Hippie Chick by Joseph Monninger

I met Joseph Monninger at a conference a couple of years ago. He was awaiting the publication of his first YA novel and he gave me an advance copy. I loved it. And I was glad that he had decided to start writing for YAs as he had interesting stories to tell. And now he has published his second YA novel. HIPPIE CHICK took me by surprise since the title had me thinking that it was probably a novel taking place in the 1960s. It's not. But it does feature manatees which I love. It is a story of survival against the odds. And it is another great novel for teens. Joe, keep writing so we can keep enjoying the ride.

Monninger, Joseph.
HIPPIE CHICK
Asheville, NC : Front Street, 2008
IL YA
ISBN 1590785983
Lolly loves sailing and decides to head out on a late afternoon sail all on her own. She leaves a note for her mother sets out for a peaceful sail. It is as wonderful as she had hoped until the accident happens. The boat capsizes and Lolly is injured and in the water alone with no one to help her. She tries not to panic but as time goes by, she worries that she might not make it out of this situation. She can't get on the boat so must stay in the water as the sun goes down. And now there is a bump against her leg! Is it a shark? Will it hurt much when it clamps down on her leg? It turns out that it is a manatee that is pushing her. Will it save her? Is it even aware of her?

Podcast: http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/monninger_hippie.mp3

Ice storm

New Hampshire, and much of the surrounding area, was the site of a major ice storm yesterday. Power has gone out and many towns near me are still without power and may be so for days to come. We were fortunate in that we only lost power for a short time. Barely enough time for the cold to penetrate the house. I went out to the mall yesterday and found that many of the stores had no power and were closed. It was odd to see the major retailers like Sears and BonTon closed while the smaller store were doing hefty business. The big box tech stores were all without power so I didn't quite finish my shopping but pretty close. Although we are all fine here, I do hope that those without power don't suffer too long. It is very cold today. There are no hotel rooms left and shelters are filling up. Give me a foot of snow over an inch of ice anyday.

I received a review copy of my first book about President Obama!! It is well done and gives background information about our next president. I am happy to be able to show off a book about our new president in a timely fashion!

Gormley, Beatrice.
BARACK OBAMA : OUR FORTY-FOURTH PRESIDENT

Barack Obama is about to become our 44th president. This is an exciting time and a time for change. But who is this man? Learn about his childhood, his time at Harvard University and his record of service to the citizens of Chicago. From community activist to United States Senator to President of the United States, President Obama rose quickly to become the first African American president.

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/gormley_barack.mp3