RIP: Lee Archer

Lee A Archer
6 Sep 1919 - 27 Jan 2010

ZUI this article from the New York Times:

Retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Lee A. Archer, a Tuskegee Airman considered to be the only black ace pilot who also broke racial barriers as an executive at a major U.S. company and founder of a venture capital firm, died Wednesday in New York City. He was 90.

His son, Roy Archer, said his father died at Cornell University Medical Center in Manhattan. A cause of death was not immediately determined, The Associated Press reported.

*******

Mr. Archer was acknowledged to have shot down four planes, and he and another pilot both claimed victory for shooting down a fifth plane. An investigation revealed Mr. Archer had inflicted the damage that destroyed the plane, said Mr. Brown, and the Air Force eventually proclaimed him an ace pilot.

*******

Born on Sept. 6, 1919, in Yonkers and raised in Harlem, Mr. Archer left New York University to enlist in the Army Air Corps in 1941 but was rejected for pilot training because the military didn’t allow blacks to serve as pilots.

”A War Department study in 1925 expressly stated that Negroes didn’t have the intelligence, or the character, or the leadership to be in combat units, and particularly, they didn’t have the ability to be Air Force pilots,” said Mr. Brown.

Mr. Archer instead joined a segregated Army Air Corps unit at the Tuskegee, Ala., air base, graduating from pilot training in July 1943.

*******

Mr. Archer is survived by three sons and a daughter. His wife, Ina Archer, died in 1996. Services have yet to be announced.

Oral history clips of Lt Col Archer can be found here.

Quote of the day

Those who do not know history are condemning me to repeat it.

Something I didn't know

Taco Bell was named after its founder, Glen Bell (3 Sep 1923–17 Jan 2010).

Newbery and Caldecott winners announced

The 2010 winner of the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children is When You Reach Me, written by Rebecca Stead and published by Wendy Lamb Books. The Newbery Honor Books (ie, runners-up) are Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose; The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin; and The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, by Rodman Philbrick.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble both have it, of course.*

The Randolph Caldecott Medal, for the most distinguished American picture book for children, was awarded to The Lion & the Mouse, illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney and published by Little, Brown and Company. The Caldecott Honor Books are All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee and written by Liz Garton Scanlon, and Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski and written by Joyce Sidman.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble both have this one, too.*

(I'll let you do your own searches for the Honor Books.)

The American Library Association (ALA), who give both of the above awards, also announced a few others, including:

The Michael L Printz Award, for excellence in young-adult literature: Going Bovine, by Libba Bray.

The Coretta Scott King Book Award, recognizing an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults: (author) Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, and (illustrator) My People, illustrated by Charles R Smith Jr and written by Langston Hughes.

The Pura Belpré Awards, for Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children's books: (author) Return to Sender, by Julia Alvarez, and (illustrator) Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros, illustrated by Rafael López and written by Pat Mora.

The Margaret A Edwards Award, for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: Jim Murphy.

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, for the most distinguished book for beginning readers: Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!, written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes.

The Robert F Sibert Medal, for the most distinguished informational book for children: Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream, by Tanya Lee Stone.

The YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award: Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith, by Deborah Heiligman.

The Mildred L Batchelder Award, for the most outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States: A Faraway Island, originally written in Swedish (as En ö i havet) by Annika Thor, and translated by Linda Schenck.

The ALA press release, with the complete list of awards, winners, and Honor Books, is here.

Update 1806 20 Jan: Got to the library's copy of When You Reach Me before anyone else did, and stayed up until almost 0100 finishing it. Excellent book - I'm adding it to my list of favourite Newbery winners!


* Amazon and B&N links are provided for information. Buying from your local independent bookseller is of course strongly recommended!!

2010 Sydney Taylor Book Awards

The winners of the 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Awards have been announced. They are:

Sydney Taylor Book Award for Younger Readers
New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story, written by April Halprin Wayland and illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch

Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers
The Importance of Wings, by Robin Friedman

Sydney Taylor Book Award for Teen Readers
Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba, by Margarita Engle

Sydney Taylor Notable Book for All Ages
JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible, retold by Ellen Frankel and illustrated by Avi Katz

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The winners receive gold medals, and the honour books (runners-up) receive silver medals.

The Top 100 Children's Fictional Chapter Books Poll

Betsy Bird, of A Fuse #8 Production, is doing a follow-up to her Top 100 Picture Books list. Readers have until 31 January 2010 to submit their prioritised list of the top 10 middle-grade fiction titles of all time. See here for details.

Had a heck of a time cutting my list to just ten....

RIP: Col Robert L. Howard

ROBERT L HOWARD
11 Jul 1939 - 23 Dec 2009

ZUI this article from the Dallas Morning News:

Retired Army Col. Robert L. Howard, a Medal of Honor recipient who retired in San Antonio and was one of the most highly decorated soldiers from the Vietnam War, died Wednesday.

