous book that inspires anyone who reads it. This books makes a person feel as though they cannot let go of it. Its plot grabs you and pulls you in and makes you want to finish this book as quickly as possible. This book deserves everyone's attention including mine. Juniper is the story of a pampered princess named Ninnoc. Ninnoc goes off into the outlands of her father's castle to live in a shrewd hut with her godmother because it is her destiny. There she learns helpful magic and how to become a doran. After Ninnoc completes her learning with her godmother she must go back to the castle and prevent her evil aunt from disparaging Ninnoc's cousin and taking over the castle. Juniper is a book that I recommend because shows people how they should not be afraid of things that they have not experienced and it is inspiring. For instance, Ninnoc is afraid of living with her godmother because she lives far away in the "dangerous" wilderness. Ninnoc overcomes her fear and goes to live with her godmother. In time Ninnoc adjusts to the living style and learns much with her godmother. This book also inspires people. For instance, the part in the book where Ninnoc becomes a doran. This is inspiring because it is a dramatic scene that makes you feel as though you are in the hut with Ninnoc and that that you are accomplishing what she accomplished. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an adventurous and emotionally moving novel. This book is a great book but gender-sensitive males might not enjoy this book to the fullest. For instance in the scene where Ninnoc is asking about dorans, she asks her godmother if all dorans are girls. Her mother responds by saying "No. But there are more women to take the path. Men prefer to put their trust in weapons and fighting. They don't know it, but it makes them weaker" (43). This is a minor setback but otherwise this book is great for everyone. I, being a boy, was a little but I still managed to enjoy Juniper. This book is definitely worth reading!

"Juniper" is one of my alltime fav books, "Wise Child" being the other. I recieved Juniper from a high school-aged babysitter, when I was around 8 years of age. I have treasured this book for a long time now, and I am 15 and in high school myself; the girls who gave the book to me, are all grown and have at least 2 kids themselves.

"Juniper" is about a young Cornish princess, by the name of Ninnoc, who wonders about being regulus, after her father dies. She is spoiled, and doesn't realize how good she has it, until she goes to live with her godmother, Euny.

For a year and a day, Ninnoc lives with Euny. She thinks life is miserable, until she stays 2 months with one of Euny's friends. After the 2 of them go back to Euny's hut, Ninnoc is instructed in the ways of the Doran.

I won't ruin the rest, but it is a wonderful story. You don't really relize it's a story about a fledgling Witch, until you read "Wise Child". There are Wiccan refrences in that story, that make you realize what you are reading. Even if I wasn't a Witch, I'd pass this book on to my children someday!

I just bought this book and finished it, and I thought it was great! So, mabe I'm a bit "for it" because I love Celtic/Ancient British stuff, but this is a vividly written book for children or adults. It's fun and captivating, and it somewhat follows in the footsteps of _The Mists of Avalon_, though I think it's easier to like the character and easier to get caught in the plot, though it lacks the mystery. I'm only eleven, and I've read tons of fantasy books, and I have to say that this is one of my definite favorites. Juniper is a great main character, and not without her share of faults (to lots of readers' reliefs). This book brings feeling, truth, friendship and adventure to it's peak with only a few words, but it's so well-written that you catch on and realize that in it's own way, it's explaining a lifetime. Read this book anyday and I assure you you'll be glad you did!

The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich is a book all kids will want to read. The manin character is an Ojibwa girl named Omakayas. It was really sad when Ten Snow (Omakayas's friend) and Neewo (Omakayas's baby brother) died. I really liked the part when Baby Neewo spoke to Omakayas through the birds. All in all, I think this book is better to read together than alone.

The Birchbark House was a good book and I think Louise Erdrich
is a wonderful author and illustrator. The part I liked the most was when the main character Omakayas's grandmother Nokomis told her a story in the winter. It was about Nokomis when she was a little girl. When the visitor came and brought smallpox and Omakayas's little brother died it was very sad. All in all, everyone should read this book.

