Caleb’s Crossing is the 2012 Reading Across Rhode Island choice, which means many activities involving the book, including a special May 5 breakfast with the author, have been scheduled around the state. But don’t read it just for that reason. Read it because it is a fascinating glimpse of life at the time when the newly arrived English Puritans began engaging culturally with Native Americans. Read it because it is a gift to all those who love historical fiction with a strong sense of authenticity and accuracy. This much is factual: in 1661, a young Native American from the Wampanoag tribe on…

Powerful and riveting, this dynamic book will immediately grab you. Drawn from today’s headlines - the story of the Fritzl family in Austria in 2008 was the inspiration - Room explores, in a thoroughly unique way, the bizarre and frightening concept of a child in this modern world born and raised in captivity. Through the innocent and unsentimental eyes of fun-loving Jack, a 5-year-old boy who lives in Room with his Ma, we slowly learn that Ma was kidnapped as a young college girl by someone called Old Nick. She was imprisoned in a fortress-like room where Jack was born. He has never been …

I’ve always been a bit of a book snoop, furtively looking over people’s shoulders to check out what they are reading and wondering why they made that choice, why that particular book appealed. It might even be considered rude, but somehow I just can’t resist the burning need to know what others are reading. Now I’ve discovered that there are a lot of book snoops like me out there! Some of them are even making a happy living doing this. So in my recent travels around town, in airports and with friends and family, I have been busy scoping out what people are reading to share with you. (It was …

Forget all the legends of the Pilgrims and the Indians of New England and just read Mayflower. It is everything a history book should be. Based on extensive research and written in a clear and lucid style, the book covers the time period from the Pilgrims’ beginnings in England to the end of King Philip’s War. This book should be required reading for all students of American history. The landscape of all of southern New England springs to life with the fascinating accounts of the early settlers and how they interacted with the Indians of  the 1600s. An uneasy intimacy and friendship existed …

It is rather hard to define Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, a charming first novel from author Helen Simonson. Is it a British comedy of manners? A tender love story? A look at the problems of prejudice and multicultural issues as more and more Middle Easterners move into Great Britain? Certainly all of the above with the introduction of a most endearing and likable character, Major Ernest Pettigrew.  Living in a small village just outside of London in the Sussex countryside, the retired and somewhat opinionated Pettigrew encounters a few surprises as he navigates through life following the …

Only my book club could have forced me to read a book narrated by a dog with race car driving as a metaphor for life. Yay for book clubs which take us out of our comfort zones as I would otherwise have missed this book which sparkles with wisdom and warmth. Unique in its premise, this book will make you ponder the intriguing question that dog owners ponder daily: How much does your dog really understand?  Enzo is a lab terrier mix who is approaching the end of his life. He is looking back on the trials and tribulations of his life and looking forward to returning as a human because he knows …

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot was my first venture into ebook reading. I already had a print copy from our high school library, but I decided to download it onto my iPad for free from the Ocean State Libraries EZone at http://riezone.lib.overdrive.com. No one was more surprised than me to find out that I loved the electronic format! I could make the text larger with a push of my finger, I could read it in poor lighting conditions and it felt light and right in my hands! I will definitely go back for more free ebooks, but you should be warned that there is a long wait …

In honor of Reading Week and National Library Week which both take place in April, I thought it would be fun to take a look at what the teachers and staff members at Cole Middle School are reading these days. Even though we are all busy with our move to our beautiful new school, you can see that reading is alive and well at Cole! I’m sure there is something in this list for everyone looking for their next good book.  It’s also interesting to note that several teachers are reading young adult novels to keep up with the interests of their students.Alexis Meyer (principal): The Choice by …

After reading "Unbroken," I cannot believe that the name Louis Zamperini is not an instantly recognizable household word. His incredible life story is an amazing saga of courage, defiance and suffering almost impossible to contemplate. The world should know his story. Only one copy is available at the East Greenwich Public Library with many holds on it so you will have to wait a while to get a library copy.Author Laura Hillenbrand, who also wrote  "Seabiscuit," writes with an exquisite attention to detail. Not only is this a portrait of an amazing human being and an extraordinary war story, …

I thought it would be appropriate to begin this column with a review of my own personal favorite book of 2010, "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. This powerful book was also a rare unanimous hit with my book club and apparently, with book clubs all across the country. "The Help" was been enormously popular here in East Greenwich. The East Greenwich Free Library owns 12 copies, all of which are signed out, with 7 holds on them. So logon to www.eastgreenwichlibrary.org  and submit your request to get a copy held for you. It is also available for free download  in ebook format at http://riezone.lib…