Robert L. Howard served five tours in Vietnam and was nominated for the Medal of Honor thrice in 13 months. Col. Howard, 70, died at about noon at a hospice in Waco, where he'd been for about three weeks, suffering from pancreatic cancer, said Benito Guerrero, a close friend, Vietnam veteran and retired sergeant major.

*******

Col. Howard, born July 11, 1939, grew up in Opelika, Ala., and served in the Army from 1956 to 1992. After retiring at Fort Sam Houston, he decided to stay in San Antonio.

Col. Howard, who served five tours of Vietnam, was a sergeant first class in the Army's Special Forces on Dec. 30, 1968, when he rallied a badly shot-up platoon against an estimated 250 enemy troops. Despite being unable to walk because of injuries, he coordinated a counterattack while aiding the wounded and was the last man to board a helicopter, according to military records.

*******

Col. Howard is survived by three children, including a daughter living in Waco, retired Maj. Gen. Alfred Valenzuela said. A memorial service in San Antonio and burial at Arlington National Cemetery are planned.

The New York Times has an obituary here, and Wikipedia has an article here.

************* *** *************

ROBERT L HOWARD

First Lieutenant (then Sergeant First Class), US Army; 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces

Born: 11 July 1939, Opelika, Alabama
Died: 23 December 2009, Waco, Texas

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Howard (then Sfc.), distinguished himself [on 30 December 1968] while serving as platoon sergeant of an American-Vietnamese platoon which was on a mission to rescue a missing American soldier in enemy controlled territory in the Republic of Vietnam. The platoon had left its helicopter landing zone and was moving out on its mission when it was attacked by an estimated 2-company force. During the initial engagement, 1st Lt. Howard was wounded and his weapon destroyed by a grenade explosion. 1st Lt. Howard saw his platoon leader had been wounded seriously and was exposed to fire. Although unable to walk, and weaponless, 1st Lt. Howard unhesitatingly crawled through a hail of fire to retrieve his wounded leader. As 1st Lt. Howard was administering first aid and removing the officer's equipment, an enemy bullet struck 1 of the ammunition pouches on the lieutenant's belt, detonating several magazines of ammunition. 1st Lt. Howard momentarily sought cover and then realizing that he must rejoin the platoon, which had been disorganized by the enemy attack, he again began dragging the seriously wounded officer toward the platoon area. Through his outstanding example of indomitable courage and bravery, 1st Lt. Howard was able to rally the platoon into an organized defense force. With complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Howard crawled from position to position, administering first aid to the wounded, giving encouragement to the defenders and directing their fire on the encircling enemy. For 3 1/2 hours 1st Lt. Howard's small force and supporting aircraft successfully repulsed enemy attacks and finally were in sufficient control to permit the landing of rescue helicopters. 1st Lt. Howard personally supervised the loading of his men and did not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all were aboard safely. 1st Lt. Howard's gallantry in action, his complete devotion to the welfare of his men at the risk of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

The Cybils: 2009 short lists

I haven't been paying attention to this year's Cybils (the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards), but nominations were collected last fall and the finalists were announced yesterday. Here are the lists; links are to the posts on the Cybils site, with brief descriptions of each book.

Easy Readers & Short Chapter Books: Easy Readers
Dinosaur Hunt, by David Catrow
Good Dog, Aggie, by Lori Ries
Mr. Putter & Tabby Spill the Beans, by Cynthia Rylant
Shampoodle, by Joan Holub
Watch Me Throw the Ball!, by Mo Willems

Easy Readers & Short Chapter Books: Short Chapter Books
Alice's Shooting Star, by Tim Kennemore
Bad to the Bone, by Lucy Nola
How Oliver Olson Changed the World, by Claudia Mills
Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes, by Kate DiCamillo
Roscoe Riley Rules #7: Never Race a Runaway Pumpkin, by Katherine Applegate

Middle-Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction
11 Birthdays, by Wendy Mass
Dreamdark: Silksinger, by Laini Taylor
The Farwalker's Quest, by Joni Sensel
Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman
The Prince of Fenway Park, by Julianna Baggott
The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories, by Joan Aiken
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin

Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction
Candor, by Pam Bachorz
The Demon's Lexicon, by Sarah Rees Brennan
The Dust of 100 Dogs, by A S King
Fire, by Kristin Cashore
Lips Touch, by Laini Taylor
Sacred Scars, by Kathleen Duey
Tiger Moon, by Antonia Michaelis

Fiction Picture Books
The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown
The Lion & the Mouse, by Jerry Pinkney
Jeremy Draws a Monster, by Peter McCarty
The Listeners, by Gloria Whelan
All the World, by Liz Garton Scanlon
The Book That Eats People, by John Perry
Silly Tilly, by Eileen Spinelli