The book starts slow. It builds background knowledge and "flavor", but it may be hard for a pre-teen child to continue to read independently. That's why I think this book would be a good choice for read-aloud or adult-child paired reading. However,the author really grabs the reader by Chapter 10 (The Visitor). It becomes a "can't-put-it-down book" as the reader experiences Omakayas' fear and sorrow because of the White Man's visit. It is an excellent book to show the everyday life of Native Americans before their lives were severely changed by foreigners in their lands. It would be a good book to read with the Little House series to compare lifestyles, but also to illustrate the American Indians' perspective of the pioneer movement.

I recommend this book because it is very good and I think that kids of the age twelve and older would really like this book. It talks about how people are not always what they seem to be. In one scene in the story Ann always thought that Chad was a very nice person. Then he started saying things like, "Everything you think I think," and, "I knew your plan before you knew it. I gave it to you Ann.". This book is very suspenseful and interesting. It will keep you guessing. If you like reading these kinds of books I suggest you read Christopher Pike's "Fall Into Darkness"

This was definitely the best Christopher Pike book I have ever read. The story is suspensful and the story is amazing!! The ending shocked me too. I recommend this book to everyone! It is not science fiction, like a lot of Pike's other books, but a good, old fashioned mystery

"Fall into Darkness" begins in a courtroom. Sharon McKay has been accused of killing her best friend, Ann Rice, but Sharon knows she's innocent. Ann had apparently died from a fall from a cliff, but there's no real proof of this because her body was never found. So, it's up to Sharon's attorney, Johnny Richmond, to prove that she didn't push Ann off the cliff, rather Ann jumped to her death.

The book switches between the present (the trial) and the past (just before, and up to, Ann's death). The reader soon learns Ann harbored a strong hatred for her best friend Sharon. She blamed Sharon for breaking her brother's (Jerry Rice) heart, which ultimately lead to his suicide one year ago. However, nobody knows about Ann's pent-up anger--least of all Sharon--, except for Ann's boyfriend, Paul Lear. He's the only one Ann confides in about her need for revenge.

The plan is simple: invite a group of unsuspecting friends on a camping trip as witnesses, get Sharon alone with Ann, then when the opportunity is right, fake her own death by dropping over the side of the cliff with a safety harness on. (All the equipment had been strategically placed beforehand.) She would then maneuver down the side of the rock and run away to safety. Sharon would obviously be the number one suspect since she was the last person with Ann, and, more than likely, Sharon would be found guilty and put behind bars. It seemed perfect enough--until Ann discovered the real cause of her brother's death. But by then it's too late.

"Fall into Darkness" has a great twist in the end. This is one of Christopher Pike's better books. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes teen suspense and/or Christopher Pike books.

"Fall into Darkness" was later made into a TV movie in 1996, starring Tatyana Ali, Jonathan Brandis, Charlotte Ross, and Paul Scherrer. Christopher Pike was one the producers of the film. .... Unfortunately, I never saw it, but I'm hoping it was as good as the book.

Those elegant downtown department stores that close at 6pm are getting fewer and far between, but this book takes you back to a time when a visit to one could fulfill a child's most fervent wish or dream. Corduroy is sitting on the shelf in the toy department when Lisa spots him and, of course, wants her mom to buy him. Her mother says no, because he's missing a button from his suspenders. Well, Corduroy goes looking for the missing button that night, thinking that's why he hasn't been picked to go home with someone yet.

This story is almost a primitive variation on "Toy Story," where the toys come to a life of their own when humans aren't around. . .and of course, like Woody, Buzz, and even the Misfit Toys from "Rudolph," Corduroy knows that his purpose in life is to love and be loved by a child. If your child watches the "Corduroy" shorts on PBS, get this book and let him or her see how he first found a home. I hate to say it, but I nearly always cry when I get to the last two pages. I just love happy endings:)

This is the story of a stuffed bear that lives in a department store and is not the most attractive toy in the store. He had a missing button and was a little bit scruffy. One little girl that goes into the store and loves the bear and wants him and Corduroy wants to live with her too. He is sad when the mother says that she can't have him. He goes around during the night to try and find the button that he lost so maybe someone would want him but he can't and is returned to the shelve he came from. The next day the girl came back and bought him and brought him home. They both loved each other so much and she even gave him a new button.
This is a really cute book. It shows that love is something more them just how something looks. The little girl didn't care that Corduroy wasn't perfect she loved him anyway. This is really story for children because this is something that they need to know. Love is not just the way something appears its more then that. It is what is inside a person.

