LAMB by Bonnie Nadzam

Lamb was a very disturbing book to read.  On the surface it appeared to be a story about a connection between a middle age man and a 12 year old girl.  There was no overt sexual abuse involved.  But under the surface, Lamb was a pedophile.  He stalked and subsequently took a vulnerable 12 girl to groom for his obsession.  Their 7 days on the road discovering exciting places was in fact a slow preparation of Lamb's ultimate plan.  In the end Lamb, for some reason, did not complete his plan.  Instead he returned the girl home.

Lamb knows he changed this girl's life, but he thinks he changed it for the better.  Even though there was no overt sexual abuse, there was implied sexual contact for the girl.  Each time there would be a whisper of sexual contact: Holding her, kissing her, having her sleep in the same bed with him.  Yes, this child's life has changed.  But not for the better.  He has changed who she is and it is a change that will follow her the rest of her life.  Abused children (and she was one) never get over their abuse. Sometimes they get beyond it but never over it.

Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook

Great cookbook.  Classic Bobby Flay:  makes his recipes seem easy enough for the most basic cook, yet elegant enough to impress everyone at your next dinner party.  

And Then There Was One by Patricia Gussin

This book hooked me from the very first page. Three sisters (triplets) go to the movies with their babysitter and only one of the triplets comes out. The other two have vanished. As the story progresses there seems to be several red herrings thrown in. Then it becomes apparent that these red herrings are there to describe child predators and molesters which is crucial to the plot. Patricia Gussin does an excellent job of making you feel the horror of having your children missing and the prospect that they may be killed or molested (or both). Her description of child predators is completely accurate. A very good read but it will make you watch your children more carefully.  4 stars

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by John Boyne

If you haven't read this book or seen this movie then I highly recommend you do.  I read the book several years ago.  It was written for students in the 9 to 16 age level.  It is a story about an eight year old boy named Bruno whose father was high up in the SS division of the German Army during WWII.  Bruno's father moved the family from Berlin to somewhere out in the countryside.  Bruno's father has taken over as Commandant of Auschwitz.  Being an adventurous 8 year old, Bruno discovers a boy living at what Bruno thinks is a farm and whose life and circumstances are very different from his own.  Their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences .  As Bruno struggles to make sense of things going on around him, he is also faced with a truth about himself and his father.

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas was made into a movie that follows the storyline well.  I recently watched the movie again, this time with my nine year old grandson, Blake.  Needless to say it made a profound impression on him.  It is a story he will never forget.  5 stars

  

The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank, by Ella Feldman

Very interesting perspective. This fictional novel takes the premise that Peter (a member of the other family living in hiding with Anne Frank's family) had somehow escaped the holocaust and made his way to America.  An engrossing book.  If only Peter (and all the rest) had lived. Just think what a different world this would have been. This book, even though it was fiction,  made me think of Peter and Anne for months.  4 stars

The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein

A lovely book to read. You'll love Enzo the dog and his outlook on life. We could all take life lessons from him. If you have a pet, it may make you look a little closer and wonder what they are really thinking about. A good book with a good message.

Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall

I am very familiar with the Union Gospel Mission featured in this book. They do an incredible job with the hungry and homeless people in Fort Worth, Texas. The think I liked most about this book was that the Halls didn't just talk about the issue of hunger and homelessness, they didn't just write a check and walk away, they actually stepped in and got involved with the mission and the people. By doing so, they established a beautiful relationship with Denver. This book had a very powerful message that we all should get.