Graphic Novels: Middle Grade
Creepy Crawly Crime, by Aaron Reynolds
Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics, by James Sturm
The Stonekeeper's Curse, by Kazu Kibuishi
The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook, by Eleanor Davis
Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom, by Eric Wight

Graphic Novels: Young Adult
The Dreamer: The Consequence of Nathan Hale, Part 1, by Lora Innes
Gunnerkrigg Court: Orientation, by Tom Siddell
Crogan's Vengeance, by Chris Schweizer
Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Death and Dementia, by Edgar Allan Poe (illustrated by Gris Grimley)
Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood, by Tony Lee

Middle Grade Fiction
Captain Nobody, by Dean Pitchford
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Heart of a Shepherd, by Rosanne Parry
All The Broken Pieces, by Ann Burg
Operation Yes, by Sara Lewis Holmes
The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, by Barbara O'Connor

Non-Fiction Middle Grade & Young Adult Books
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose
The Frog Scientist, by Pamela S Turner, with photographs by Andy Comins
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure, by Larry Smith
Marching For Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary, by Elizabeth Partridge
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland, by Sally M Walker

Non-Fiction Picture/Information Books
Mermaid Queen: The Spectacular True Story Of Annette Kellerman, Who Swam Her Way To Fame, Fortune & Swimsuit History!, by Shana Corey
The Day-Glo Brothers, by Chris Barton
Life-Size Zoo: From Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, An Actual Size Animal Encyclopedia, by Teruyuki Komiya, with photographs by Toyofumi Fukuda
14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, by Brian Floca
Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea, by Steve Jenkins
Faith, by Maya Ajmera, Magde Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon for the Global Fund for Children

Poetry
African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways, by Avis Harley, with photographs by Deborah Noyes
The Bill Martin Jr Big Book of Poetry, by Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson
The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme, by Bobbi Katz, illustrated by Adam McCauley
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination, by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston, illustrated by Barbara Fortin

Young Adult Fiction
Blue Plate Special, by Michelle D Kwasney
Carter Finally Gets It, by Brent Crawford
Cracked Up to Be, by Courtney Summers
How To Say Goodbye In Robot, by Natalie Standiford
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, by Julie Halpern
North of Beautiful, by Justina Chen
Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson

What do you mean, Any Which Wall and Fat Cat aren't on the lists?? (But Operation Yes is! And The Dust of 100 Dogs is another excellent story.)

What's in a Name reading challenge

I also found the second What's in a Name reading challenge in September:

*This is a challenge that anyone can join, no matter what types of books they like to read. You should be able to find books from any genre that will work.

*Dates: January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

*The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.

1. A book with a "profession" in its title. Examples might include: The Book Thief, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Historian

2. A book with a "time of day" in its title. Examples might include: Twilight, Four Past Midnight, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

3. A book with a "relative" in its title. Examples might include: Eight Cousins, My Father's Dragon, The Daughter of Time

4. A book with a "body part" in its title. Examples might include: The Bluest Eye, Bag of Bones, The Heart of Darkness

5. A book with a "building" in its title. Examples might include: Uncle Tom's Cabin, Little House on the Prairie, The Looming Tower

6. A book with a "medical condition" in its title. Examples might include: Insomnia, Coma, The Plague

My books were:

1. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, by Brandon Sanderson
2. Night of the Fox, by Jack Higgins
3. Sister Light, Sister Dark, by Jane Yolen
4. Arm of the Starfish, by Madeleine L'Engle
5. The Secret of the Old Mill, by "Franklin W Dixon."
6. Dead Girl Walking, by Linda Joy Singleton

No, I didn't write reviews of any of these - as I've mentioned before, I hate writing book reviews. But you can check the reviews posted on Amazon by following the above links.

The WWII reading challenge

Back in September I signed up for the World War II reading challenge at War through the Generations. The challenge ran from 1 January 09 to 31 December 09; I had already read three WWII books (two non-fiction, on fiction) by the time I learned of the challenge, so I signed up for a total of six books. Unfortunately, it slipped my mind whilst doing my December reading that I hadn't read a WWII book in November, so I ended up reading only five:

Shadows in the Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines in World War II, by Larry Alexander
The Silver Sword (aka Escape from Warsaw), by Ian Serraillier
Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's Story, by Baron Burkard von Müllenheim-Rechberg.
Dust on the Sea, by Douglas Reeman
Night of the Fox, by Jack Higgins

The Deadly Sunshade, an Asey Mayo mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor, is set during the war, and one of the story threads deals with women arming themselves in case of a German invasion of Cape Cod, but I think it would be stretching things a bit to include that in my total....

This year's challenge from War through the Generations is to read five or more books about the Vietnam War

Libraries need more books!