This sweet bear has been around for several generations. Living in a department store, Corduroy wanders off for the night. Up the escalator onto the floor with the beds and the lamps. Aha, he needs a new button to replace the lost button on his corduroy overalls. He pulls and pulls a button from a mattress, creating quite a racket in the process. The night watchman comes to investigate and finds the bear hiding under a blanket. The nightwatchman carries Corduroy down the escalator and places him back on the shelf. You see, the little girl's mother told Lisa that she did not want Corduroy because he had was missing a button. The following day Lisa returns with her saved piggy bank money, buys the bear and takes him home to his very own bedroom. This book is incredibly sweet and is appropriate for 2 years old and older. What's more, FAO Schwartz actually sells a Corduroy bear. What a treat. A wonderful gift for a birthday or holiday. Highly, highly recommended.

I've been reading Sweet Valley books forever. I think the best is yet to come. But this was a good book. I just wish Jessica had friends in the series who would stand by her. Every time someone new enters the picture Lila and Amy desert her for the new person. Sometimes Lila smartens up, but Amy always runs straight to Jessica's enemy. I think Jeremy and Jessica would be good for each other, but they don't exactly have the passion Jessica and Will do. If Will would just get a backbone! I'm glad Conner and Liz got together or whatever, but I think she did it in the wrong way and hurt a very good friend in the process.

I'm waiting for the one where Melissa, Amy, Lila, Cheri, and Gina get theirs to call one the BEST.

I love the new series. It has serious potential. But what is really bother me is Jessica turning more like the old Elizabeth. It drives me crazy because Jessica was always so sure of herself and now she's scared of Melissa Fox and her little posse. I think Jessica should start to become more like she use to be. I loved the way she was totally outgoing. I'm glad that Elizabeth is finally starting to loosing up. She's more like a real person with real problems. I've read every Sweet Valley High book and I'm going to try to read all the books in this series because it's way better. They have real life situations and they're a lot cooler. (except that Jessica has turned into a wuss). Keep up the good book and keep on reading everyone.

Strange that I actually like this series!! I'm more into the mystery/gory stuff, but this series got me obsessed!! I got my friends hooked, as well! I'm happy Conner woke up and saw Liz. As for Jessica, girl, Jeremy's the one! I know that Melissa is gonna get it. Soon, I hope. Can't wait for the next one...I get these books the day they come out! Unfortunately, you gotta wait a month to get it. The diary entries are the best; especially Conner's "I know..." Have to read it to find out, my friend! Email me for comments.

"Your Blues Ain't Like Mine" is an ambitious novel. It begins with the murder of an African-American teenager in rural Mississippi in the 1950's. It then follows the boy's family, the family of the murderers, and other citizens of that small Mississippi town, for the next 40 years or so. Many of the Blacks in the story move north to Chicago during this period. So the story describes not only the social and political changes in the deep South during those years, but also the experience of those who exchanged the seething racism of Mississippi for the northern big-city ghettos.

In choosing to portray such a vast - and critically important - period of American history, the author set herself a daunting task. There is a tremendous amount of material to cover in a novel like this. And the job can't be done thoroughly in 460 paperback pages. The author often condenses a major change in a character's lifestyle or philosophy into a single paragraph or even a single sentence.

The characters are well chosen and sympathetic (except the characters who weren't intended to be sympathetic), and the book is well written and well plotted. But for myself, I found myself wanting much more than Ms. Campbell was giving me. I suppose that a 1200-page novel wouldn't have sold nearly as well as this shorter one. But a 1200-page novel, on the same subject and by the same author, might have been a historically great achievement.

