The Perfect Circle by Pascale Quiviger, translated by Sheila Fischman
lyrical and abstract, like poetry, full of emotion, and longing, and a delight to the senses. I was too sad to finish it though. I will another day. Some of my favorite books didn't get read through on the first go.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Imaginative, darkly fascinating, and I just needed to know what it was like. Does seem to try a little hard to be dramatic and artsy...with the free verse disjointed form, setting characters, inserting things. "Here is a small fact. You are going to die." on the first page stands alone in different font. OOOKAAAY. SCARY STUFF MAN, SO POIGNANT. At 552 pages, I knew that I'd probably not make it through at this time of the year. I never seem to find appropriate reading materials for the season! I think this book will be great for many.

"A SPECTACULARLY TRAGIC MOMENT. A train was moving quickly. It was packed with humans. A six-year-old boy died in the third carriage."

It seems a bit like the movie, Amelie. Which I love by the way.

Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna
This picture book is okay. Really. Well, it's totally moralistic in a frighteningly way, in a weird world where everyone is concientious and polite. A boy sees his coach (Mr. Peabody) take an apple without paying while walking down the street. The coach is well liked. The boy tells others. Rumours fly, and no one comes to play baseball. The boy explains to the coach. They walk to the shop where the grocer explains that Mr. Peabody pays once a week for his apples. The boy is told to cut open a feather pillow and shake it in the wind, then pick up every feather. Each feather represents a person - see how hard it is to take back gossip? But actually, I think it's a useful story in a classroom setting and well suited along with bright illustrations for the early grades. And heck, maybe the kids can gyrate to a Material Girl song afterwards...

PS- her other book, English Roses was so unappealing, I couldn't read it. I can't even get through a picture book...what's happening to me?! I can't even finish a picture book!