The public library purchased 11 of the 14 books I recommended in 2008. In 2009, I was 17 for 22:

Dead Girl Dancing, by Linda Joy Singleton
Julia's Kitchen, by Brenda A Ferber
Secret Keeper, by Mitali Perkins
The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories, by Joan Aiken
Winnie's War, by Jenny Moss
Shadows In The Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines In World War II, by Larry Alexander
Alexandria, by Lindsey Davis
Any Which Wall, by Laurel Snyder
Killer Pizza, by Greg Taylor
Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow, by James Rollins
When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War, by Andrew Riddoch and John Kemp
The Last Thing I Remember, by Andrew Klavan
Going Bovine, by Libba Bray
Operation YES, by Sara Lewis Holmes
Shelter Me, by Alex McAulay
Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run, by Michael Hemphill and Sam Riddleburger
Fat Cat, by Robin Brande

The books I recommended but they didn't order were The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir, by Cylin Busby and John Busby*, Tarantula Tide, by Sharon Tregenza, Damsel, by Susan E Connolly, Kitchener's Last Volunteer, by Henry Allingham and Dennis Goodwin, and Dead Girl in Love, by Linda Joy Singleton*.

I also recommended A Wizard of Mars, by Diane Duane, and Tell Me a Secret, by Holly Cupala, which were supposed to have been released in 2009, but publication has been delayed until this year (so I'm not including them in the total).

Amazon.com links are provided for information, but buying from your local independent booksellers is strongly recommended!


* They did buy these two, but apparently not as a result of my recommendations.

Carnegie Medal books

Having finished reading the Newbery Medal winners, I'm continuing with the books which have been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal - the British equivalent of the Newbery Medal, now awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

The medal was first awarded in 1937, for the best children's book of 1936, but there have been three years when no book was considered suitable, so there are only 71 winners thus far. In addition to the gold medal, the winner receives £500 worth of books to donate to a library of his/her/their choice.

Here's the list. (Dates marked in red indicate the six books I had already read before last year; dates in purple indicate the ones I've read since.)

1936: Pigeon Post, by Arthur Ransome
1937: The Family from One End Street, by Eve Garnett
1938: The Circus is Coming, by Noel Streatfield
1939: Radium Woman, by Eleanor Doorly
1940: Visitors from London, by Kitty Barne
1941: We Couldn't Leave Dinah, by Mary Treadgold
1942: The Little Grey Men, by 'BB' (D J Watkins-Pitchford)
1943: Prize withheld as no book was considered suitable
1944: The Wind on the Moon, by Eric Linklater
1945: Prize withheld as no book was considered suitable
1946: The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge
1947: Collected Stories for Children, Walter De La Mare
1948: Sea Change, by Richard Armstrong
1949: The Story of Your Home, by Agnes Allen
1950: The Lark on the Wing, by Elfrida Vipont Foulds
1951: The Woolpack, by Cynthia Harnett
1952: The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
1953: A Valley Grows Up, by Edward Osmond
1954: Knight Crusader, by Ronald Welch (Felton Ronald Oliver)
1955: The Little Bookroom, by Eleanor Farjeon
1956: The Last Battle, by C S Lewis
1957: A Grass Rope, by William Mayne
1958: Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philipa Pearce
1959: The Lantern Bearers, by Rosemary Sutcliff
1960: The Making of Man, by Dr I W Cornwall
1961: A Stranger at Green Knowe, by Lucy M Boston
1962: The Twelve and the Genii, by Pauline Clarke
1963: Time of Trial, by Hester Burton
1964: Nordy Bank, by Sheena Porter
1965: The Grange at High Force, by Philip Turner
1966: Prize withheld as no book was considered suitable
1967: The Owl Service, by Alan Garner
1968: The Moon in the Cloud, by Rosemary Harris
1969: The Edge of the Cloud, by Kathleen Peyton
1970: The God Beneath the Sea, by Leon Garfield and Edward Blishen
1971: Josh, by Ivan Southall
1972: Watership Down, by Richard Adams
1973: The Ghost of Thomas Kempe, by Penelope Lively
1974: The Stronghold, by Mollie Hunter
1975: The Machine Gunners, by Robert Westall
1976: Thunder and Lightnings, by Jan Mark
1977: The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler, by Gene Kemp
1978: The Exeter Blitz, by David Rees
1979: Tulku, by Peter Dickinson
1980: City of Gold, by Peter Dickinson
1981: The Scarecrows, by Robert Westall
1982: The Haunting, by Margaret Mahy
1983: Handles, by Jan Mark
1984: The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy
1985: Storm, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
1986: Granny was a Buffer Girl, by Berlie Doherty
1987: The Ghost Drum, by Susan Price
1988: A Pack of Lies, by Geraldine McCaughrean
1989: Goggle-eyes, by Anne Fine
1990: Wolf, by Gillian Cross
1991: Dear Nobody, by Berlie Doherty
1992: Flour Babies, by Anne Fine
1993: Stone Cold, by Robert Swindells
1994: Whispers in the Graveyard, by Theresa Breslin
1995: Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman*
1996: Junk, by Melvin Burgess
1997: River Boy, by Tim Bowler
1998: Skellig, by David Almond
1999: Postcards From No Man's Land, by Aidan Chambers
2000: The Other Side of Truth, by Beverley Naidoo
2001: The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett
2002: Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech
2003: A Gathering Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
2004: Millions, by Frank Cottrell Boyce
2005: Tamar, by Mal Peet
2006: **
2007: Just in Case, by Meg Rosoff
2008: Here Lies Arthur, by Philip Reeve
2009: Bog Child, by Siobhan Dowd