This is the first book by Bebe Moore Campbell I have ever read and I fully intend to read the others. I felt that she had a very deep connection with all of her characters, regardlesss of color. I have read some black others that wrote with an obvious bias, and with this book I felt none of that. I also thought she did an excellent job of portraying the woman's role in a marriage and in society. I noticed that in with both the black and the white characters the woman were going through very similar trials. It was very interesting that when it came to an issue of social class as the years went on that the citizens of Hopewell became divided by how much money they had and no longer by the color of their skin. It just shows that money still transcends everyhting else to determine one's role in the social pyramid. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone, it gives a true understanding of the process of desegregation and the mindset people were living in.

I became familiar with Bebe Moore Campbell's work only after reading "Brothers & Sisters" because like Esther, I did identify with the challenges of being black and female on the job. In "Your Blues Ain't Like Mine", she shows the horror of how one misunderstanding can affect the lives of the people of a small town. Floyd is more interested in proving his manhood to his father and brother than protecting his wife's reputation. Delotha is wracked with guilt and shame for not keeping her son Armstrong the victim, and Armstrong's father Wydell realizes that his inability to be a father has to do with his own inability to come to terms with the horrible relationship that had with his father. Lily, the unintentional instigator of this whole affair realizes that as she grows older, life is harder, men aren't always going to be there when you need them and that things aren't as rosy for other people as they seem especially when she discovers how bad off her in-laws have become, but at least in the book the characters try to come to terms with the past and struggle to live in the present. I would recommend this book to anyone who would want to read it.

Haddix tells a story that immediately captures the reader's interest. Many of Tish's concerns are "typically" adolescent-- school, job, sexual harassment--as well as one that is not at all typical. Tish's mother has abandoned her and her younger brother Matt. Tish is trying desperately to do the child-rearing that her mother should be doing. When her English teacher assigns a journal, Tish is sure she won't write at all, but once she starts, she finds writing cathartic, especially since Mrs. Dunphrey keeps her word and doesn't actually read anything that the girl tells her not to read. A totally happy ending would be unrealistic, but there is hope that Tish and Matt will have a better life.

A great read that will open your eyes to the hardships of a not so ordinary teenager.

This is a story of how a seventeen year old girl deals with the neglect of her parents. Her dad is in and out of her life and her mother stays very depressed and eventually abandons the family. Tish takes full responsibility of caring for her little brother, Matt. Her life becomes extremely hard to handle, and she finds an emotional outlet through journal writing, a daily assignment required by her English teacher, Mrs. Dunphrey. Mrs. Dunphrey has told the students that she will not read any journal entry marked "Do not read." Tish keeps her journal faithfully, but rarely allows Mrs. Dunphrey to read it. Tish's life becomes filled with growing anxieties and she finally allows Mrs. Dunphrey to read her journal.

This story reflects many problems that teenagers with abusive parents may face. It also lets readers know there are people to turn to when dealing with a situation of this nature. We recommend this book for seventh or eighth graders. Teachers could use this book in their classroom to teach or study issues such as: neglect, abuse, depression, occupations, and family structures. These issues could be integrated when teaching Language Arts, Social Studies, Writing, Health, and Math. This is a good book for teenagers to read. It relays the importance of talking to someone when your problems become too overwhelming.

This is an excellent book for teenagers to read. Not only is it fast reading, but it also deals with family problems and trust. Tish Bonner is a 10th grader who is abandoned by her parents and is left to raise her little brother, Matt. Her english teacher, Mrs. Dunphrey, has everyone in her class write a daily journal. The teacher told the students to write "Do not read this" on the entries they didn't want her to read. On her private "Do not read this" pages, Tish takes a lot of risks and talks about her many problems trying to earn money and raise her brother. When Tish asks Mrs. Dunphrey to read her private journals at the end of the school year, it is Tish's way of reaching out for help, which Mrs. Dunphrey gladly gives her. I liked reading this book because Tish never gave up, even when things were awful. It also helps the reader realize that we can't do everything by ourselves and sometimes we need to depend on others to help us out.

