New Books Provide Fresh Enjoyment
By Hollie Parry

Like fresh bread, a new book is full of the promise of rich flavors.  Here are some news ones that are sure to become some of your favorites.

House of the Red Fish by Graham Salisbury

Living in Hawaii in 1943, one and a half years after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 13-year-old Tomi Nakaji faces the prejudice and hardships of being Japanese.  His father and grandfather were both arrested following the Pearl Harbor attack and his father’s fishing boat was sunk at the bottom of the canal. 

The people of the island are constantly suspicious of Tomi and his family, and many of his peers turn the fear of another surprise bombing into anger against Tomi. To make things more complicated, one of the main tormentors in Tomi’s life is the son of his mother’s employer.  The threat is always constant in the Nakajis’ minds that if Tomi fights back against the youth, his mother will lose the only source of income the family has.

Besides the daily harassment and prejudice that Tomi faces, he feels a strong responsibility to set things right for his family by taking on the impossible feat of bringing his father’s sunken boat up and repairing it. Armed with the help of his friends and the courage of his family, Tomi sets out to beat the odds and restore his family’s pride.

I am drawn to books that bring the injustice of prejudice a little closer into my world, because it gives me the opportunity to examine my life and see if there is intolerance that exists in my own thinking. Tomi is a classic underdog character who portrays the will to overcome any obstacle.  If you like a little bit of history mixed in with fiction, you’ll enjoy House of the Red Fish.

Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

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This book is quickly moving into my book box of favorites to be read over and over.  Penny is a loveable character whose humor and innocence take a sensitive story and turn it into a great read. 

Penny is a girl who lives between two worlds.  At night she lives with her mother and maternal grandparents, and in the day she spends time with her deceased father’s Italian family.  She prefers the excitement and variety of her father’s eccentric family, but loves her mother and her grandparents dearly as well.  Neither family speaks to the other, but both adore Penny.

The one thing that is common among both families is that neither of them will mention what happened to Penny’s father.  She has few memories of him, but as she gets older, she feels that there is a secret that she ought to know.  Maybe this secret will explain the strange behaviors of both of her families.

I love Penny as a character.  I love the way that she recoils from her maternal grandmother’s cooking.  I laughed at her chagrin at being teased for a terrible haircut.  I share in her affection for her Nonny and her quirks.  This is a very enjoyable, quick read for a cozy afternoon. 

Queen B by Laura Peyton Roberts

Cassie just might be the luckiest girl alive.  She has great friends, a class schedule that she likes, and a fabulous boyfriend that she is madly in love with.  In any teenage girl’s mind she just about has a perfect life.  That is, until she messes the whole thing up with a few mistakes and some overdramatic, stressed-out decisions. 

To give you more of the story would ruin the plot, but let’s just say that Cassie has an archenemy named Sterling who pretty much pulls all the nasty girl tricks, an embarrassing family that seems abnormal, and a touch of insecurity that any teen can relate to.

I haven’t found a book written about a contemporary high school experience that I liked as much as Queen B.  Although it is a bit over the top at times, it is a fun tale that I am sure many of us can relate to.

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

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To say that Kendra and Seth are unhappy about spending 17 days at their grandparents’ farm would be an understatement.  They hardly know Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson and have only heard lame excuses as to why Grandma Sorenson has not been accompanying Grandpa Sorenson for the past few visits.  Kendra overheard her grandpa’s many excuses why he didn’t want the kids to come stay at the farm and is more than a little disturbed by the sign at the front gate of the property that reads, “Private Property.  No Trespassing.  Beware of .12 Gauge. Trespassers with Be Persecuted.  Certain Death Awaits.” 

Once the children’s parents are off for their cruise, Grandpa Sorenson lays down the rules of the house.  The children are allowed to roam the grounds, the garden, and the pool, or play in their attic room with all the toys that have been provided.  They are given the care of a chicken that is locked in a cage and told that the housekeeper, Lena, will take care of anything that they need. They are told that under no circumstances are they allowed in the woods or in the barn.  Then, as Grandpa Sorenson leaves, he gives Kendra and Seth three keys and challenges them to find the locks that match the keys.

With no TV or radio and seemingly limited entertainment, the children feel like it will be the longest 17 days of their lives.  How wrong will they be when strange things start to happen and Seth breaks one of the hard-fast rules and steals off to explore the woods?  Find out the rest of the story by reading Fablehaven, a treat for any fantasy fan.