So the count now is 24 down, 46 to go. Unfortunately, our local library system (Groton, Waterford and Mystic/Noank) only has one of the ones I haven't read yet (Tom's Midnight Garden), so I'm going to have to start making a lot of ILL requests. In the meantime, 54 books have been nominated for the 2010 medal; the shortlisted books will be announced on 23 April, and the winner on 24 June.

Did I say Skellig was a very strange book? Just in Case is even stranger....


* His Dark Materials, Book 1. Published in the US as The Golden Compass.

** Up through the award for 2005, the winners were referred to by the year of publication. Beginning in 2007, the winners were referred to by the year the award was given, as with the American Newbery Medal. Thus there is no "2006 winner" of the Carnegie Medal. Tamar, the 2005 winner, was published in '05, and received the medal in '06. Just in Case, the 2007 winner, was published in '06 and received the award in '07.

Book list - 2009

Here's the complete list of books I read in 2009. My goal for the year was 209 books; I just met the goal, finishing the 209th book at 2358 on 31 December.

An asterisk indicates a reread. Numbers refer to the order in which the books were read.

"Adult" Fiction (58 books)
4. Dead Time - mystery, by Eleanor Taylor Bland
7. Slow Burn - mystery, by Eleanor Taylor Bland
8. Gone Quiet - mystery, by Eleanor Taylor Bland
10. White Jenna - fantasy, by Jane Yolen
11. Savage Wilderness - historical fiction, by Harold Coyle
17. The Horizon - WWI fiction, by Douglas Reeman
19. The Illustrated Man - SF, by Ray Bradbury
25. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - fantasy, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
28. Badge of Glory - historical fiction, by Douglas Reeman
31. Cold Comfort Farm - humour, by Stella Gibbons
33. The First to Land - historical fiction, by Douglas Reeman
35. Moon of Three Rings - SF, by Andre Norton *
40. Exiles of the Stars - SF, by Andre Norton *
41. The Zero Stone - SF, by Andre Norton *
43. The Dogs of War - thriller, by Frederick Forsyth *
45. Dragon Mage - fantasy, by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe
47. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964 - SF (short stories), edited by Robert Silverberg
54. Uncharted Stars - SF, by Andre Norton *
55. Nightfall - SF, by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg
58. Witch World - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
59. Web of the Witch World - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
60. Year of the Unicorn - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
74. Alexandria - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
121. Winter in Thrush Green - fiction, by Miss Read
123. Battles at Thrush Green - fiction, by Miss Read
130. Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars - AH/astronomy, by Arthur R Upgren
131. Saint Antony's Fire - AH/SF, by Steve White
135. Gateway - SF, by Frederik Pohl
144. Federations: Vast, Epic, Interstellar - SF (short stories), edited by John Joseph Adams
151. Farthing - AH/mystery, by Jo Walton
152. Ha'penny - AH/mystery, by Jo Walton
153. Half a Crown - AH/thriller, by Jo Walton
161. The 1977 Annual World's Best SF - SF (short stories), edited by Donald A Wollheim
166. Curious Notions - AH/SF, by Harry Turtledove
167. The Gladiator - AH/SF, by Harry Turtledove
168. The Valley-Westside War - AH/SF, by Harry Turtledove
169. Dust on the Sea - WWII fiction, by Douglas Reeman
176. The Hostile Shore - thriller, by Douglas Reeman
181. The Mystery of the Cape Cod Tavern - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
182. Proof of the Pudding - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
185. The Alternate Martians - SF, by A Bertram Chandler *
187. Trader to the Stars - SF (short stories), by Poul Anderson *
188. The Annulet of Gilt - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
189. The Deadly Sunshade - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
190. When Eight Bells Toll - thriller, by Alistair MacLean *
191. Night of the Fox - WWII fiction, by Jack Higgins *
192. Empress of Outer Space - SF, by A Bertram Chandler *
194. The Oakdale Affair - thriller, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
195. Chronicles of Pern: First Fall - SF (short stories), by Anne McCaffrey *
196. David Falkayn: Star Trader - SF (collection), by Poul Anderson
197. Tarzan: The Lost Adventure - adventure, by Edgar Rice Burroughs and Joe R Lansdale
199. The Unforgiving Minutes - mystery, by Mary Monica Pulver *
200. The Moon Maid - SF, by Edgar Rice Burroughs *
201. The Moon Men - SF, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
202. Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 7 (1945) - SF (short stories), edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H Greenberg *
203. Song of Sorcery - fantasy, by Elizabeth Scarborough
206. Scenes of Crime - mystery, by Leslie Egan (Elizabeth Linington) *
207. Zenya - SF, by E C Tubb