Stop Pretending

The novel I read is called Stop Pretending by Sonya Sones. This book is good about explaining how Cookie feels about her sister being crazy.
Cookie's friend, Molly, isn't a good character because she is mean to Cookie when she finds out that Cookie's sister is crazy and in a mental hospital. I liked Sarah because she stuck by Cookie's side even though her sister was crazy. The theme is don't judge a book by its cover. This means that when looked at Cookie know her sister was crazy doesn't mean she crazy even though she acts like it sometimes. I liked most of the book, but if I had to choose just one part it would be when she gets her camera and takes pictures of her sister through her eyes. The part I didn't like is when Molly passed a note that made fun of Cookie. I'm very satisfied with the end of the book, but I'm not going to tell you if it sad or happy.
The author was a very unique way of writing her stories because she has many poems put together to make a story. The way that she writes keeps you interested. The vocabulary is pretty easy. I suggest this book for girls 10 to 13 because it is about a girl and it is difficult to see through her eyes if you are younger than ten. I strongly recommended this book because it is based on a true story, which makes you think of other people. I give this book a ...[five] stars.

Though I know what it's like to be driven crazy by a sister, I don't know what it's like to have a sister who has such problems. With this book you go into the mind of Cookie, whom the author has based on herself. This book was truly a wonderful read, and what made it really great and original was that instead of chapters, it was composed of poems. I love poetry as well as books, and combining the two made this all the more better and all the more worthwhile. You can tell that Sonya Sones truly wrote it from the heart, especially since she went through the same exact thing. In fact, I think it says in the book that she wrote the poems while her sister was going through it. It's like she's cracked open her heart and let you look right into what she was feeling ( not to be graphic or anything ). A truly inspirational and loving novel. Read it immediately.

This book, STOP PRETENDING: WHAT HAPPED WHEN My BIG SISTER WENT CRAZY, was on a required reading list for a course I took in Young Adult Literature. I could not put it down.

On Christmas Eve, "A wild-eyed Jewish girl wearing only a nightgown," rushes out of the house to go to Midnight Mass. She is in the midst of a nervous breakdown. After this, she is institutionalized, but life must go on for the family.

Told through the poems of the younger sister, 13 year-old Cookie, this novel is based upon real life events of the author. In her poems, in which we have the unfolding of the story, Cookie reveals her great fear that this will happen to her as well. She deals with her issues of shame over her sisters' condition. She experiences memories of how life was before the breakdown, and almost lives in a denial of the experience. Her former friends reject Cookie. In her poems, Cookie captures the intense emotions and feelings in dealing with life, and all of the troublesome events of the aftermath of this life altering event.

But not all is bad. Cookie finds photography, and begins a healing process. She meets a new boy at school who knows nothing of Cookies' sister, and they fall in love. Within these events, Cookie learns that life goes on, sometimes good, sometimes not so good, but it does go forward.

The poems throughout vary in length, but mostly stick to free verse. The use of poems is an effective tool to convey the deep emotions. In the novel, the fate of her sister is unanswered, but seems hopeful in tone.

In a final note to the book, Sones does shed light on the rest of the story in her own personal experience, with her own sisters success. She provides support websites and telephone numbers as resources for organizations which help people with emotional disorders and suffering from depression.

If you know of anyone who faces the challenge of an institutionalized family member, please buy this book for them. It should provide a tool of dialogue and discussion for the family.

As an added note, in the course I took, one of the class members contacted Sonya Sones, and we had an interview with her over the phone. She is delightful, and her upcoming work for publication will also be a novel told in poems. The selections she read ranged from hysterical to deeply pensive. I eagerly await this book, and have added STOP PRETENDING to the must order list for the opening of school (as I am a School Librarian.)