Children's/YA Fiction (120)
1. Boston Jane - YA historical fiction, by Jennifer L Holm
3. Dead Girl Walking - YA, by Linda Joy Singleton
5. A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers - children's poetry, by Nancy Willard (Newbery Medal, 1982)
9. Sister Light, Sister Dark - YA fantasy, by Jane Yolen
12. The Lost Island of Tamarind - YA, by Nadia Aguiar
13. Letters from Rifka - children's historical fiction, by Karen Hesse
14. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians - YA, by Brandon Sanderson
15. Everything You Want - YA, by Barbara Shoup
16. The Secret-Keeper - children's, by Kate Coombs
18. Tales from Silver Lands - children's folktales, by Charles J Finger (Newbery Medal, 1925)
20. Julia's Kitchen - children's, by Brenda A Ferber
21. Secret Keeper - YA, by Mitali Perkins
22. The Graveyard Book - children's, by Neil Gaiman (Newbery Medal, 2009)
23. The Dust of 100 Dogs - YA, by A S King
24. A La Carte - YA, by Tanita S Davis
27. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents - YA fantasy, by Terry Pratchett (Carnegie Medal, 2001)
30. Winnie's War - children's historical fiction, by Jenny Moss
32. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks: A Novel - YA, by E Lockhart
34. The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories - children's fantasy (short stories), by Joan Aiken
37. Roxie and the Hooligans - children's, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
38. The Slave Dancer - children's historical fiction, by Paula Fox (Newbery Medal, 1974)
39. Gay Neck: the Story of a Pigeon - children's, by Dhan Gopal Mukerji (Newbery Medal, 1928)
44. Tulku - YA historical fiction, by Peter Dickinson (Carnegie Medal, 1979)
46. River Boy - YA, by Tim Bowler (Carnegie Medal, 1997)
48. Blackbringer - YA fantasy, by Laini Taylor
49. Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat - children's, by Lynne Jonell
51. Lionboy - children's, by Zizou Corder
62. Shen of the Sea - children's (short stories), by Arthur Bowie Chrisman (Newbery Medal, 1926)
63. The Secret of the Old Mill - children's mystery (1927 version), by "Franklin W Dixon"
64. The Hero and the Crown - children's fantasy, by Robin McKinley (Newbery Medal, 1985)
65. The Capricorn Bracelet - children's historical fiction, by Rosemary Sutcliff
66. The Book of Three - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
67. The Black Cauldron - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
68. The White Stag - children's mythology, by Kate Seredy (Newbery Medal, 1938)
70. The Mystery of the Ivory Charm - children's mystery, by "Carolyn Keene"
71. Waterless Mountain, children's, by Laura Adams Armer (Newbery Medal, 1932)
72. Any Which Wall - children's modern fantasy, by Laurel Snyder
73. Hanukkah, Shmanukkah! - children's, by Esmé Raji Codell
75. Seven-Day Magic - children's modern fantasy, by Edward Eager *
76. The Secret of the Old Mill - children's mystery (1962 version), by "Franklin W Dixon"
79. The Silver Branch - children's historical fiction, by Rosemary Sutcliff
80. The Castle of Llyr - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
81. Switcharound - children's, by Lois Lowry
82. The Book of Time - YA, by Guillaume Prévost
84. A Stitch in Time - children's, by Penelope Lively
85. The Treasures of Weatherby - children's, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
87. Taran Wanderer - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
88. Big Red - children's, by Jim Kjelgaard
89. The Black Canary - YA time travel, by Jane Louise Curry
90. The Book of the Lion - YA historical fiction, by Michael Cadnum
91. The High King - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander (Newbery Medal, 1969)
92. The Leopard Sword - YA historical fiction, by Michael Cadnum
94. Irish Red - children's, by Jim Kjelgaard
95. Bog Child - YA, by Siobhan Dowd (Carnegie Medal, 2009)
97. Rabbit Hill - children's, by Robert Lawson (Newbery Medal, 1945) *
98. Willie Bea and the Time the Martians Landed - children's, by Virginia Hamilton
99. M C Higgins, the Great - children's, by Virginia Hamilton (Newbery Medal, 1975)
100. Killer Pizza - children's, by Greg Taylor
101. Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow - children's, by James Rollins
102. Outlaw Red - children's, by Jim Kjelgaard
103. King of the Wind - children's, by Marguerite Henry (Newbery Medal, 1949)
104. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle - children's, by Hugh Lofting (Newbery Medal, 1923) *
105. The Turnabout Trick - children's, by Scott Corbett
106. The Black Mask Trick - children's, by Scott Corbett
107. The Hangman's Ghost Trick - children's, by Scott Corbett
108. Magic by the Book - children's modern fantasy, by Nina Bernstein
109. The Silver Sword (aka Escape from Warsaw) - children's WWII fiction, by Ian Serraillier *
110. The Twenty-One Balloons - children's, by William Pène du Bois (Newbery Medal, 1948) *
111. Over Sea, Under Stone - children's modern fantasy, by Susan Cooper *
112. Prairie School - children's, by Lois Lenski
113. It's Like This, Cat - children's, by Emily Neville (Newbery Medal, 1964) *
114. The Dark is Rising - children's modern fantasy, by Susan Cooper
115. Greenwitch - children's modern fantasy, by Susan Cooper
116. Winter of Magic's Return - fantasy, by Pamela F Service
117. Strawberry Girl - children's, by Lois Lenski (Newbery Medal, 1946) *
118. The Grey King - children's modern fantasy, by Susan Cooper (Newbery Medal, 1976)
119. Tomorrow's Magic - fantasy, by Pamela F Service
124. The Last Thing I Remember - YA thriller, by Andrew Klavan
126. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler - children's, by E L Konigsburg (Newbery Medal, 1968) *
128. A Wrinkle in Time - children's, by Madeleine L'Engle (Newbery Medal, 1963) *
129. The Tomorrow Code - YA SF, by Brian Falkner
132. Ordinary Jack - children's, by Helen Cresswell
133. Time Out - children's time travel, by Helen Cresswell
134. Shelter Me - YA historical fiction, by Alex McAulay
136. Absolute Zero - children's, by Helen Cresswell
137. A Wind in the Door - children's, by Madeleine L'Engle
138. Moondial - children's, by Helen Cresswell
139. The Disunited States of America - AH/SF, by Harry Turtledove
140. Operation Yes - YA, by Sara Lewis Holmes
143. The Other Side of Truth - YA, by Beverley Naidoo (Carnegie Medal, 2000)
145. Bagthorpes Unlimited - children's, by Helen Cresswell
146. Skellig - YA, by David Almond (Carnegie Medal, 1998)
147. A Swiftly Tilting Planet - YA fantasy, by Madeleine L'Engle
148. Many Waters - YA fantasy, by Madeleine L'Engle
149. Bagthorpes v the World - children's, by Helen Cresswell
150. Dead Girl Dancing - YA, by Linda Joy Singleton
154. Arm of the Starfish - YA, by Madeleine L'Engle
155. Bagthorpes Abroad - children's, by Helen Cresswell
156. Bagthorpes Haunted - children's, by Helen Cresswell
158. My Side of the Mountain - children's, by Jean Craighead George *
159. On the Far Side of the Mountain - children's, by Jean Craighead George
160. The Battle for Duncragglin - children's time travel, by Andrew H Vanderwal
162. Dragons in the Waters - YA, by Madeleine L'Engle
164. Going Bovine - YA, by Libba Bray
165. Captain Kidd's Cat - children's, by Robert Lawson *
170. The Haunting - YA, by Margaret Mahy (Carnegie Medal, 1982)
171. Fat Cat - YA, by Robin Brande
172. Just in Case - YA, by Meg Rosoff (Carnegie Medal, 2007)
173. Flour Babies - YA, by Anne Fine (Carnegie Medal, 1992)
174. Here Lies Arthur - YA fantasy, by Philip Reeve (Carnegie Medal, 2008)
175. Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run - children's time travel, by Michael Hemphill
177. Minutemen - children's time travel, by Lucy Ruggles
178. The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance - YA, by Margaret Mahy (Carnegie Medal, 1984)
179. Dead Girl in Love - YA, by Linda Joy Singleton
180. Gunpowder Empire - AH/SF, by Harry Turtledove
198. Daybreak - 2250 AD (aka Star Man's Son) - YA SF, by Andre Norton *
204. The Celery Stalks at Midnight - children's, by James Howe
205. Cryptid Hunters - YA adventure, by Roland Smith
208. The Island of Adventure - children's adventure, by Enid Blyton *
209. The Castle of Adventure - children's adventure, by Enid Blyton *

Non-Fiction (31)
2. Silent Steel: The Mysterious Death of the Nuclear Attack Sub USS Scorpion - naval history, by Stephen Johnson
6. Sub: An Oral History of US Navy Submarines - naval history, by Mark Roberts
26. The Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars - biography, by Andrew X Pham
29. Shadows in the Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines in World War II - World War II, by Larry Alexander
36. The Boxer Rebellion - history, by Diana Preston
42. The Wonga Coup - African history, by Adam Roberts
50. Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women - children's biography, by Cornelia Meigs (Newbery Medal, 1934)
52. World War I: The African Front - WW I, by Edward Paice
53. Eight is Enough - family life, by Thomas Wardell Braden *
56. Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World - European history, by Roger Crowley
57. Amos Fortune, Free Man - children's biography, by Elizabeth Yates (Newbery Medal, 1951)
61. Lincoln: A Photobiography - children's biography, by Russell Freedman (Newbery Medal, 1988)
69. Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America - American history, by John Keegan
77. Give War a Chance - essays, by P J O'Rourke
78. Eat the Rich - economics, by P J O'Rourke
83. Two Australians in Scotland - travel, by J P Young
86. The Story of Mankind - YA world history, by Hendrik Willem Van Loon (Newbery medal, 1922)
93. Gettysburg: The Final Fury - USCW, by Bruce Catton
96. Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam - USCW, by James M McPherson
120. Daniel Boone - children's biography, by James Daugherty (Newbery Medal, 1940)
122. The Spartacus War - ancient history, by Barry S Strauss
125. Driving Like Crazy - automobiles, by P J O'Rourke
127. Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's Story - WW II, by Baron Burkard von Müllenheim-Rechberg
141. The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir - memoirs, by Cylin Busby and John Busby
142. Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage - English history, by Stephen Budiansky
157. The Lady in Red: An Eighteenth-Century Tale of Sex, Scandal, and Divorce - English history, by Hallie Rubenhold
163. When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War - WW I, by Andrew Riddoch
183. The Solar System and Back - science, by Isaac Asimov *
184. Of Matters Great and Small - science, by Isaac Asimov *
186. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000 - European history, by Chris Wickham
193. Edgar Rice Burroughs: Master of Adventure - biography, by Richard A Lupoff *


The biggest categories were fantasy (29), SF (27), Newbery Medal winners (25, finishing my reading of the 87), historical fiction (19), history (17), mysteries (15) and Carnegie Medal winners (11, bringing my total up to 24 of the 70). And 37 of the books were rereads.

My favourites? Operation Yes, by Sara Lewis Holmes, was the best book I read all year, followed closely by Robin Brande's Fat Cat. These 24 (listed in the order in which I read them) were also very good:

Dead Girl Walking, by Linda Joy Singleton
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
The Dust of 100 Dogs, by A S King
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks: A Novel, by E Lockhart
Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor
World War I: The African Front, by Edward Paice
Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America, by John Keegan
Any Which Wall, by Laurel Snyder
Alexandria, by Lindsey Davis
Rabbit Hill, by Robert Lawson (an old favourite)
Killer Pizza, by Greg Taylor
The Silver Sword, by Ian Serraillier (another old favourite)
Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's Story, by Baron Burkard von Müllenheim-Rechberg
The Tomorrow Code, by Brian Falkner
Saint Antony's Fire, by Steve White
Operation Yes, by Sara Lewis Holmes
Farthing, by Jo Walton
Ha'penny, by Jo Walton
Half a Crown, by Jo Walton
Here Lies Arthur, by Philip Reeve
The Mystery of the Cape Cod Tavern, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
Proof of the Pudding, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000, by Chris Wickham

My goal for this year is to read 210 books.

Book list - Dec 09

Trader to the Stars - SF (short stories), by Poul Anderson *
The Annulet of Gilt - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
The Deadly Sunshade - mystery, by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
When Eight Bells Toll - thriller, by Alistair MacLean *
Night of the Fox - WWII fiction, by Jack Higgins *
Empress of Outer Space - SF, by A Bertram Chandler *
Edgar Rice Burroughs: Master of Adventure - biography, by Richard A Lupoff *
The Oakdale Affair - thriller, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Chronicles of Pern: First Fall - SF (short stories), by Anne McCaffrey *
David Falkayn: Star Trader - SF (collection), by Poul Anderson
Tarzan: The Lost Adventure - adventure, by Edgar Rice Burroughs and Joe R Lansdale
Daybreak - 2250 AD (aka Star Man's Son) - SF, by Andre Norton *
The Unforgiving Minutes - mystery, by Mary Monica Pulver *
The Moon Maid - SF, by Edgar Rice Burroughs *
The Moon Men - SF, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 7 (1945) - SF (short stories), edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H Greenberg
Song of Sorcery - fantasy, by Elizabeth Scarborough
The Celery Stalks at Midnight - children's, by James Howe
Cryptid Hunters - YA adventure, by Roland Smith
Scenes of Crime - mystery, by Leslie Egan (Elizabeth Linington) *
Zenya - SF, by E C Tubb
The Island of Adventure - children's adventure, by Enid Blyton *
The Castle of Adventure - children's adventure, by Enid Blyton *


23 books this month, with 12 rereads. My goal was to read 209 books this year, and I met it exactly - finishing the 209th book at 2358 on the 31st.

No Carnegie Medal winners this month, so I'm still at 24 of 70. Our local library system only has one of the remaining 46, so I'm going to have to start doing ILLs this month.